Watch Emeril Lagasse's Totally Badass Scene on Treme

On last night's episode of Treme, Janette Desautel (Kim Dickens) confides to Emeril Lagasse that she doesn't know how to handle all the chef media nonsense in the run-up to her new restaurant. "How do you do it?" she asks. "The promo stuff, the interviews, dog and pony shows, I mean they want me to go on the Today show with Al Roker." Emeril takes her for a ride out to the legendary Uglesich's that closed back in 2005.

In the epic Anthony Bourdain-written scene, Emeril explains that there are two choices: stay small and risk closing, or expand. "The other choice is that you can build something big and keep it the way you want to keep it... You're the captain of the ship. Or what I should say is that you're the ship. And all these people that look up to you... they're living on the ship... That's the way it is. You got a chance to do your restaurant and take care of these people." Later there's a scene with Desautel doing a sort of awkward cooking segment with Al Roker, too.

Also, Bourdain told the Times-Picayune about writing for Emeril: "Ever since I met the off-camera Emeril, I've wanted to write a scene for him -- where he's like he appears in this episode. Older, 'darker,' sadder, with the burden of years of responsibility for hundreds of people -- an empire -- on his shoulders. But also generous and loyal to his friends."

Video: Emeril Lagasse on Treme

Video: Al Roker on Treme

· Anthony Bourdain explains Uglesich's, Emeril, 'The Layover' [Times Pic]
· All Treme Coverage on Eater [-E-]
· All Emeril Lagasse Coverage on Eater [-E-]
· All Al Roker Coverage on Eater [-E-]