Food Network star chef Preston Paine (B ’15)

By Mary Sparacello

Preston Paine (B ’15) knew from an early age that his future was in the culinary industry. For his tenth birthday, while other kids might have asked only for video games or toys, he requested pots and pans from chef Emeril Lagasse’s cookware line. Years later, as a Tulane student, he found himself working in Emeril’s flagship restaurant in downtown New Orleans, an experience that felt like a dream coming true.

“It was a really cool full-circle moment for me to be able to do that,” says Paine, who, just a decade after graduating from Tulane, is carving out a name for himself in the culinary world.

Since he had a clear vision for his career, Paine narrowed his college choices to the Culinary Institute of America in New York and Tulane, where he was recruited to play football. He ultimately chose Tulane for its strong business school and its location in a city known for its rich culinary culture.

“Knowing that the majority of restaurants fail due to being poorly financially managed, I wanted to choose a school with an excellent business program — one that would give me the skills to avoid the same mistakes that have challenged so many chefs and restaurateurs before me. I chose Tulane because of its great business program and its location in a city that was so food-centered.”

Paine’s decision to pursue a world-class business education at Tulane has paid off because the skills he gained in the classroom have been essential to his success. Two courses, in particular — a business law course taught by Professor Mike Hogg and another teaching negotiation skills — have had a lasting impact.

“Both of those have really helped me as I’ve continued my professional career, both as a chef and also as an owner and partner in a few other businesses as well.”

As a two-year football letterman at Tulane, he often stayed on campus during breaks for training, which also gave him the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in two of New Orleans’ top restaurants as well as a family friend’s catering company, further immersing himself in the city’s vibrant food culture.

“New Orleans is unlike anywhere else in the world. Getting to see firsthand how kitchens here operate gave me a strong foundation and helped me develop a more refined palate — one that many people never get to experience. It also added another layer to my college years, letting me explore the city through food and discover what I loved — and what I didn’t.”

After graduating, he returned to his hometown of Dallas and joined Culinaire International, a restaurant and catering management company. There, he designed restaurants and crafted menus. After a little more than a year, a unique opportunity came his way — working as a private chef aboard a yacht in the Adriatic. From May through September, he had the incredible experience of cooking at sea.

The off-season gave him another chance to expand his skills. Over the next nine months, he visited 36 countries, working in restaurants in Spain, France and Denmark. “I traveled and worked in restaurants that have been recognized as some of the best in the world, and that allowed me to learn more than I ever thought possible.”

What started as a single shop has since grown into a thriving business, with a second location already open in Dallas — and an especially exciting expansion on the horizon. Later this spring, Shug’s Bagels will make its New Orleans debut at 7505 Maple Street, just around the corner from Tulane. A fourth location is in the works for Austin.

Once the first Shug’s restaurant was up and running, Paine took on a new challenge, as the corporate chef for a restaurant management and development company in Dallas’ Bishop Arts District, where he ran six restaurants.

That’s what he was doing when the Food Network came calling.

Preston Paine and his wife Chandler at Eleven Madison Park. He took her there to show her where his career really started.

“I got this Instagram message from a casting company that asked if I had any interest in learning more about an opportunity to go to Italy for six weeks and film a TV show. I just deleted the message. Because there’s no way. How would I get paid to go to Italy to cook on Food Network for six weeks? It just seemed too good to be true.”

Luckily, the casting company wasn’t so easily discouraged. A few days later, they followed up. Paine did some research, and to his surprise, the company was legitimate. He went through the casting process for “Ciao House” — and landed one of the 10 coveted spots on the show.

The show was hosted by acclaimed chefs Alex Guarnaschelli and Gabe Bertaccini. Set in a stunning Tuscan villa, the contestants lived, cooked and competed, using locally sourced ingredients. The eight-episode series was filmed in Borgo San Lorenzo, a town northeast of Florence, and aired in spring 2023.

“It was better than I could have hoped — such a beautiful part of the country, so many talented people. Getting to see the production side of TV and how it all works was incredible. And having that second full-circle moment, being on the same network I grew up watching, was really sentimental for me.

“The reason I got into cooking was watching Emeril Lagasse on TV — his charisma, the way he commanded a space and how he brought people together through food. To have the chance to be on that same network and maybe inspire even one kid out there was a really special moment.”

Since then, Paine has filmed four additional Food Network series at their studios in Knoxville and Brooklyn. His episode of “Chopped” — where chefs compete to transform mystery ingredients into a three-course meal — aired in 2024. He has also filmed two yet-to-be-announced series, set to debut later this year, and remains under contract with the network to create even more content.

In between his work with the Food Network, he’s currently the executive chef of four restaurants and a catering operation at the Crescent Hotel, a new luxury hotel in Dallas that was recently named the best hotel in Texas by Condé Nast.

For Paine, the reality of his career still feels like something out of a dream. “Being on set, getting the chance to film shows like this and travel and explore and learn more about the stuff that I care the most about, it still feels surreal. There’s just been so many pinch-me moments I don’t feel like I’ve woken up yet.”

Stay up to date with Preston Paine’s latest news and culinary adventures — follow him on Instagram: @chefprestonpaine