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Food isn't generally one of the highlights for astronauts on the International Space Station, but in the words of Emeril Lagasse, they "kicked it up a notch" this time.

AP

Emeril Lagasse

The celebrity chef from New Orleans helped them spice things up in space.

Take one space shuttle launch in July, stir in a trip to the space station, add a dash of Emeril and you get BAM in space.

"I have to say since I was a little boy I've been a huge fan of the space program," said Lagasse.

It isn't that they don't eat on the space station.

"This is a freeze-dried buckwheat gruel," said Vickie Kloeris, manager of Space Station Food.

There are dozens of choices stabilized in pouches, freeze-dried.

"This happens to be Mexican scrambled eggs," said Kloeris.

AP

Pavel Vinogradov, left, and crewmember Jeff Williams in the International Space Station.

The most popular choice of astronauts is shrimp cocktail.

"The reason it's so popular is because it contains horseradish so it has a bit of a kick to it," said Kloeris.

Which brings us back to kicking it up a notch and Emeril and his spicy shipment to space.

"Something called kicked up mashed potatoes which is a hit among us all. Another one called Mardi Gras jambalaya and the third thing I think is spicy green beans with garlic," said Astronaut Jeff Williams. "We love it all. You can send more on the shuttle."

Those green beans, NASA'S Vickie Kloeris tells us, may mean Emeril gets a permanent place on the list of space food.

Already there is some preliminary work being done on a mission to Mars. But first they have to come up with the right packaging because the food has to last at least five years.

So when NASA kicks it up a notch to go to Mars it is at least possible there could be a little BAM going along.

"If you're ever in the area, drop in," Williams told Lagasse. "We could use a good chef on board."