Celebrity chef

In its strictest sense, a celebrity chef is a someone who has become well-known for his/her cooking. The first historical personality that fits this description is Martino da Como but in practical terms the term grew in popularity during the 1990s. It accompanied an explosion in popularity of cookery programmes on television and cookery features in the printed press. The name celebrity chef is sometimes used in a slightly derogatory way - a celebrity chef who has "sold out" to the media being seen as somehow inferior to a traditional chef in a restaurant.

For example, celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse has become famous for his restaurants, television shows, and media empire. Michelin star winner Gordon Ramsay, for example, has made a point of saying that he is definitely not a celebrity chef, despite having appeared on several television reality shows and written several books. Others such as Gary Rhodes are perhaps more relaxed about the title, yet still have owned and operated several highly successful upmarket restaurants. Many consider Antoine Carême (died 1833) to have been the first celebrity chef.

A number of celebrity cooks have been dubbed "TV chefs" without having earned the title within the Restaurant Industry, including: Rachael Ray, Sandra Lee, and Jeffrey Smith (AKA The Frugal Gourmet).

Celebrity chefs

Australia

* Television personality and/or food writer who did not spend significant time as a working chef.

United States

* Television personality who did not spend significant time as a working chef.

External links

* [http://www.tvchefs.net TV Chefs]
* [http://www.tvchefsblog.com TV Chefs Blog]

Articles

* [http://www.forbes.com/2008/08/08/celebrity-chef-earners-forbeslife-cx_cv_0808food.html Top Ten Earning Celebrity Chefs, Forbes Magazine ]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4522975 Americans' Insatiable Hunger for Celebrity Chefs, National Public Radio]