30Celebrity chefs have been all the rage since the rise of Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver in the early 2000’s. Reality cooking competitions have given the culinary underground a whole new level of exposure, and fans faithfully tune in to season after season of Hell’s Kitchen, Iron Chef America, and Top Chef.
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These well-known chefs have made a fortune with their cooking skills, but mostly, for their ability to market their techniques. Television appearances and cookbooks are two of the main ways that world-class chefs cash in on a business that is not always glamorous.
To be the best, you have to train with the best, and in a competitive market, it’s not easy to make a name for yourself. These are the celebrity chefs that took home the biggest paycheck in 2019.
10 Marco Pierre White: Net Worth: $40 Million
Marco Pierre White was the first person to be coined a celebrity chef. A pioneer of the scene, he was the first British chef to be awarded 3 Michelin stars, and he did so by the tender age of 32. Although he has been coined the enfant terrible of the restaurant world, his legacy speaks for itself; he is responsible for training world-class chefs Mario Batali, Curtis Stone, Gordon Ramsay, and Shannon Bennett.
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Though he officially retired from the cooking world in 1999, he is still one of the top paid chefs, due to royalties on his cookbooks, involvement in television programs, and other well-executed investments. He is estimated to have a net worth of over $40 million.
9 Ina Garten: Net Worth: $50 Million
Ina Garten’s professional life started very far from the kitchen. As a White House analyst in the 1970’s, she was responsible for writing policy reports about nuclear energy.
A career change in 1978 saw her purchasing the Barefoot Contessa store chain, and her success was set in motion. She continued to write several cookbooks, and her Food Network cooking show, by the same name, has been airing since 2002. Her fortune is estimated to be upwards of $50 million, most of which has been from her television show and the royalties on her cookbook sales.
8 David Chang: Net Worth: $60 Million
David Chang is one of the youngest celebrity chefs to have gained multi-millionaire status. At 42, he has received two Michelin stars for his prestigious offerings at his restaurant, Momofuku. Originally established in the East Village of New York City, his restaurant chain now hosts locations in Tokyo, Sydney, Toronto, and several other cities around the world.
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He’s appeared on several reality television programs, including his role of a judge on Top Chef: All Stars. His estimated net worth is over $60 million, making him one of the richest and highest paid of 2019.
7 Emeril Lagasse: Net Worth: $60 Million
Emeril Lagasse has been in the culinary world since 1985, when he was an executive chef at the Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. In 1990, he opened his first restaurant, Emeril’s, which has since become a popular cajun eatery chain. He has long been a staple on the Food Network, appearing in several cooking programs, including his own shows, Essence of Emeril and Emeril Live.
He is one of the richest chefs in the world, with a fortune of over $60 million acquired thorough television appearances, specialty Emeril cookware, a grocery product line, and several published cookbooks.
6 Rachael Ray: Net Worth: $77.5 Million
Rachael Ray is one of the most well-loved television chefs on air. Her signature cooking program, Rachael Ray, has been airing since 2006, and she is also host to Food Network’s 30 Minute Meals. She has published numerous cookbooks, and has won 3 Daytime Emmy Awards for Rachael Ray.
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She also endorses Nabisco crackers and the Dunkin’ Donuts chain, and she recently collaborated with PulteGroup to release a line of home furnishings. Her many professional ventures have gained her a net worth of over $ 77.5 million. She is one of the highest paid celebrity chefs of all time.
5 Thomas Keller: Net Worth: $80 Million
Thomas Keller is an American chef and restauranteur who attained celebrity status in the late 90’s, winning the title of Best Chef in America in 1997. He has opened and operated several restaurants over the years, including The French Laundry and Bouchon, in Yountville, California, Per Se in New York City, and The Surf Club in Miami.
He has released several bestselling cookbooks, and has been involved in film and television, including a partnership with Pixar for the making of Ratatouille. At 64 years old, Thomas Keller is the recipient of a total of 7 Michelin stars, and is one of the highest-paid chefs in the world, with a net worth of $80 million.
4 Wolfgang Puck: Net Worth: $82.5 Million
Wolfgang Puck is the Dutch chef responsible for creating the menu at the Academy Awards every year. A Hollywood staple, he has been part of the foodie scene since he opened his first restaurant, Spago, in Los Angeles, in 1982. He has appeared on several television shows, including The Simpsons, Frasier, Hell’s Kitchen, MasterChef, and CSI.
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He has opened over 25 restaurants during his successful reign as a celebrity chef, and has published six bestselling cookbooks. His yearly income is one of the highest, due to royalties and shares of profits from the restaurants. He has a net worth of $82.5 million.
3 Gordon Ramsay: Net Worth: $190 Million
Gordon Ramsay is one of the most notorious television chefs of our generation. The British chef is known for his feisty personality, and his argumentative nature, as portrayed on his many reality cooking programs, Hell’s Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, and The F Word.
He owns and operates over 25 restaurants all around the world, and has published almost 30 cookbooks during his career. His many pursuits have earned him the status of one of the most respected (and best paid) chefs in the world. With a net worth of over $190 million, Ramsay is raking in a pretty good amount every year.
2 Nobu Matsuhisa: Net Worth: $200 Million
Nobu Matsuhisa is the Japanese chef that has risen to mass popularity in Hollywood, thanks to the success of his restaurant chain, Nobu. His specialty is a fusion of Peruvian and Japanese, a mix that has gained him many celebrity fans, including Robert De Niro, who is actually a co-owner of the Nobu restaurant chain.
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The acclaimed chef also has a chain of restaurants called Matsuhisa, which are operated in deluxe locations all around the world, and owned and operated by himself and his family. His signature offering is black cod served with miso. With a net worth of $200 million, he is the second highest paid chef in the world.
1 Jamie Oliver: Net Worth: $372 Million
Jamie Oliver is the richest, and highest paid, celebrity chef of 2019. At just 44 years old, he has been a pioneer in the cooking world since he first appeared on BBC’s The Naked Chef, in 1999.
Some two decades later, he sits upon a fortune of over $372 million, and rising rapidly. Jamie has appeared on more cooking programs than any other celebrity chef, has written over 20 cookbooks, and opened several signature restaurants around the world. He is in a league of his own when it comes to celebrity chef success.
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