Famous 20th Century Chefs

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Find out more about the greatest 20th Century Chefs, including Gordon Ramsay, Anthony Bourdain, Jamie Oliver, Paul Prudhomme and Paula Deen.
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 1 
Julia Child
22
Birthdate: August 15, 1912
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Pasadena, California
Died: August 13, 2004
Julia Child gained fame with her culinary show The French Chef and her cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking. She also founded The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and Culinary Arts. She received several Emmys and the Peabody Award for her work, and had a rose named after her.
 2 
Anthony Bourdain
(American Celebrity Chef and TV Personality)
Anthony Bourdain
29
Birthdate: June 25, 1956
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: June 8, 2018

Anthony Bourdain was an American celebrity chef. He was also a renowned author, media personality and travel documentarian. His shows about the exploration of international culture and cuisine were very popular. Apart from writing several books on food and cooking and travel explorations, Bourdain also wrote fiction and historical non-fiction. In June 8, 2018, he died by suicide in France.

 3 
Bobby Flay
(Celebrity Chef Known for His Work with 'Food Network' & Owner of 'Bobby's Burger Palace', 'Mesa Grill')
Bobby Flay
32
Birthdate: December 10, 1964
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Celebrity chef Bobby Flay is best known for his Food Network shows, such as the Emmy-nominated Hot Off the Grill with Bobby Flay. He launched many restaurants, such as the Las Vegas-based Mesa Grill and 19 outlets of Bobby's Burger Palace. He has also taught at the French Culinary Institute.
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 4 
Jamie Oliver
(Chef and Restaurateur)
Jamie Oliver
36
Birthdate: May 27, 1975
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Clavering, U.K.

Jamie Oliver is an English restaurateur and chef who gained international recognition after appearing on popular TV shows, such as Jamie's Kitchen and The Naked Chef. In 2005, his Feed Me Better campaign helped introduce several children to healthier foods. He also established a charity restaurant called Fifteen, which employs disadvantaged young people.

 5 
Rachael Ray
(American Celebrity Chef and Host of the Food Network Show ‘30 Minute Meals’)
Rachael Ray
36
Birthdate: August 25, 1968
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Warrensburg, New York, United States
Celebrity chef Rachael Ray is best known for her Food Network show 30 Minute Meals. She also made waves with her talk show Rachael Ray and her culinary shows such as Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels. She has also authored several cookbooks and launched the magazine Every Day with Rachael Ray.
 6 
Mario Batali
(American Celebrity Chef and Restaurateur)
Mario Batali
21
Birthdate: September 19, 1960
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Seattle, Washington, United States

Mario Batali is an American chef, restaurateur, writer, and media personality. He started hogging the limelight after appearing on some of Food Network's shows, such as Iron Chef America and Molto Mario. Also a well-known philanthropist and social activist, Batali established the Mario Batali Foundation in 2008, which funds pediatric disease research and various children's educational programs.

 7 
Paula Deen
(TV personality)
Paula Deen
14
Birthdate: January 19, 1947
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Albany, Georgia, United States
Culinary show host and chef Paula Deen is known for her Emmy-winning Food Network show Paula's Home Cooking. She owns Paula Deen's Creek House and The Lady & Sons restaurant. Apart from writing several cookbooks, she has also appeared in the film Elizabethtown and the show Dancing with the Stars.
 8 
Wolfgang Puck
(Celebrity Chef and Restaurateur)
Wolfgang Puck
23
Birthdate: July 8, 1949
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Sankt Veit an der Glan, Austria

Wolfgang Puck is an Austrian-American restaurateur. In 1973, Puck moved to the US and opened a restaurant named Spago in 1982. He then established himself as a respected restaurateur by opening several other restaurants. In 2013, he was inducted into the Culinary Hall of Fame. Also an actor, Puck has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

 9 
Emeril Lagasse
(Celebrity Chef & Restaurateur Known for His Show 'Essence of Emeril' on The Food Network)
Emeril Lagasse
28
Birthdate: October 15, 1959
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Fall River, Massachusetts, United States
Celebrity chef Emeril Lagassé is known for his signature New New Orleans style of cooking and his catchphrases such as “Bam!” He owns several restaurants, has written many cookbooks, owns a non-profit for underprivileged children, and has also hosted Food Network shows such as Essence of Emeril and Emeril Live.
 10 
Jacques Pepin
12
Birthdate: December 18, 1935
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Bourg-en-Bresse, French Third Republic France
 11 
Curtis Stone
(Australian Celebrity Chef, Author and Television Personality)
Curtis Stone
12
Birthdate: November 4, 1975
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Melbourne, Australia

Curtis Stone is an Australian celebrity chef, TV personality, and author. One of the proteges of Marco Pierre White, Curtis Stone is best known for appearing in several popular cooking shows, including Saturday Kitchen, Take Home Chef, and MasterChef Australia. Also known for his humanitarian efforts, Stone works closely with a domestic hunger-relief charity called Feeding America.

 12 
Paul Hollywood
(Celebrity Chef and Television Presenter, Widely Known as a Judge on 'The Great British Bake Off')
Paul Hollywood
29
Birthdate: March 1, 1966
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Wallasey, Cheshire, England

Paul Hollywood is an English television presenter and celebrity chef. Since 2010, he has been appearing as a judge on the popular television baking competition, The Great British Bake Off. Paul Hollywood is also a motor racer. He has competed in several tournaments, such as GT Cup. In 2017, he took part in a race at Circuit of the Americas.

 13 
Heston Blumenthal
19
Birthdate: May 27, 1966
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Shepherd's Bush, London, England, United Kingdom

Heston Blumenthal is a British celebrity chef whose unusual recipes, such as Scotch eggs and triple-cooked chips have been widely imitated. He is considered a pioneer of multi-sensory cooking and his scientific approach to cooking has earned him honorary degrees from several universities. In 2004, he won the prestigious Chef Award, joining the likes of Phil Howard and Gordon Ramsay.

 14 
Alton Brown
(TV Personality, Celebrity Chef, Author)
Alton Brown
22
Birthdate: July 30, 1962
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Alton Brown soared to fame as the creator of the Food Network culinary show Good Eats. He has also hosted shows such as Iron Chef America and Feasting on Asphalt. He has authored several bestselling cookbooks. He also created two culinary shows on YouTube during the COVID-19 lockdown.
 15 
Thomas Keller
(American Chef & Restaurateur)
Thomas Keller
12
Birthdate: October 14, 1955
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, California, United States
 16 
Dom DeLuise
22
Birthdate: August 1, 1933
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Died: May 4, 2009
 17 
Grant Achatz
8
Birthdate: April 25, 1974
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Saint Clair, Michigan, United States
 18 
Katie Lee
(Cook, Author, journalist)
Katie Lee
14
Birthdate: September 14, 1981
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Huntington
 19 
Typhoid Mary
(The First Person to be Identified as an Asymptomatic Carrier of the Pathogenic Bacteria 'Salmonella Typhi')
Typhoid Mary
13
Birthdate: September 23, 1869
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Cookstown, County Tyrone, Ireland
Died: November 11, 1938

Irish immigrant Mary Mallon, or Typhoid Mary, worked as a cook in affluent American households. When people started falling ill in and around places where Mary had worked, it was discovered that she was an asymptomatic carrier of typhoid. Escaping every time, she caused three deaths and was eventually forcibly isolated.

 20 
Vikas Khanna
10
Birthdate: November 14, 1971
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Amritsar, India
 21 
Auguste Escoffier
8
Birthdate: October 28, 1846
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Villeneuve-Loubet, France
Died: February 12, 1935
 22 
Robert Irvine
(Celebrity Chef and Talk Show Host)
Robert Irvine
13
Birthdate: September 24, 1965
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom
English celebrity chef, Robert Irvine, is also a talk show host and currently operates two restaurants: one in Las Vegas and other in The Pentagon. He has also hosted a variety of programs including Dinner: Impossible, Worst Cooks in America, Restaurant: Impossible, A Hero's Welcome. Robert Irvine is the recipient of several civilian honors for his charitable work and service on numerous USO tours.
 23 
Paul Bocuse
8
Birthdate: February 11, 1926
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or, France
Died: January 20, 2018
 24 
Ina Garten
(Author and Host of the Food Network Show ‘Barefoot Contessa’)
Ina Garten
8
Birthdate: February 2, 1948
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: New York City, United States

Ina Garten is an American author and TV host best known for hosting Food Network's cooking show, Barefoot Contessa. Over the years, Garten has released several best-selling cookbooks, including The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook and Barefoot in Paris: Easy French Food You Can Make at Home.

 25 
Ainsley Harriott
12
Birthdate: February 28, 1957
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Paddington, London, England, United Kingdom

Ainsley Harriott is an English television presenter, chef, and entertainer. He is known for presenting popular cooking shows, such as Ready Steady Cook and Can't Cook, Won't Cook. A multi-talented personality, Ainsley Harriott is also a best-selling author whose books have sold more than two million copies worldwide.  He is also known for his singing and comedy skills.

 26 
Lisa Faulkner
(Actress, Presenter and Celebrity Chef)
Lisa Faulkner
10
Birthdate: February 19, 1972
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Merton, London, England

Named to the FHM 100 Sexiest Women in the World six times, actor Lisa Faulkner is best known for her roles in series such as Murder in Suburbia and EastEnders. She has also taught at a theater school and is a talented chef, having won Celebrity Masterchef and co-hosted other cookery shows.

 27 
Adam Richman
(TV host on various dining and eating-challenge programs on the Travel Channel.)
Adam Richman
5
Birthdate: May 16, 1974
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
 28 
Rick Stein
13
Birthdate: January 4, 1947
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Churchill, Oxfordshire, England

Celebrity chef Rick Stein has managed the U.K.’s Stein Hotel and Restaurant with his first wife, Jill Stein. He later became the head chef and co-owner of Rick Stein at Bannisters in Australia, with his second wife, Sarah. He has authored cookbooks and presented culinary shows such as Seafood Odyssey.

 29 
Alex Guarnaschelli
17
Birthdate: June 20, 1972
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
 30 
Lidia Bastianich
(Italian-American Celebrity Chef and Restaurateur Known for Her Cooking Shows)
Lidia Bastianich
10
Birthdate: February 21, 1947
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Pula, Croatia

Lidia Bastianich is an Italian-American television host, celebrity chef, restaurateur, and author. She owns many restaurants in the US, including one in Manhattan. Bastianich is the recipient of several awards and honors, including a couple of Lifetime Achievement Awards. Also a philanthropist, Lidia Bastianich supports various non-profit organizations, such as the Columbus Citizens Foundation, which aims at promoting Italian-American heritage.

 31 
Alain Ducasse
6
Birthdate: September 13, 1956
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Orthez, France
 32 
Prue Leith
(British-South African Restaurateur, Chef, Television Presenter, Journalist, Cookery Writer)
Prue Leith
16
Birthdate: February 18, 1940
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: South Africa

British-South African chef and culinary expert Prue Leith had begun her career with a lunch-supplying business. She later launched her Michelin-starred restaurant Leith's in Notting Hill and a culinary school. Best known as a judge on The Great British Menu, she is also associated with various charitable initiatives.

 33 
James Martin
10
Birthdate: June 30, 1972
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Malton

British chef James Martin initially gained fame with shows such as Ready Steady Cook and later hosted Saturday Kitchen for a decade. Apart from launching several restaurants, including a Michelin-starred one, he has also written food columns. He is an avid racing enthusiast and teaches at a cookery school, too.

 34 
Anne Burrell
16
Birthdate: September 21, 1969
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Cazenovia

Anne Burrell is an American chef and TV personality who hosts cooking television series like Secrets of a Restaurant Chef and Worst Cooks in America. She has also competed in several cooking competition shows like Chopped All-Stars Tournament. In 2015, Anne Burrell won the fourth season of Chopped and earned $75,000, which she donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

 35 
Geoffrey Zakarian
8
Birthdate: July 25, 1959
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Worcester, Massachusetts, US
 36 
Duff Goldman
7
Birthdate: December 17, 1974
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Detroit

Duff Goldman is an American pâtissier, cookbook author, and television personality. The executive chef of Charm City Cakes shop, Goldman's work has been featured on several cooking television shows like Iron Chef America, Duff's Happy Fun Bake Time, and Food Network Challenge. Duff Goldman has made cakes for influential personalities like Barack Obama, Sir Roger Moore, and Tom Clancy.

 37 
Alice Waters
(Chef, Author)
Alice Waters
5
Birthdate: April 28, 1944
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Chatham Borough
 38 
Nobu Matsuhisa
(Japanese Restaurateur and Celebrity Chef)
Nobu Matsuhisa
4
Birthdate: March 10, 1949
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Saitama, Japan

Nobu Matsuhisa is a Japanese restaurateur and celebrity chef best known for his fusion cuisine; he often blends Japanese dishes with Peruvian ingredients, creating a new style of cuisine. Matsuhisa owns restaurants in several countries and has also authored many cookbooks.

 39 
James Beard
(Chef, Non-fiction writer)
James Beard
5
Birthdate: May 5, 1903
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Portland
Died: January 21, 1985
 40 
Michael Symon
4
Birthdate: September 19, 1969
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio, United States
 41 
Joël Robuchon
9
Birthdate: April 7, 1945
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Poitiers, Vienne, France
Died: August 6, 2018
 42 
Andrew Zimmern
(Television presenter, Writer)
Andrew Zimmern
9
Birthdate: July 4, 1961
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: New York City
 43 
John Torode
(Australian-British Celebrity Chef and TV Presenter Known for His Show ‘MasterChef’ on BBC One)
John Torode
9
Birthdate: July 23, 1965
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Melbourne, Australia
Australian celebrity chef and restaurateur John Torode initially worked at the U.K.-based Conran Group's restaurants. He is also known for his appearances on shows such as This Morning and the revival of MasterChef in 2005. He owned the Luxe and Smiths of Smithfield and has also authored several cookbooks.
 44 
Cat Cora
(Chef best known for her featured role as an "Iron Chef" on Iron Chef America)
Cat Cora
4
Birthdate: April 3, 1967
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Jackson, Mississippi, United States
 45 
Sandra Lee
(Television chef, author known for her "Semi-Homemade" cooking concept)
Sandra Lee
21
Birthdate: July 3, 1966
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Santa Monica, California, United States
 46 
Bruno Kirby
18
Birthdate: April 28, 1949
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA
Died: August 14, 2006
 47 
Eddie Jackson
3
Birthdate: December 19, 1980
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Americus, Georgia, United States
 48 
Gesine Bullock-Prado
(Pastry chef, TV personality, author)
Gesine Bullock-Prado
5
Birthdate: March 6, 1970
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States
 49 
Michael Paré
9
Birthdate: October 9, 1958
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
 50 
Graham Elliot
7
Birthdate: January 4, 1977
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Seattle, Washington, United States