Famous 21st Century Chefs

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Find out more about the greatest 21st Century Chefs, including Gordon Ramsay, Anthony Bourdain, Marco Pierre White, Jamie Oliver and Paul Prudhomme.
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 1 
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.

 2 
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.
 3 
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.

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 4 
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.
Marco Pierre White
23
Birthdate: December 11, 1961
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Leeds, United Kingdom
Marco Pierre White is known as the world’s first celebrity chef and became the youngest and the first British chef to win three Michelin stars. He has trained chefs Gordon Ramsay and Mario Batali, and has appeared on culinary shows such as Hell's Kitchen and Marco Pierre White's Kitchen Wars.
 6 
David Chang
(American Restaurateur and Founder of the Momofuku Restaurant Group)
David Chang
8
Birthdate: August 5, 1977
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Arlington County, Virginia, United States

David Chang revolutionized the culinary world with his brand Momofuku, which owns several noodle bars across the world, including a 2-Michelin-star restaurant. He has produced the Netflix shows Ugly Delicious and Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Several issues of his food magazine Lucky Peach have been NYT bestsellers.

 7 
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.

 8 
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.
 9 
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.

 10 
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.
 11 
Jacques Pepin
(Chef)
Jacques Pepin
12
Birthdate: December 18, 1935
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Bourg-en-Bresse, French Third Republic France
 12 
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.

 13 
Giada De Laurentiis
(Chef and Host of 'Giada at Home')
Giada De Laurentiis
37
Birthdate: August 22, 1970
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Rome, Italy

Giada De Laurentiis is an Italian-American chef, restaurateur, television personality, and writer. She won the Gracie Award under the Best Television Host category for hosting Giada at Home. The founder of a catering business called GDL Foods, Giada De Laurentiis has been an influential figure in the American culinary business over the last few years.

 14 
Gordon Ramsay
(One of the Most Influential Chefs)
Gordon Ramsay
756
Birthdate: November 8, 1966
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Johnstone, Scotland

A celebrated chef and restaurateur, British national Gordon Ramsay is also a writer and television personality. His TV shows about competitive cookery and food is quite popular. The Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, in Chelsea, is his signature restaurant. Known for his bluntness, short temper and strict manner, Ramsay has historically expressed a dislike for vegetarianism and veganism.

 15 
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.

 16 
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.

 17 
Antoni Porowski
(Television Personality Who is the Food and Wine Expert on the Netflix Series 'Queer Eye')
Antoni Porowski
13
Birthdate: March 14, 1984
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Antoni Porowski is a Polish-Canadian TV personality, actor, author, and chef. He served as the food and wine expert in the Netflix series Queer Eye. He is a graduate of the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. He is a self-taught cook. He was named the Sexiest Reality Star on People's annual list in 2019.

 18 
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.
 19 
Thomas Keller
(American Chef & Restaurateur)
Thomas Keller
12
Birthdate: October 14, 1955
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, California, United States
 20 
Dom DeLuise
(Actor)
Dom DeLuise
22
Birthdate: August 1, 1933
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Died: May 4, 2009
 21 
Grant Achatz
(Chef)
Grant Achatz
8
Birthdate: April 25, 1974
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Saint Clair, Michigan, United States
 22 
Katie Lee
(Cook, Author, journalist)
Katie Lee
14
Birthdate: September 14, 1981
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Huntington
 23 
Chris Fischer
(American Chef and Farmer)
Chris Fischer
12
Birthdate: August 19, 1980
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Chilmark, Massachusetts

Chris Fischer is an American farmer and chef who achieved national recognition in 2018 when he married popular actress and stand-up comedian Amy Schumer. Fischer, who worked at the Beach Plum Inn & Restaurant, won the Coastal New England Rising Stars Award in 2014. In 2016, he was honored with the James Beard Award for co-authoring The Beetlebung Farm Cookbook.

 24 
Vikas Khanna
(Chef)
Vikas Khanna
10
Birthdate: November 14, 1971
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Amritsar, India
 25 
Eddie Huang
(Chef and Co-Owner of "BaoHaus", a Gua Bao Restaurant)
Eddie Huang
14
Birthdate: March 1, 1982
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States
Chef and food expert Eddie Huang co-owns the gua bao restaurant BaoHaus in Lower Manhattan. He has hosted shows such as Snack Off and Huang's World. His bestselling memoir, Fresh Off the Boat, was made into a sitcom of the same name. He has also been a food blogger.
 26 
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.
 27 
Paul Bocuse
(Chefs)
Paul Bocuse
8
Birthdate: February 11, 1926
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or, France
Died: January 20, 2018
 28 
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.

 29 
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.

 30 
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.

 31 
Marcela Valladolid
(American Chef and Author Known for Her TV Shows: ‘Mexican Made Easy’ and ‘Best Baker in America’)
Marcela Valladolid
13
Birthdate: July 19, 1978
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: San Diego, California, United States

Chef Marcela Valladolid was the host of the Food Network television series Mexican Made Easy. A graduate of the Los Angeles Culinary Institute, she is also a classically trained pastry chef. She started her own catering company and soon began hosting cookery shows on TV. She has also authored several cookbooks.

 32 
Christina Tosi
9
Birthdate: November 9, 1981
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Ohio, United States
 33 
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
 34 
Rachel Khoo
9
Birthdate: August 28, 1980
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Croydon, United Kingdom

Renowned British cook Rachel Khoo was born to a Malaysian Chinese father and an Austrian mother. Trained at the Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, she started her own restaurant at her small Belleville apartment. She later gained fame for her cookbook and her BBC series named The Little Paris Kitchen.

 35 
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.

 36 
Alex Guarnaschelli
(Chef)
Alex Guarnaschelli
17
Birthdate: June 20, 1972
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
 37 
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.

 38 
Alain Ducasse
(Chef)
Alain Ducasse
6
Birthdate: September 13, 1956
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Orthez, France
 39 
Buddy Valastro
(Celebrity Baker, Reality Star Best Known for His TV Series ‘Cake Boss’, ‘Next Great Baker’ and ‘Kitchen Boss’)
Buddy Valastro
14
Birthdate: March 3, 1977
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Hoboken, New Jersey, United States

Baker Buddy Valastro, who owns Buddy V's Ristorante and Carlo's Bakery, gained fame as a reality star with his show Cake Boss. He has also appeared on shows such as Kitchen Boss, Buddy's Bakery Rescue, and Next Great Baker. He suffered a brutal hand injury in 2020.

 40 
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.

 41 
Gino D'Acampo
(Chef)
Gino D'Acampo
1
Birthdate: July 17, 1976
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Torre del Greco, Italy
 42 
James Martin
(cook)
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.

 43 
Anne Burrell
(Chef)
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.

 44 
Geoffrey Zakarian
(Chef)
Geoffrey Zakarian
8
Birthdate: July 25, 1959
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Worcester, Massachusetts, US
 45 
Duff Goldman
(Chef)
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.

 46 
Alice Waters
(Chef, Author)
Alice Waters
5
Birthdate: April 28, 1944
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Chatham Borough
 47 
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.

 48 
Michael Symon
(Chef)
Michael Symon
4
Birthdate: September 19, 1969
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio, United States
 49 
Paul Wahlberg
(Chef, Actor and Owner of the Restaurant ‘Wahlburgers’)
Paul Wahlberg
9
Birthdate: March 20, 1964
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Chef and reality star Paul Wahlberg co-owns the restaurant Wahlburgers with his brothers, Mark and Donnie. He gained fame with his appearance on the A&E reality show named after his restaurant. He has previously worked as an executive chef and been associated with restaurants such as The Charles Hotel.
 50 
Joël Robuchon
(Chef)
Joël Robuchon
9
Birthdate: April 7, 1945
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Poitiers, Vienne, France
Died: August 6, 2018