Food Experts

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Just as the name suggests, food experts are doyennes in the field of ‘food’ and are part of a world multi-billion dollar trade; the food industry. Starting from chefs, food critics, food lawyers, food scientists, restaurateurs, food microbiologists, nutritionists, food photographers or even farmers for that matter, food experts can be divided into any of these categories. From Doug Brochu to Heston Blumenthal and Pam Anderson to Andrew Zimmern, these personalities personify everything related to ‘food’ and are earning big bucks in this creative and dynamic industry. Food experts are trained to give advice on and conduct research on the quality of food and important food safety norms. Nutritionists are a type of food expert, who give insightful details and tailor-made diet charts for people who are either looking to gain weight, lose weight or who are simply suffering from certain ailment that requires them to change their food habits. Food experts are also veteran chefs, who have had decades of experience in professional kitchens and who ingeniously come up with several novel recipes. Food critics and columnists who provide information about crème-de la-crème restaurants and food are also food experts as they have an astute sense of food and its appeal. Here is a compilation of biographies of some of the most famous food experts, learn more fascinating facts and details about them with their biographies that include trivia, interesting facts, timeline and life history.

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 1 
Anthony Bourdain
(American Celebrity Chef and TV Personality)
Anthony Bourdain
15
Listed In: Chefs
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 
Julia Child
13
Listed In: Chefs
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.
 3 
Bobby Flay
(Celebrity Chef Known for His Work with 'Food Network' & Owner of 'Bobby's Burger Palace', 'Mesa Grill')
Bobby Flay
28
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.
 4 
Jamie Oliver
(Chef and Restaurateur)
Jamie Oliver
28
Listed In: Restaurateurs, Chefs
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.

Marco Pierre White
18
Listed In: Restaurateurs, Chefs
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 
Rachael Ray
(American Celebrity Chef and Host of the Food Network Show ‘30 Minute Meals’)
Rachael Ray
27
Listed In: Chefs, TV Presenters
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.
 7 
David Chang
(American Restaurateur and Founder of the Momofuku Restaurant Group)
David Chang
5
Listed In: Chefs, Restaurateurs
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.

 8 
Mario Batali
(American Celebrity Chef and Restaurateur)
Mario Batali
16
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.

 9 
Paula Deen
(TV personality)
Paula Deen
5
Listed In: Chefs
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.
 10 
Wolfgang Puck
(Celebrity Chef and Restaurateur)
Wolfgang Puck
19
Listed In: Chefs, Restaurateurs
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.

 11 
Emeril Lagasse
(Celebrity Chef & Restaurateur Known for His Show 'Essence of Emeril' on The Food Network)
Emeril Lagasse
23
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.
 12 
Jacques Pepin
(Chef)
Jacques Pepin
13
Listed In: Chefs
Birthdate: December 18, 1935
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Bourg-en-Bresse, French Third Republic France
 13 
Curtis Stone
(Australian Celebrity Chef, Author and Television Personality)
Curtis Stone
9
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.

 14 
Heston Blumenthal
15
Listed In: Chefs, Restaurateurs
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.

 15 
Paul Hollywood
(Celebrity Chef and Television Presenter, Widely Known as a Judge on 'The Great British Bake Off')
Paul Hollywood
22
Listed In: Chefs, TV Presenters
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 
Giada De Laurentiis
(Chef and Host of 'Giada at Home')
Giada De Laurentiis
32
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.

 17 
Gordon Ramsay
(One of the Most Influential Chefs)
Gordon Ramsay
759
Listed In: Chefs
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.

 18 
Antoni Porowski
(Television Personality Who is the Food and Wine Expert on the Netflix Series 'Queer Eye')
Antoni Porowski
13
Listed In: Chefs, Models, Actors
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.

 19 
Dom DeLuise
(Actor)
Dom DeLuise
17
Birthdate: August 1, 1933
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Died: May 4, 2009
 20 
Alton Brown
(TV Personality, Celebrity Chef, Author)
Alton Brown
18
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.
 21 
Thomas Keller
(American Chef & Restaurateur)
Thomas Keller
10
Listed In: Chefs
Birthdate: October 14, 1955
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, California, United States
 22 
Grant Achatz
(Chef)
Grant Achatz
7
Listed In: Chefs, Restaurateurs
Birthdate: April 25, 1974
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Saint Clair, Michigan, United States
 23 
Chris Fischer
(American Chef and Farmer)
Chris Fischer
11
Listed In: Chefs
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 
Auguste Escoffier
(Chef)
Auguste Escoffier
6
Birthdate: October 28, 1846
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Villeneuve-Loubet, France
Died: February 12, 1935
 25 
Katie Lee
(Cook, Author, journalist)
Katie Lee
12
Listed In: Chefs
Birthdate: September 14, 1981
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Huntington
 26 
Vikas Khanna
(Chef)
Vikas Khanna
7
Listed In: Chefs
Birthdate: November 14, 1971
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Amritsar, India
 27 
Prue Leith
(British-South African Restaurateur, Chef, Television Presenter, Journalist, Cookery Writer)
Prue Leith
15
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.

 28 
Robert Irvine
(Celebrity Chef and Talk Show Host)
Robert Irvine
11
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.
 29 
Eddie Huang
(Chef and Co-Owner of "BaoHaus", a Gua Bao Restaurant)
Eddie Huang
12
Listed In: Chefs, Restaurateurs
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.
 30 
Typhoid Mary
(The First Person to be Identified as an Asymptomatic Carrier of the Pathogenic Bacteria 'Salmonella Typhi')
Typhoid Mary
12
Listed In: Chefs
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.

 31 
Ina Garten
(Author and Host of the Food Network Show ‘Barefoot Contessa’)
Ina Garten
4
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.

 32 
Ainsley Harriott
10
Listed In: Chefs
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.

 33 
Adam Richman
(TV host on various dining and eating-challenge programs on the Travel Channel.)
Adam Richman
4
Listed In: Chefs
Birthdate: May 16, 1974
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
 34 
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.

 35 
Lisa Faulkner
(Actress, Presenter and Celebrity Chef)
Lisa Faulkner
8
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.

 36 
Rick Stein
12
Listed In: Chefs, Restaurateurs
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.

 37 
Sandra Lee
(Television chef, author known for her "Semi-Homemade" cooking concept)
Sandra Lee
17
Listed In: Chefs
Birthdate: July 3, 1966
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Santa Monica, California, United States
 38 
Christina Tosi
8
Birthdate: November 9, 1981
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Ohio, United States
 39 
Rachel Khoo
7
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.

 40 
Alain Ducasse
(Chef)
Alain Ducasse
5
Listed In: Chefs
Birthdate: September 13, 1956
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Orthez, France
 41 
Alex Guarnaschelli
(Chef)
Alex Guarnaschelli
14
Listed In: Chefs
Birthdate: June 20, 1972
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
 42 
Alice Waters
(Chef, Author)
Alice Waters
4
Listed In: Chefs
Birthdate: April 28, 1944
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Chatham Borough
 43 
Lidia Bastianich
(Italian-American Celebrity Chef and Restaurateur Known for Her Cooking Shows)
Lidia Bastianich
11
Listed In: Chefs
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.

 44 
Buddy Valastro
(Celebrity Baker, Reality Star Best Known for His TV Series ‘Cake Boss’, ‘Next Great Baker’ and ‘Kitchen Boss’)
Buddy Valastro
15
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.

 45 
Anne Burrell
(Chef)
Anne Burrell
16
Listed In: Chefs
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.

 46 
Duff Goldman
(Chef)
Duff Goldman
8
Listed In: Chefs
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.

 47 
James Martin
(cook)
James Martin
8
Listed In: Chefs
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.

 48 
Geoffrey Zakarian
(Chef)
Geoffrey Zakarian
8
Listed In: Chefs, Restaurateurs
Birthdate: July 25, 1959
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Worcester, Massachusetts, US
 49 
James Beard
(Chef, Non-fiction writer)
James Beard
4
Birthdate: May 5, 1903
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Portland
Died: January 21, 1985
 50 
Paul Wahlberg
(Chef, Actor and Owner of the Restaurant ‘Wahlburgers’)
Paul Wahlberg
6
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.
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