There was a time when celebrity and fortune were for actresses, singers, and athletes.
But in recent years, money has also found its way into the kitchen.
As the world’s culinary specialists consolidate their regular TV slots and push their identities onto Instagram and beyond, their financial accounts are skyrocketing.
Below are the 15 richest chefs in the world;
1. Jamie Oliver; Estimated Net worth $300 million
Oliver has built a reputation in the United Kingdom and the United States by educating and pushing for children’s healthy nutrition.
To promote his cause, he has hosted several television shows, cooperated with public school systems, and written cookbooks.
He’s also landed several significant advertising partnerships, most recently with the Tesco grocery chain in the United Kingdom.
Oliver’s restaurant business collapsed in May 2019 under millions of dollars in debt.
While over 1000 individuals lost their employment, the empire’s demise appears to have only scratched the surface of Oliver’s vast fortune, estimated at $300 million.
2. Gordon Ramsay; Estimated Net worth $220 million
His tendency for cussing hasn’t hampered his business; he now has a net worth of $220 million, making him the world’s second-wealthiest chef.
While he made his name in the kitchen, his television shows, such as Hell’s Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, Master Chef, Hotel Hell, Faking It, and Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, account for most of his riches.
Ramsay’s restaurants have received 16 Michelin stars and Gordon Ramsay Holdings.
Which administers his business operations and consistently produces annual income in the eight figures.
3. Nobu Matsuhisa; Estimated Net worth $200 million
Nobu Matsuhisa, a Japanese celebrity chef known for his distinctive Asian fusion-inspired cuisine, comes in third place as one of the world’s richest chefs, with a net worth of $200 million.
Matsuhisa Restaurants and Nobu Hospitality, Matsuhisa has a global footprint that most chefs would envy.
And a distinctive dish (black cod in miso) for which many people would pay a significant chunk of their wages.
The 70-year-old co-owns the famed restaurant business with actor Robert De Niro, a regular at Matsuhisa’s first Beverly Hills location.
4. Thomas Keller; Estimated Net worth $150 million
He is a chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author from the United States. He and his famed Napa Valley restaurant, The French Laundry in Yountville, California, have received multiple awards from the James Beard Foundation, including Best California Chef in 1996 and Best Chef in America in 1997.
Keller rose through the profession’s ranks as a dishwasher to become one of the world’s most recognized and richest chefs. He gained a three-star Michelin rating for his restaurant Per Se and another three stars for The French Laundry.
5. Wolfgang Puck; Estimated Net worth $120 million
Puck has been acclimated to the Hollywood lifestyle since founding his critically acclaimed Spago restaurant in Los Angeles in 1982.
In addition to his roles in CSI, The Simpsons, and Frasier. The four-time Michelin star winner oversees the dinner service at the annual Oscars ceremony.
He has actively promoted the various charities he patronizes.
6. Rachael Ray; Estimated Net worth $100 million
The 50-year-old lady has hosted several popular shows, including a nearly 11-year run of the 30-Minute Meals format.
She has also made endorsement arrangements with companies, including Dunkin’ Donuts, AT&T, and West Point Homes. She is one of the most successful female entrepreneurs of all time.
She has three Daytime Emmy Awards for her television career and has published nearly 30 cookbooks.
7. Emeril Lagasse; Estimated Net worth $70 million
Emeril has been a leading brand since the 1990s, thanks to his upbeat and energetic approach to cooking.
Lagasse became executive chef of the Commander’s Palace restaurant in New Orleans in 1985.
He now oversees 11 such establishments around the United States.
In addition, the 59-year-old Massachusetts native has hosted and appeared on several cooking and talent shows, As well as in several films and television shows.
However, his multiple merchandising and endorsement partnerships account for most of his net worth.
He has also published several volumes focusing on Cajun/Creole recipes, including several of his signature spicy meals.
8. David Chang; Estimated Net worth $60 million
Chang’s name may be unfamiliar to some. Still, his background includes a degree from New York City’s International Culinary Center, multiple chef roles at high-end restaurants, and the opening of his Momofuku restaurant.
Chang owns Momofuku Noodle Bar, Ma Peche, Momofuku Ssam Bar, Milk Bar, Momofuku Ko, and Momofuku Seiobo. Momofuku Seiobo is in Sydney, Australia, and Nikai, Daisho, and Shoto are in Toronto.
Chang was selected for Time’s 100 Most Influential People in 2010. In 2007, Bon Appetit and GQ named him Chef of the Year.
Chang has garnered numerous James Beard Foundation Award nominations and has gained international appreciation for his Netflix series Ugly Delicious.
9. Ina Garten; Estimated Net worth $50 million
Garten is another well-known chef who began her career as a budget analyst at the White House.
Later, she bought the Barefoot Contessa food shop in 1978 and established a career that included cookbooks, retail lines, and television shows that put her on the map.
Garten has no formal culinary experience and is noted in magazine sections for her home cooking, simplicity, and ready-made meals.
10. Jose Andres: Estimated Net Worth $50 million
José Andrés is a “culinary innovator, one New York Times bestselling author, educator, television personality, humanitarian, and chef/owner of ThinkFoodGroup,” according to his website.
As a result of his excellent resume, he now has a net worth of $50 million, making him one of the richest chefs in the world.
11. Vikram Vij; Estimated Net worth $50 million
Vikram is a Canadian chef, cookbook author, and television personality born in India.
He co-owns the Indian cuisine restaurants Vij’s Restaurant and Rangoli Restaurant in Vancouver, British Columbia, with his ex-wife Meeru Dhalwala.
In addition, he owns My Shanti, a restaurant in South Surrey, British Columbia. In 2014, on the Canadian reality show Dragons’ Den, Vij was announced as a new “dragon” investor.
Farm Folk City Folk, the Green Table Society, UBC Farm fundraisers, and the Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise Sustainable Seafood Program.
These are just a few initiatives Vij has supported over the years.
12. Charlie Ayers; Estimated Net worth $45million
Charlie Ayers, a former executive chef at Google, is ranked 12th among the world’s richest chefs, with a net worth of $45 million.
Because of his importance to the company, when David Vise released The Google Story. He dedicated an entire chapter to Ayer’s “Charlie’s Place.”
While Ayers’ income is partly due to his Google stock options, he’s also made a tidy profit from the Calafi deal. Café / Calafia Market is a Go-Go chain.
13. Marco Pierre white; Estimated Net worth $40 million
Marco Pierre White began his illustrious culinary career at London’s famed Le Gavroche restaurant. After leaving school with no money, no qualifications, and no prospects.
His increasing fame made him the youngest-ever chef — at 33 – during the 1980s and early 1990s.
He has been bestowed three Michelin stars and, at 57, is also in charge of training several well-known cooks.
He retired in 1999, but the many cookbooks and television series he’s worked on over the years continue to bring him money.
14. Bobby Flay; Net worth $30 million
For a high-school dropout, he has done exceptionally well. Flay became a part of the first graduating class of the French Culinary Institute after impressing his first restaurant manager enough to persuade him to support his culinary studies.
Since then, he’s risen from a humble sous chef to one of America’s most well-known figures. He owns a profitable burger chain and presents 14 cooking shows.
Produced multiple bestseller cookbooks and received four Daytime Emmy Awards and three James Beard Foundation Awards.
He even has his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, as if that wasn’t enough.
15. Giada De Laurentiis; Estimated Net worth $30 million
Giada Pamela De Laurentiis studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris before becoming one of America’s most popular TV chefs.
She went on to work for several high-profile Los Angeles restaurants before obtaining her first TV job with the Food Network’s Everyday Italian daytime cooking show.
For her work on the network, she’s earned a Daytime Emmy and a Gracie Award. Profits from her namesake line of homeware products, nine cookbooks, and three restaurants supplement her substantial pay from the Food Network.
In conclusion, chefs appear to be getting more TV time than many actors and have more books written than most professional writers.
While some chefs continue to toil in the kitchen, more and more richest chefs appear to realize that the quickest road to fame and money is to leave the kitchen and head to a movie set.
Of course, they had a few Michelin stars under their belt, as chefs such as Gordon Ramsay have discovered.
