Celebrity Chef Favorites
We’ve had the privilege of working with exceptional chefs over our many years in the food industry, and it’s always interesting to discover the foods they love the most. It's especially fun to find out what some of the world's most well-known chef's hanker for when they're not cooking for their audiences. We thought it would be cool to take a quick inventory of just a few of the most recognizable chefs and the foods they keep coming back to. There might be some surprises on the list. And if people with such exceptional palates have identified certain culinary cravings, we as devoted foodies must make a point of trying everything on the list. It’s the only responsible thing to do, right?
Thomas Keller
Revered owner of the The French Laundry, Bouchon, Per Se, Ad Hoc, and more, Thomas Keller is considered one of the best chefs in the world. When he’s not whipping up one of his many mouth-watering meals, he enjoys partaking of a perfectly prepared lobster roll and fried oysters. Most definitely solid choices.
Ina Garten
When you watch The Barefoot Contessa prepare her homemade masterpieces in her Long Island kitchen, everything just makes sense. Her dishes are so relatable and wholesome. Immediately after one of her shows, you find yourself planning a dinner party for 12 of your closest friends - and getting excited about it. So her timeless favorite, roast chicken, makes sense. Of course she is going to adore something simple, that when prepared properly and with the right seasonings and accompaniments, becomes sublime.
Julia Child
Even though she’s no longer with us, Julia Child’s influence lives on. Her passion for French cooking and her determination to make it accessible to the American home cook, make her a timeless icon. Her seminal work, Mastering The Art Of French Cooking, is a must have for any kitchen anywhere in the world. So it comes as no surprise that one of her favorite dishes to cook and eat was beef bourguignon. A classic. Just like Julia.
Curtis Stone
Australian celebrity chef Curtis Stone has a commanding presence and an infectious personality. His popular cookbooks and television appearances have kept him in the culinary limelight for more than a dozen years, so it’s safe to say he’s an expert on delicious global cuisine. It turns out a meal he had in Rioja, Spain made a lasting impression on him. The chuleton (Spanish steak) served at Restaurante Alameda was described by Chef Stone as “perfect.” Well, you can’t get much better than that.
Gordon Ramsay
It’s no secret that Gordon Ramsay is everywhere. He has at least four wildly popular cooking competition shows on at once every season, and runs more than half a dozen restaurants around the world. He is known not only for his cooking skills, but also for his hilarious expletive-laden outbursts. Gordon loves great food from anywhere, but he has a soft spot in his heart for his mom’s cooking. When asked what his last meal choice would be, he endearingly said it would have to be his mom’s shephard’s pie. How sweet is that? And shepherd’s pie is absolutely yummy, so who can blame him.
It’s hard for great chefs and hopeless foodies to really pin down what their favorite foods are. There are just too many choices. Often, for chefs and home cooks alike, it’s not necessarily a specific food but a dining experience that was particularly memorable that they identify as an all time favorite. Eating great food is one thing, but eating great food in an unforgettable setting surrounded by wonderful people is out of this world. This is just a tiny sampling of famous chefs, so we might have to do a part two!