by Daniel J. Gansle

Created on: January 19, 2009   Last Updated: September 07, 2011

The life of a celebrity chef seems so glamorous. Traveling the world tasting new and exciting cuisine, learning about the food culture of other nations, and discovering new ways to prepare exotic dishes; who wouldn't want such a job?

While we may envy celebrity chefs for their enjoyment of the good life, the reality is quite different. Behind the glitz and glamor of celebrity chefdom is the everyday reality of running a restaurant (or several), managing staff, and ensuring quality and timeliness of every dish prepared. It is no doubt a very fulfilling occupation, but not without hard work and dedication. In this article, we'll take a look at six celebrity chefs and their claims to fame.

Todd English
Todd English's Food Trip on PBS is a fun program to watch. His travels to other continents and his reporting on food culture is educational and interesting. When he returns to the continental United States, he incorporates food techniques he picked up on his travels into tasty dishes served at his restaurants.

Jose Andres
Appearing on PBS weekly is Made In Spain with celebrity chef Jose Andres. The highly entertaining Jose is very passionate about his craft, and it shows. Every week, he flies from his home in Washington, D.C. to various regions in Spain to learn about new cooking techniques from that area of the Mediterranean. He then returns to his home to Washington, D.C. to show us how to prepare various Spanish-influenced dishes.

Rachael Ray
In the pop-celebrity chef category is Rachael Ray who has built a near Martha Stewart empire around food and culture. Her television show is a unique hybrid approach consisting of one part cooking show and another part talk show. Rachael's enthusiasm and her down to earth, entertaining ways have captured a wide audience, and her informative website provides numerous links to everyday recipes and informative videos.

Emeril Lagasse
Best known for his "Bam!" exclamations while cooking, Emeril Lagasse specializes in spicy New Orleans cuisine, steaks, and regional foods. His passion for the art of cooking and his enthusiasm shines through in each television appearance. In addition to his own line of spices, sauces, marinades, and cookware, a lesser-known fact about Emeril is that he has used locally-grown and organic foods in his cooking for over 30 years. Emeril owns restaurants in Orlando, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Miami Beach, and Gulfport, Mississippi.

Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart is undoubtedly the biggest player in the celebrity chef arena. The story of her rise, fall, and resurrection as a popular home and garden expert even spawned a made-for-television movie about her life (Martha, Inc.: The Story of Martha Stewart, CBS, 2003). Yet her namesake Martha Stewart Living Magazine along with her numerous brands and household product lines continues to expand. In terms of her cooking expertise, Martha's Everyday Food concept focuses on meal planning and healthy, practical dishes that can be prepared by the average person in a short amount of time.

Jacques Pepin
Born on December 18, 1935, French celebrity chef Jacques Pepin has decades of food preparation experience under his belt. His weekly television show highlights his claim to fame: "Fast Food My Way." Using his expertise in French cuisine, Jacques shows viewers how to easily cook healthy meals with a French flair.

Are you the next Rachael Ray or Emeril Lagasse? If you love food and culture and you understand the everyday realities of life as a chef, you may very well be on the road to a fulfilling career.

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