Favorite Celebrity Star Chefs Worldwide?

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Margi Cintrano

Washing Up
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Both in Italy and Spain
Ciao,

Have you had lunch or dinner at a Celebrity Star Chef´s venue and:

If not, where would you lunch or dine, if you had been awarded a free lunch or dinner of your choice and all expenses paid for airfare and hotel ?

Since, I have in reality dined or lunched numerous times professionally in celebrity Chef venues in Europe, I shall focus on USA and / or Aussie Chefs, as I know very very few ...

1) Grant Achatz - Chicago
2) Joel Rubachòn and Michel Brás - France
3 Tom Keller in California
4) José Andrés - Bazaar in Los Angeles
5) Mario Batali - Los Angeles
6) Chez Panisse - California
7) Jaime Oliver - U.K.
8) Gordon Ramsey - U.K.


Kind regards.
Margi.
 
If I were to choose a so called "celebrity" chef, most likely it would be Rick Bayless and Frontera. He seems to be down to earth and really into Mexican cooking. Don't know most on your list. Mario would be interesting and I would probably like his food. Jaime seems to be down to earth. Gordon is an obnoxious, idiot (I'd use a much stronger description else where), who thinks his (blank) doesn't have an odor. His bud Joe B. can't get away from momma's apron strings and would be nothing without her. No wonder he comes across as a total southern end of a north bound donkey!:ermm:
 
If I were to choose a so called "celebrity" chef, most likely it would be Rick Bayless and Frontera. He seems to be down to earth and really into Mexican cooking. Don't know most on your list. Mario would be interesting and I would probably like his food. Jaime seems to be down to earth. Gordon is an obnoxious, idiot (I'd use a much stronger description else where), who thinks his (blank) doesn't have an odor. His bud Joe B. can't get away from momma's apron strings and would be nothing without her. No wonder he comes across as a total southern end of a north bound donkey!:ermm:
I wasn't going to reply to this topic until I read your reply. :)

I too think I'd like Rick Bayless and I'd love to meet him. I also really like Mario Batali, and really enjoyed (was totally hooked on) his PBS program Spain on the Road Again including co-star Gwyneth Paltrow (and a few others).

I never heard of the others except for Ramsay. His show is so obnoxious and his blatant cursing so disgusting that I couldn't possibly be fair about judging him as a chef.

If we're not restricted to the living I'd love to meet Julia Child. Or back among the living, I'd love to meet Steve Raichlin (barbecuist and author) and see if his awkward television presence translates to a comfortable guy when he's not on camera. If his PBS programs and cookbooks (I have three of them) are any indication, he's probably the best barbecuist on the planet.

If I'm going to win a free trip to the chef of my choice then maybe not Batali since I can visit Los Angeles any time I want to step outside my door. Give me an exotic destination, preferably on the Mediterranean coast.

But in reality, and more along the lines of the OP question, I'd be happy to eat a dinner prepared by any world class chef, local or anywhere else. I've recently come to the conclusion that it's unlikely to find the best food at chain restaurants, even the best chain restaurants.

I've also reached the conclusion that an enthusiastic home chef can often beat even the best chain restaurants, if the home chef is sufficiently motivated to learn the necessary skills and willing to invest the effort.

So sign me up to any of these free dinner and travel prizes. I'd even be willing to give Ramsay a chance to show he doesn't need the bathroom mouth talk! :)
 
i've wanted to go to eric ripert's "le bernardin" in nyc for a while now, but after a friend showed me pics of the food when he went there for his birthday and seeing what you get for hundreds of dollars for a wee bit of food, every time i get the urge, i give it to my local food bank.

'nuff said.
 
That's a good question BT, what could (you, or I, or they) do with a couple hundred bucks in ingredients that a professional chef could do better?

(Answering my own question: a lot!!!)
 
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My fave is by far Jamie Oliver
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Great chef, great personality, great meals :chef:
 
My fave is by far Jamie Oliver
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Great chef, great personality, great meals :chef:

I've never seen him on TV. It occurs to me that all the TV chefs I've seen are on PBS. If they aren't on PBS (or broadcast TV like Ramsay) then I never heard of them.

And nobody mentioned Bobby Flay. I'd follow him anywhere if there was free travel and a free chef-cooked dinner! :)
 
Hi Greg :)

With Jamie, he is a UK chef but he is pretty well known worldwide including America, but I think maybe only certain parts of the US.

He came over to the US with his Food revolution, it may not have been on that channel you mentioned

Here is some info on him if you wanted to have a look

Jamie Oliver
 
The channel I mentioned is PBS = Public Broadcasting System, a government supported non-profit channelization.

I don't get any cable or satellite channels. I "R" a official poor person. :)

I'd love to see more cooking shows on TV. I get Ramsay's "hell" TV and I get PBS.
 
Aww that is a pity Greg, it really would be wonderful for you to experience more cooking shows, there are some really good ones out there
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Can you watch some cooking shows online?
 
Jaques Pepin
Julia child...Escoffier if were diging up the rested.
Morimoto and the original Iron Chefs
Bobby Flay
Mario B
Alton B
Eric Ripert
Jaques Torres
Rick Bayless
A Bourdain
All the New iron Chefs and most of the competitors!
Alice Waters
T keller
Luke Ngyuen
Chuck's Hughes
John Pisto...Local hero in Monterey!
Every single participant in the Bocuse d'or. EVER!

Mucho respect for many foreign chefs I have seen but can't remember their names since they don't much media attention here.
 
Jamie Oliver is too 'mum friendly' for me.

Is Tom Kerridge considered 'celebrity' after The Great British Menu? If so, then him. Love his down to earth British food, and chuffed he got a second Michelin star.
 
I have been to restaurants in NYC of Bordaine, Batali, Flay, Ripert, Keller. Bordaine no longer cooks at Les Halles, but his name is still associated with it, and the chefs he trained there and brought up through the ranks are still there. I have been to Morimoto's and Garces in Phily. I am going to Symon's Lola in Cleveland this summer.

A dining experience is just that, whether it be tripe soup at a neighborhood Polish restaurant or veal cheeks at Keller's. And a dining experience can be more than just the food, including decor, utensils, ambiance, personnel, location, etc.

enjoy
 
Jaime Oliver Dennis & Kylie: Chef Jaime Oliver

Buonasera, Jaime and Kylie,

Thank you both for your feedback.

Though I have not yet eaten at a Jaime Oliver establishment, I am very fond of his book on Mediterranean Cuisines. His recipes from his trips to Italia, España, Greece, Turkey and Morocco are lovely and simple to prepare and his stand on the product exemplary ...

Ciao.
Have a lovely wkend.
Margi.
 
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Robo: Chef Mario Batali

Buonasera,

Firstly, thank you for your feedback.

My paternal Milanese Grandmother lived three streets away from Babbo ...
and during my University years, I had spent in Manhattan, I recall the opening of his renowned Village venue.

Furthermore, Mario and I have met in quite a number of unexpected places; including Álava, The Basque Country at Frank Gehry´s Hotel Spa, while he and Gwenyth Paltrow were filming On the Road Again in Spanish ...

Additionally, we had met prior in Emilia Romagna while having lunch and were invited to join him and his culinary staff and partner ...

I have eaten at Babbo and Posto in the Meat Packing District of Manhattan ...

He prepares his Bolgonese Ragù exactly like my Grandmom did and a lady who is a Member of D.C., Diana ...

Thanks again, for your feedback.
Ciao,
Margi.
 
4 Meandthem,

I understand that Alice is quite a Chef ... Have received wonderful reports on her outstanding gastronomy and culinary talents ...

I am also quite fond of José Andrés and have eaten in his Washington D.C. establishments over the last few years on yearly trips to the USA.

However, this summer, we are not venturing ... We have decided to do a Christmas time trip over seas instead ... We are busy finishing the Condo in Puglia.

Thanks for your feedback.
Ciao, Have a Happy Fun Filled 4th too.
Margi.
 
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