Celebrities such as actors, singers, and athletes were used to being the only ones to earn fame and money, but in recent years, the kitchen has begun to enjoy financial benefits as well. It’s reasonable to assume that the best chefs’ money accounts are growing significantly as they consolidate their regular TV appearances and build their cooking enterprises on TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms. Depending on the sort of TV shows someone watches and how excellent a cook they are, you may receive a variety of responses from chefs of differing levels of popularity. If you want to be a chef, look up to the most famous chefs and their accomplishments. We have compiled a list of the 8 most expensive chefs in the world to show how ridiculously expensive these things can be.
List of the World’s Most Famous Chefs
Here are the most expensive or highly paid celebrity chefs on this planet who make a fortune from their cooking skills. All of these chefs have also served as private chefs to many of the well-known celebrities. Let’s take a deep look at how these chefs are and how much they charge.
Rank | Chef | Salary |
---|---|---|
1 | Jamie Oliver | $500,000 |
2 | Rachael Ray | $300,000 |
3 | Gordon Ramsay | $200,000 |
4 | Emeril Lagasse | $100,000 |
5 | Guy Fieri | $100,000 |
6 | Thomas Keller | $75,000 |
7 | Wolfgang Puck | $75,000 |
8 | Masaharu Morimoto | $50,000 |
9 | Bobby Flay | $50,000 |
10 | David Chang | $50,000 |
Jamie Oliver
Jamie Oliver is the world’s most expensive chef, charging up to $500,000 per event. This British chef is undoubtedly the world’s most recognizable chef. He has cooked for the British Prime Minister and hosted various cooking-related TV shows, most notably The Naked Chef in the United Kingdom.
He is also the founder of the Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group, an Italian-focused restaurant franchise. The company once had over 40 locations but declared bankruptcy in 2018. Oliver was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in June 2003 for “services to the hospitality industry.” Read more about the expensive food festivals ever happened.
Rank | Chef Name | Charge per Event | Celebrity Client | Country | Notable Shows/Restaurants |
1 | Jamie Oliver | $500,000 | Madonna | United Kingdom | The Naked Chef, Jamie’s Italian |
Rachael Ray
Rachael Ray is a well-known celebrity chef in the United States. Rachael Ray’s daytime cooking and discussion show has been on the air since 2005. Rachael’s Tasty Travels, 30 Minute Meals, Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off, and $40 a Day are among her many spin-off shows. Rachael is one of the world’s most expensive cooks, with service fees ranging from $150,000 to $300,000. Aside from her television fame, Rachael has produced multiple cookbooks based on the 30 Minute Meals concept, and in 2006, she started the magazine Every Day with Rachael Ray. Read more about the most expensive food items in the world.
Rank | Chef Name | Charge per Event | Celebrity Client | Country | Notable Shows/Restaurants | Michelin Stars |
2 | Rachael Ray | $300,000 | Oprah Winfrey | United States | 30 Minute Meals, $40 a Day | N/A |
Gordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsey is a well-known television chef, known for his caustic remarks to the characters on his show Hell’s Kitchen. He is one of the world’s most expensive cooks, reportedly demanding $200,000 for private reservations. Even while Ramsay is most known for his television shows, his skills as a Michelin-starred chef are what first made him famous. His most famous restaurant, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, in London, has been a Michelin 3-starred business since 2001. His restaurants have received 16 Michelin stars in total. Read more about the expensive restaurants where rich and famous dine served by the famous chefs.
Rank | Chef Name | Charge per Event | Celebrity Client | Country | Notable Shows/Restaurants | Michelin Stars |
3 | Gordon Ramsay | $200,000 | Elton John | United Kingdom | Hell’s Kitchen, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay | 16 |
Emeril Lagasse
Emeril Lagassé III is a celebrity chef, restaurateur, television personality, cookbook author, and National Best Dish Award winner in 2003 for his “Turkey and Hot Sausage Chili” dish. He is one of the most expensive chefs in the world, with private reservations costing up to $100,000. He has been on numerous cooking series, including the long-running Food Network shows Emeril Live and Essence of Emeril, and is a regional James Beard Award recipient noted for his mastery of Creole and Cajun cuisine as well as his self-developed “New New Orleans” style.
Rank | Chef Name | Charge per Event | Celebrity Client | Country | Notable Shows/Restaurants | Michelin Stars |
4 | Emeril Lagasse | $100,000 | George Clooney | United States | Emeril Live, Essence of Emeril | N/A |
Guy Fieri
Fieri is a three-time Emmy Award winner who also licenses his brand and the famous Flavortown slogan to restaurants around the country. He also owns three California restaurants and takes private bookings for as little as $100,000. Guy’s Grocery Games and Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives are two of his most well-known TV series. He even hosted the non-cooking television game program Minute To Win It for two seasons due to his engaging personality.
Rank | Chef Name | Charge per Event | Celebrity Client | Country | Notable Shows/Restaurants |
5 | Guy Fieri | $100,000 | Julia Roberts | United States | Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives |
Thomas Keller
Thomas Keller is a chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author from the United States. He is the world’s sixth most expensive chef, asking a total of $75,000 for private services. According to sources, Keller is the first American chef to have received three-star Michelin ratings for two different restaurants at the same time. He and his legendary Napa Valley restaurant, The French Laundry in Yountville, California, have received numerous James Beard Foundation honors, including Best California Chef in 1996 and Best Chef in America in 1997. The restaurant is a consistent winner on Restaurant Magazine’s yearly list of the Top 50 Restaurants in the World.
Rank | Chef Name | Charge per Event | Celebrity Client | Country | Notable Shows/Restaurants | Michelin Stars |
6 | Thomas Keller | $75,000 | Steven Spielberg | United States | The French Laundry, Per Se | 7 |
Wolfgang Puck
Wolfgang Puck is a successful restaurateur as well as one of the world’s most expensive cooks. Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, Wolfgang Puck Catering, and Wolfgang Puck Worldwide, Inc. are among the companies he started to spread his culinary talents. But Puck isn’t all business; he’s appeared on a number of TV shows and can cook for you personally for $75,000. He has appeared on Celebrity Cooking Showdown, Iron Chef, Hell’s Kitchen, and Top Chef, among other cooking competition shows. Read more about the list of top 10 most expensive chocolates in the world.
Rank | Chef Name | Charge per Event | Celebrity Client | Country | Notable Shows/Restaurants | Michelin Stars |
7 | Wolfgang Puck | $75,000 | Tom Hanks | Austria | Spago, CUT, Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill | 2 |
Masaharu Morimoto
Masaharu Morimoto is a Japanese chef best known for his appearances as an Iron Chef on the Japanese cooking show Iron Chef and its spinoff Iron Chef America. Masaharu is the sixth most expensive chef in the world, with a service charge of $50,000 for private bookings. Aside from being well-known on television, Masaharu has various ideas for restaurants distributed over the United States, Canada, and Asia. He has since opened more locations in Napa Valley and New York City. He is well-known for his distinct approach to food presentation.
Rank | Chef Name | Charge per Event | Celebrity Client | Country | Notable Shows/Restaurants | Michelin Stars |
8 | Masaharu Morimoto | $50,000 | Beyoncé | Japan | Iron Chef, Morimoto | N/A |
Bobby Flay
With a service charge of $50,000 per booking, American Iconic Chef Bobby Flay ranks eighth among the world’s most expensive chefs. He owns and operates multiple restaurants and franchises, including Bobby’s Burger Palace and the Mesa Grill. Bobby Flay has been a Food Network personality since 1995, earning him four Daytime Emmy Awards and a plaque on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has also appeared as a guest star on several television shows, including Entourage and Law & Order: SVU.
Rank | Chef Name | Charge per Event | Celebrity Client | Country | Notable Shows/Restaurants | Michelin Stars |
9 | Bobby Flay | $50,000 | Jay-Z | United States | Mesa Grill, Bobby’s Burger Palace | N/A |
David Chang
David Chang, with a service charge of $50,000, rounds out the list of the world’s most expensive chefs. Chang is a television personality and restaurateur from the United States. He hosted and appeared on a number of television shows. He appeared as a guest judge on Top Chef: All Stars and MasterChef Australia. Chang founded the Momofuku restaurant group. In 2011, he also co-founded the influential cuisine magazine Lucky Peach, which ran for 25 quarterly issues until 2017. He is a member of City Harvest’s Food Council and the Food Bank for New York City’s Culinary Council.
Rank | Chef Name | Charge per Event | Celebrity Client | Country | Notable Shows/Restaurants | Michelin Stars |
10 | David Chang | $50,000 | Kanye West | United States | Momofuku, Lucky Peach | N/A |
Final Notice
However, the attractiveness of high-quality home personnel extends beyond the kitchen. Another in-demand position is that of a personal assistant, a position that pays between $65,000 and $120,000 a year. These data highlight the increased demand for top-tier domestic professionals, offering a look into the lavish world.
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