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FOOD

Meet The Top 10 Chefs In The World

The stars beyond the Michelin stars
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Q: Who is the best chef in the world?

A:  It’s one of the most difficult questions to answer. We already named a list of Australia’s top chefs but what about from around the world? With no official world ranking and so many versatile categories like pastry chefs, tv chefs plus different cuisines it’s no easy task. Here are ten of the most famous chefs in the world.

1. Wolfgang Puck

Austrian-American chef, restaurateur and actor Wolfgang Puck is a force to be reckoned with. With over 30 restaurants under his belt, Puck is known for modern French cooking in American kitchens. He famously catered for Kim Kardashian’s wedding to Chris Humphries in 2011. Puck is a regular guest judge of MasterChef and Hell’s Kitchen. He has also starred in CSI, The Muse, Las Vegas and The Simpsons.

Restaurants

Books

  • Modern French Cooking for the American Kitchen (1980)
  • The Wolfgang Puck Cookbook (1986)
  • Adventures in the Kitchen with Wolfgang Puck (1991)
  • Pizza, Pasta, and More (2000)
  • Live, Love, Eat (2002)
  • Wolfgang Puck Makes it Easy (2004)

2. Jamie Oliver

British chef and restaurateur Jamie Oliver is one of the world’s most loved chefs. Not only does he create and craft delicious simple recipes, is an active campaigner for disadvantaged youth, has published 26 cookbooks, has had 35 of his own television shows and is a father to five children. His best-selling cookbook 30-Minute Meals broke records in 2010 selling over 735,000 copies in 10 weeks becoming Britain’s fastest-selling nonfiction book of all time.

Restaurants

Jamie’s restaurant chain went into administration in May 2019. 

Books

  • Something for the Weekend
  • The Naked Chef
  • The Return of the Naked Chef
  • Happy Days with the Naked Chef
  • Jamie’s Kitchen
  • Jamie’s Dinners
  • Jamie’s Italy
  • Cook With Jamie: My Guide to Making You a Better Cook
  • Jamie’s Little Book of Big Treats
  • Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life
  • Jamie’s Ministry of Food: Anyone Can Learn to Cook in 24 Hours
  • Jamie’s Red Nose Recipes
  • Jamie’s America
  • Jamie does… Spain, Italy, Sweden, Morocco, Greece, France
  • Jamie’s 30-Minute Meals
  • Jamie’s Great Britain
  • Jamie’s 15 Minute Meals
  • Save With Jamie
  • Jamie’s Comfort Food
  • Everyday Super Food
  • Super Food Family Classics
  • Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook
  • 5 Ingredients – Quick & Easy Food
  • Jamie Cooks Italy (2018)
  • Jamie’s Friday Night Feast (2019)
  • Jamie Oliver Ultimate Veg (October 22, 2019)

3. Heston Blumenthal

He’s a chef you cannot forget, from his signature black frames to his innovative and unique dishes Heston Blumenthal is one of the world’s most famous chefs. He is a big believer in using scientific methods is in his cooking and has been awarded honorary degrees from Reading, Bristol and London universities. The British chef is also a regular guest on MasterChef and other television series. 

Restaurants

Books

  • Family Food: A New Approach to Cooking (2005)
  • In Search of Perfection (2006)
  • Further Adventures in Search of Perfection (2007)
  • The Fat Duck Cookbook (2008)
  • Total Perfection:In Search of Total Perfection (2009)
  • Heston’s Fantastical Feasts (2010)
  • Heston Blumenthal At Home (2011)
  • Historic Heston (2013)

4. Ferran Adria

This list wouldn’t be complete without Spanish chef Ferran Adria. Adria has been named the world’s greatest chef many times with his restaurant elBulli being named the best restaurant in the world five times. He closed his three Michelin star restaurant in 2011 to write culinary encyclopedias and is also credited with creating “culinary foam” which is used by chefs around the world.

Restaurants

Books

  • El Bulli 1983–1993 (with Juli Soler and Albert Adrià)
  • El Bulli: el sabor del Mediterráneo, 1993
  • Los secretos de El Bulli, 1997
  • El Bulli 1994–1997 (with Juli Soler and Albert Adrià)
  • Cocinar en 10 minutos con Ferran Adrià, 1998
  • Celebrar el milenio con Arzak y Adrià (with Juan Mari Arzak), 1999
  • El Bulli 1998–2002 (with Juli Soler and Albert Adrià), Conran Octopus, 2003
  • El Bulli 2003–2004 (with Juli Soler and Albert Adrià), Ecco, 2006
  • El Bulli 2005
  • A Day at El Bulli 2008
  • The Family Meal: Home Cooking with Ferran Adria 2011

5. Marco Pierre White

Dubbed the first celebrity chef, British chef, television personality and restaurateur Marco Pierre White is one of the world’s most celebrated chefs. At 32, he became the youngest chef and the first British chef to have been awarded three Michelin stars.  White has also mentored some of the world’s greatest chefs like Curtis Stone, Gordon Ramsay and Shannon Bennett.

Restaurants

  • London Steakhouse Co
  • Marco Pierre White
  • Steakhouse, Bar & Grill
  • New York Italian
  • Wheeler’s
  • Bardolino
  • Marconi
  • Koffman & Mr White’s
  • Chophouse

Books

  • White Heat 25
  • White Heat Days
  • White in Hell’s Kitchen
  • Macro Made Easy
  • Great British
  • White Slave

6. Gordon Ramsay

Affectionately known as one of the worlds most fiery chefs Gordon Ramsay’s temper has led him to fame. He’s no novice when it comes to the big screen starring in Hell’s Kitchen, The F Word, and Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, plus the American series MasterChef, MasterChef Junior, and Hotel Hell, and the American versions of Hell’s Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares. 

Restaurants

  • Restaurant Gordon Ramsay
  • Pétrus
  • Savoy Grill
  • Maze Grill (previously Foxtrot Oscar)
  • The Narrow
  • Heddon Street Kitchen
  • York and Albany
  • Bread Street Kitchen
  • Union Street Cafe
  • Boxwood Cafe

Books

  • Gordon Ramsay’s Passion For Flavour (1996)
  • Gordon Ramsay’s Passion For Seafood (1999)
  • Gordon Ramsay A Chef For All Seasons (2000)
  • Gordon Ramsay’s Just Desserts (2001)
  • Gordon Ramsay’s Secrets (2003)
  • Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Heaven (2004)
  • Gordon Ramsay Makes It Easy (2005)
  • Gordon Ramsay Easy All Year Round (2006)
  • Gordon Ramsay’s Sunday Lunch and other recipes from the F word (2006)
  • Humble Pie (2006)
  • Gordon Ramsay’s Fast Food Recipes from the F Word (2007)
  • Playing With Fire (2007) (Follow up to Autobiography)
  • Recipes From a 3 Star Chef (2007)
  • Gordon Ramsay’s Three Star Chef (2008)
  • Gordon Ramsay’s Fast Food (2008)
  • Gordon Ramsay’s Healthy Appetite (2008)
  • Cooking for Friends: Food from My Table (2008)
  • Gordon Ramsay’s World Kitchen: Recipes from “The F Word” (2009)
  • Ramsay’s Best Menus (2010)
  • Gordon Ramsay’s Great Escape: 100 of my favourite Indian recipes (2010)
  • Gordon’s Great Escape: 100 of my favourites South-east Asia recipes (2011)
  • Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Cookery Course (2012)
  • Gordon Ramsay’s Home Cooking: Everything You Need to Know to Make Fabulous Food (2013)
  • Gordon Ramsay and the Bread Street Kitchen Team: Delicious Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner to Cook at Home (2016)
  • Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Fit Food: Mouth-Watering Recipes to Fuel You for Life (2018)
  • Gordon Ramsay: Quick and Delicious – 100 Recipes to Cook in 30 Minutes or Less (2019)

7. Shannon Bennett

(Credit: MasterChef Australia)
Best known for his French-inspired cuisine, Australian chef Shannon Bennett has made quite a name for himself both nationally and internationally. A regular guest on Masterchef Australia and Audi ambassador is the best know for his creative menus as Head Chef at Melbourne restaurant, Vue de monde. 

Restaurants:

  • Vue Events at Rialto
  • The Lui Bar
  • Bistro Vue
  • Benny Burger
  • Café Vue in two locations
  • Burnham Bakery at Eastland

Books:

8. Thomas Keller

The first American chef on this list, Thomas Keller is a force to be reckoned with. He is also the recipient for the Best Chef in America in 1997 and is a perennial winner in the annual Top 50 Restaurants of the World. He currently holds seven Michelin stars in total. He also had the honour of catering for the Vanity Fair Oscars Afterparty in 2018.

Restaurants

  • The French Laundry
  • Per Se
  • Bouchon
  • Bar Bouchon
  • Bouchon Bakery
  • Ad Hoc

Books

  • Bouchon Bakery (2002)
  • Ad Hoc at Home
  • Under Pressure: Cooking Sous Vide
  • Bouchon
  • The French Laundry Cookbook

9. Curtis Stone

Curtis Stone is one of Australia’s most celebrated chefs, rising to fame after an appearance on The Celebrity Apprentice. Stone started cooking at the age of four under the guidance of his grandmother. His career has seen him move to Los Angeles and appear on Surfing the Menu, Dinner in a Box, Good Food Live and Saturday Kitchen. Not only that but he was also the host of the first season of My Kitchen Rules in Australia and is now the face of Coles supermarkets. You can read more about him here.

Restaurants:

Cookbooks:

10. Emeril Lagasse

The father of “New New Orleans” style, Emeril Lagasse is one of the world’s greatest chefs. It is estimated that his portfolio of media, products and restaurants generates an estimated USD $150 million each year. He was also a recipient of the National Best Recipe award winner for his ‘Turkey and Hot Sausage Chili’ recipe in 2003. Emeril founded the Emeril Lagasse Foundation in 2002, which creates educational opportunities for disadvantaged children.

Books

  • New New Orleans Cooking (1993)
  • Louisiana Real and Rustic (1996)
  • Emeril’s Creole Christmas (1997)
  • Emeril’s TV Dinners (1998)
  • Every Day’s a Party (1999)
  • Prime Time Emeril (2001)
  • Emeril’s There’s a Chef in My Soup!: Recipes for the Kid in Everyone (2002)
  • From Emeril’s Kitchens: Favorite Recipes from Emeril’s Restaurants (2003)
  • Emeril’s There’s a Chef in My Family (2004)
  • Emeril’s Potluck: Comfort Food with a Kicked-Up Attitude (2004)
Profile picture of Lottie Dalziel
Lottie Dalziel

Lottie Dalziel is a 4AM riser and coffee-addict who lives and breathes the Better Homes and Gardens brand. When she isn't reading up on the latest trends in sustainability or discovering ways to upcycle almost anything, you can find her by the beach, cooking up a storm or adding to her abundant (some would say out of control) plant collection.

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