Bobby Flay
Estimated Net Worth: $30 million
Restaurant: Mesa Grill
As Seen On: Great Chefs
French Culinary Institute graduate Bobby Flay is a Food Network favorite. The New York City-born chef specializes in Mexican and Southwestern cuisine. His cooking style is both Mexican and Southwestern, (even though he himself is a fourth-generation Irish American). Flay has opened eateries all across the U.S. — all of them under his name.
His restaurants around the country include the popular Las Vegas establishment Mesa Grill, Bar American, Bobby Flay Steak, Gato, and Bobby’s Burger Palace which is a chain across eleven different states. Aside from cooking, Flay likes to take to the tracks and racehorses.
Paula Deen
Estimated Net Worth: $14 million
Restaurant: The Lady & Sons Restaurant
As Seen On: Paula’s Home Cooking
Paula Deen is the queen of Southern comfort food. As a young girl growing up in Georgia, she suffered from agoraphobia- a condition that made it hard for her to leave the house. During all that time at home, she spent a lot of time in the kitchen experimenting with tasty recipes. Her home cooking took off in a big way and eventually led her to open up a sandwich company called The Bag Lady. She now rules the landscape of Southern cuisine.
The Bag Lady was just the beginning of her career because Paula Deen, as we know her today is quite the household name and has been a part of the Food Network since the 1990s. She also has published fifteen cookbooks, most of which have been best-sellers.
Guy Fieri
Estimated Net Worth: $8.5 million
Restaurant: Johnny Garlic’s
As Seen On: Celebrity Cook-Off
Born in Columbus, Ohio, Guy Fieri has been in the spotlight for years. With a few Emmy wins to his name and three California-based restaurants, Fieri is one of the world's best-known TV personalities out there. His name is so huge it's been even licensed to restaurants in Las Vegas and New York City.
The cook has also hosted multiple shows on the Food Network and has even emerged as the face of the channel. It must be that signature peroxide blond spike hair that makes him pretty unforgettable. His biggest claim to fame, however, was on the Celebrity Cook-Off.
Jamie Oliver
Estimated Net Worth: $300 million
Restaurant: River Cafe
As Seen On: The Naked Chef
Even if you have never tuned into a cooking show in your life, chances are you have still come across the name Jamie Oliver. The British chef and restauranteur is known for his organic Italian-style cooking. He was educated at Westminster Kingsway College and began his career as a pastry chef under Antonio Carluccio. He then moved on to London's top restaurant, The River Cafe as the head chef.
The leap to TV was thanks to fellow chef Patricia Llewellyn, who discovered Oliver's screen-worthy charisma. She was an executive at a TV production company named Optomen. The company agreed to tape a pilot for the show "The Naked Chef." The move resulted in total success and thus Oliver's BBC cooking show was born. The British chef used the profits to release a cookbook. It was a total hit.
Giada De Laurentiis
Estimated Net Worth: $20 million
Restaurant: GDL Foods
As Seen On: Giada at Home
A Cordon Bleu gem, Giada De Laurentiis was born in Rome. Already a point if you're entering the world of food. She grew up cooking at home with her family, picking up her now-signature tricks. Those skills she honed in her early years took her all the way to culinary stardom. To top it all off, she has written several cookbooks, all about authentic Italian food (very much inspired by her grandmother!)
Her Food Network’s show is the ever-famous "Giada at Home." The talented Italian cook has also co-hosted "The Today Show" on a number of occasions and is the founder of her very own catering company. Sounds delicious!