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Movie stars, musicians and professional athletes have had the celebrity corner locked down for decades. But these days, there's a new breed of celebrity that wields a whisk and a wooden spoon instead of a guitar or baseball bat. Julia Child, who could be considered the original celebrity chef, was one of the few well-known faces of food until the 1990s, when cable channels like the Food Network pushed the culinary world into the limelight like never before. Popular chef personalities now have empires consisting of cooking shows, book deals, product lines and even their own self-titled magazines. Their celebrity status can't be argued with, but do their cooking skills actually make them chefs?
In the English language, we use the term "chef" to describe anyone who can cook. But the word actually comes from the French chef de cuisine, which translates to head of the kitchen [source: The Free Dictionary]. Foodies would argue that restaurant chefs like Eric Ripert are the real celebrities. But the masses have probably never heard of Ripert, one of the most accomplished chefs working today. Why? Because he doesn't have a television show.
Today's celebrity chef is both accomplished in the kitchen and far-reaching in business. Some are as well-known as the highest-paid movie star. Others are on the rise, but definitely in the spotlight. In this article, we'll take a look at five of the top celebrity chefs working today.
