Estimated Net Worth: $18 million
Restaurant: Morimoto
As Seen On: The Iron Chef
Crowned as the original Iron Chef, Masaharu Morimoto is the real McCoy. He was born in Hiroshima, Japan, and grew up learning about Kaiseki cuisine — the traditional art of sushi. After selling his own restaurant in 1985, he traveled to the United States to learn more about Western cuisine and how to infuse it into his own style. Morimoto established himself in the Asian cooking scene in New York City and even began appearing on TV.
The sushi specialist now has sixteen restaurants to his name, made several appearances on “Iron Chef America” and “Iron Chef Japan,” as well as recently opened up a restaurant named Momosan Ramen & Sake on Lexington Ave. in New York City.
Ina Garten
Estimated Net Worth: $50 million
Restaurant: N/A
As Seen On: Barefoot Contessa
Ina Garten was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1948. She wasn't always involved in food and as a younger woman actually established her career in politics, specifically in nuclear policy analysis in the White House. Her leap to food, however, began when she discovered a specialty food store for sale in Hampton. She, together with her husband, jumped on the opportunity. The rest is history. The acquisition of the food store inspired her to write her first cookbook called "Barefoot Contessa Cookbook."
The book was received with overwhelming praise and led her to her second book, which she released in 2001. Since that first release, she has published over a dozen cookbooks and has her own show on the Food Network. The book's success led her to the popularly known show of the same name. It explores Garten's finest creations in a variety of styles. Sometimes you discover your calling later in life.
Thomas Keller
Net Worth: $130 million
Restaurant: The French Laundry
As Seen On: Ratatouille
American chef, restaurateur, and cookbook writer, Thomas Keller is probably America's most revered chef. Keller is a leader in French cuisine with his landmark Napa Valley restaurant named The French Laundry in Yountville, California. His restaurant has won multiple awards from the James Beard Foundation, notably the Best California Chef in 1996, as well as the Best Chef in America in 1997. His establishment has also reached number one on the list of Top 50 Restaurants of the World time and time again.
Keller has been a consultant on a few films as the set's chef, namely "Ratatouille" and "Spanglish." In the film "Spanglish," he taught actor Adam Sandler how to make the perfect sandwich for one of the scenes. Keller is also the only American chef to have been awarded three-star Michelin ratings for two different restaurants simultaneously.
Magnus Nilsson
Estimated Net Worth: $2 million
Restaurant: Faviken
As Seen On: The Mind of a Chef
Swedish chef Magnus Nilsson started out with humble beginnings as a cook on his grandmother's farm. From then it was a clear upward progression to chef school in Are, and then landed in L'Aprege as the apprentice under Alain Passard. Unfortunately, he was eventually fired for not speaking a word of French, something that's kind of required in France.
Three years later he moved back to Sweden, became disillusioned with the world of cooking, and pursued work as a wine critic. Something in Nilsson felt lost and he made his way back to cooking where he shot to fame with his killer dishes at the Fäviken restaurant — the 57th best restaurant in the world.
Ming Tsai
Estimated Net Worth: $10 million
Restaurant: Blue Ginger
As Seen On: Simply Ming
Celebrity chef Ming Tsai not only has great experience in the kitchen but also has had an impressive Ivy League education in Yael, Cornell, and Le Cordon Bleu. His culinary skills are as diverse as his language skills and he is an expert in Spanish, French, and Mandarin. Tsai grew up around food and learned the tricks of the trade at a young age in his mother's restaurant called Mandarin Kitchen.
Tickling the tastebuds of many, Tsai made a name for himself and got his own show called "Simply Ming." The show aired on PBS and has had eighteen seasons. He also hosts the Fine Living's show "Ming's Quest." Last but not least, the Mandarin king also appeared on "Iron Chef."