LGBTQ Chefs
LGBTQ chefs are prominently represented in the industry. Many have become operators of their own restaurants and chains. Some have become television stars. Almost all of them have published best-selling cookbooks. They represent many different styles and nationalities of cooking.
A central figure in the gourmet food and restaurant industries was gay American chef James Beard. He was the author of numerous culinary books and an original star of cooking television shows. He created the James Beard Foundation which annually gives out the U.S. gourmet restaurant industry's top awards for culinary achievement, the James Beard Awards. Receiving this award is similar to what receiving an Oscar award is to an actor.
It is notable that their is an equal split between men and women in the industry, in contrast to the industry as a whole which is male dominated. What is lacking to date is a star transgender chef. Most of the LGBTQ chefs are active within the community and respond to the need to give back and support its advancement and rights. The Human Rights Council (HRC) in the United States has an annual Chefs For Equality dinner to benefit the fight for full LGBTQ equality. The annual CookOUT festival in California is intended to celebrate the community's participation in the industry.
In addition to James Beard, there are numerous LGBTQ chefs around the world with outstanding reputations for their restaurants, cuisine, cooking books, and television shows. They hail from New Zealand, India, Israel, Turkey, Great Britain, the United States, Canada and France.
LGBTQ chefs inspire all of us to be creative in the kitchen, eat well, and enjoy life to the fullest.
Consider the following LGBTQ chefs:
- Ted Allen, United States. Emmy award winner. Host of television show 'Chopped'.
- Mitchell Anderson, United States. Actor. Restaurant owner and Chef.
- Jesse Brune, United States. Celebrity chef and personal trainer.
- Ross Burden, New Zealand. Celebrity chef, author.
- Anne Burrell, United States. Host of several television cooking shows.
- David Burtka, United States. Former television and film actor, now co-owner of Gourmet M.D. in Los Angeles. Married to actor Neil Patrick Harris.
- Cat Cora, United States. Former host of television show 'Iron Chef America', she has been inducted into the Culinary Hall of Fame.
- Ritu Dalmia, India. Owner of restaurant chain Diva, author of several cookbooks, and host of celebrity television cooking shows.
- Pink Delongpre, United States. Owner of the restaurant Bacon & Brine in California.
- Tiffani Faison, United States. Runner-up in the inaugural season of television show 'Top Chef'.
- Elizabeth Falkner, United States. Consultant and judge of several television cooking shows. Member, Culinary Hall of Fame.
- Susan Feniger, United States. Co-host of the television show 'Too Hot Tamales'.
- Clark Frasier, United States. James Beard Award-winning restaurateur.
- Mark Gaier, United States. James Beard Award-winning restaurateur.
- Peter Gordon, New Zealand. Television chef and owner of several restaurants.
- David Halls, New Zealand. Television chef on show 'Hudson and Halls' with partner Peter Hudson
- Anna Hieronimus, United States. Co-owner, Take Root restaurant, Brooklyn, New York.
- Peter Hudson, New Zealand. Television chef on show 'Hudson and Halls' with partner David Halls.
- Laurence Isaacson, Great Britain. Co-founder of the restaurant chain Groupe Chez Garard with 24 restaurants in the U.K. Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
- Edd Kimber, Great Britain. Winner of the inaugural season of The Great British Bake Off.
- Elise Kornack, United States. Co-owner, Take Root restaurant, Brooklyn, New York.
- Ken Kostick, Canada. Television chef.
- Eric Lanlard, France. Celebrity baking chef and television host.
- Meredith Laurence, Canada. QVC Television chef and creator of the 'Technique' line of cooking products.
- Anita Lo, United States. Chef-owner of New York City restaurant Annisa.
- Allegra McEvedy, Great Britain. Television host, author, and restaurateur, she is a Member of the Order of the British Empire.
- Niki Nakayama, United States. Owner of n/Naka Restaurant and the only female kaseiki chef in the world.
- Yotam Ottolenghi, Israel. Founder of the Ottolenghi chain of delis in the U.K., and chef-owner of restaurant Nopi. LGBTQ activist.
- Yigit Pura, Turkey. Inaugural winner of the television show 'Top Chef: Just Desserts'.
- Art Smith, United States. James Beard Award winning cookbook author, and former chef to Oprah Winfrey.
- Rita Sodi, United States. Native of Florence, Italy, she is the chef-owner of 'I Sodi' restaurant in New York City.
- Ruby Tandoh, Great Britain. Finalist of the Great British Bake Off (2013).
- John Whaite, Great Britain. Winner, Great British Bake Off (2012). Columnist, author, cookery school owner.
- Jody Williams, United States. Chef-owner of Restaurant Buvette in New York City and Paris, she is also a judge on the television show 'Chopped'.
