Bizarre Chef Moments That Really Happened

Celebrity chefs are usually unlike many other stars on the planet. After all, while some celebs quickly get used to people wanting to know all about their personal lives, that’s not always the case for chefs. For one, those with TV shows usually open up about their personal lives as they get busy cooking and sharing their recipes with the world.

That means that when they do something completely out of the question, celebrity chefs usually become the talk of the town. In fact, the bizarre chef moments that really happened might have slipped our minds, but these chefs are more like the rest of the world than it often seems.

Mario Batali was accused of skimming tips

Plenty of servers rely on their tips to make a living. Perhaps that’s why so many people were outraged when they believed Mario Batali was skimming tips from his restaurant in 2010? One hundred seventeen employees took the chef to court, where he later settled by paying a staggering $5.25 million to employees who had lost out on their extra tops throughout the years. This was divided among staff working for Mario between 2004 and 2012 with the agreement it was never publicly discussed again.

Nigella Lawson was caught using illegal substances

Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson is usually better known for her sensual recipes and cooking style. Sadly, that all came crashing down in 2013 when she appeared in court. Nigella was initially there battling her former assistants for stealing and using personal credit cards. However, this was overshadowed by accusations from the sisters that Nigella approved all the purchases because she was covering her illegal substance habit. Admitting to it was one thing, but further accusations that Nigella allowed her children to use narcotics was another and shed new light on the chef.

Paula Deen was accused of being offensive

Things started to go downhill for Paula Deen in 2012, and she’s struggled to come back since. The chef and her brother were taken to court by a former manager, who accused the pair of using offensive language and harassment. Things came to a head the following year, as Paula actually admitted to using a host of offensive language before the case was dismissed. Still, the damage was done. Paula’s sponsors pulled out and employers left her, with an apology tour doing nothing for the chef’s reputation.

Anthony Bourdain supported clubbing seals

People have differing views on hunting. The idea of clubbing baby seals as a part of the fur trade has long been one of the most divisive and has been protested across the world. Anthony Bourdain somehow found himself mixed up in it all in 2013 after several celebrity chefs signed a petition to boycott Canadian seafood. Anthony? He thought no one should boycott the industry and condemned his fellow chefs for going along with it all. Although Anthony put it down to worries about how the ban would affect local communities, plenty were angered by his stance on the practice.

Ina Garten refused to work with Make-A-Wish

For many, Ina Garten might be one of the least offensive celebrity chefs. So what if she refused to work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation? That’s allegedly the case, as Ina reportedly turned down not one but two opportunities to work with the organization in 2010 and 2011. This was apparently for a six-year-old boy who was living with leukemia and loved watching Ina’s show. When the news hit the headlines, the chef reached out to the youngster, with the boy’s father telling TMZ it was too little too late.

Gordon Ramsay was verbally attacked on his show

Anyone who’s seen the reality show ‘Kitchen Nightmares’ probably knows that things can get pretty heated. Still, things hit a new level in 2013 when chef and host of the show Gordon Ramsay arrived at Amy’s Baking Company in Arizona. For the first time, Ramsay stormed out of the restaurant and refused to return. Things didn’t end there, with one of the owners facing deportation a year after the episode aired and another accusing Gordon of assault. He denied all accusations before Amy’s Baking Company closed its doors in 2015.

Celebrity chefs usually know how to keep themselves out of the headlines. That is until they do something utterly bizarre, and people can’t help but stop and take notice. It seems people just tend to forget chefs’ behavior quicker than other celebrities.