Celebrity chefs might act all classy on TV, but trust us—they’ve got strong opinions.
Some foods make them rage-quit a dinner party (looking at you, well-done steak), while others have them sneaking midnight bites straight from the fridge.
From Gordon Ramsay’s “kill it with fire” list to Anthony Bourdain’s eternal snack cravings, here’s the real shit chefs love and hate. No filter.
1. Gordon Ramsay Detests Frozen Meals
Hell hath no fury like Ramsay spotting a microwave dinner! The fiery British chef has made his stance crystal clear through countless Kitchen Nightmares episodes.
“Fresh is best” might as well be tattooed across his forehead. Whenever restaurants serve pre-packaged meals, his legendary temper explodes faster than an improperly vented pressure cooker!
2. Anthony Bourdain Loathed Truffle Oil
The late culinary rebel called truffle oil the “ketchup of the kitchen” and a complete fraud. Though trendy restaurants drizzle it on everything, Bourdain considered it chemical garbage.
What infuriated him most? Most commercial versions contain zero actual truffles! Instead, they’re concocted with synthetic compounds that merely mimic the aroma of the prized fungus.
3. Jamie Oliver Banned Ranch Dressing
Zounds! The naked chef absolutely cannot stomach America’s beloved ranch dressing. While campaigning for healthier school lunches, Oliver discovered this creamy condiment lurking everywhere.
Horrified by its ingredient list full of preservatives and artificial flavors, he’s made eliminating it from children’s diets a personal crusade. Grab your pitchforks, ranch lovers – this British chef is coming for your favorite dip!
4. Ina Garten Won’t Touch Cilantro
The Barefoot Contessa joins the genetic cilantro-haters club! About 4-14% of people possess a gene making this herb taste like soap, and Garten is among them.
“How bad can that be?” Pretty terrible, according to Ina! She meticulously excludes this divisive herb from all her recipes. When entertaining, she’ll kindly offer it on the side while secretly wondering how anyone tolerates its soapy assault.
5. Alton Brown Rejects Single-Use Kitchen Gadgets
Holy unitaskers, Batman! The Good Eats guru has declared war on single-purpose kitchen tools. Avocado slicers? Banana hangers? Egg separators? All banished from Brown’s kitchen kingdom!
“Why clutter your drawers with gadgets that do just one thing?” he frequently rants. His scientific approach demands efficiency, and these one-trick ponies fail his rigorous standards. Share your unitasker collection at your own risk!
6. Giada De Laurentiis Avoids American Cheese
Mamma mia! This Italian-American chef considers processed cheese slices a culinary crime against her heritage. With her Roman roots, De Laurentiis stays loyal to authentic Italian cheeses.
Those individually wrapped orange squares? Not even worthy of being called formaggio in her book! When she spots American cheese in a recipe, she’ll swiftly substitute proper Parmigiano-Reggiano or mozzarella faster than you can say “cheese!”
7. David Chang Despises Fancy Olive Oil
Contrary to culinary convention, the Momofuku mastermind thinks expensive olive oil is overrated nonsense! Chang believes we’ve been bamboozled by marketing into paying premium prices for minimal difference.
“Save your fancy oil for finishing dishes,” he advises. For everyday cooking? Regular vegetable oil works perfectly fine! His rebellious stance has olive oil connoisseurs clutching their artisanal bottles in horror. Would you dare challenge this culinary contrarian?
8. Julia Child Refused Garlic Presses
The pioneering TV chef had strong opinions about kitchen tools, particularly loathing garlic presses. Child insisted they waste precious garlic and impart a metallic taste.
Her preferred method? Smashing garlic with the side of a knife and mincing it by hand – a technique she demonstrated with gleeful enthusiasm. Though efficient modern presses exist, true Julia devotees still follow her manual method with religious dedication.
9. Bobby Flay Shuns Jarred Garlic
The grilling guru considers pre-minced garlic in jars an absolute travesty! According to Flay, those convenient little jars contain sad, flavorless shadows of fresh garlic’s potential.
“The preservatives completely change the flavor profile,” he explains with characteristic intensity. Despite the time-saving appeal, Flay insists that extra two minutes spent peeling and chopping fresh cloves makes all the difference between mediocre and magnificent meals.
10. Jacques Pépin Loves Properly Cooked Eggs
Magnifique! The French master chef transforms humble eggs into culinary poetry. His omelette technique has become legendary – swift, precise movements creating silky, barely-set perfection in under 30 seconds!
Pépin insists properly cooked eggs should never show brown coloration. His decades of demonstrating this fundamental skill proves his devotion to this protein powerhouse. When Jacques whisks eggs, culinary students worldwide stop to watch and learn.
11. Ina Garten Swears By Good Vanilla
“Store-bought is fine” doesn’t apply to vanilla in the Barefoot Contessa’s kitchen! Garten religiously splurges on premium Madagascar vanilla beans and extracts for her legendary baked goods.
Why such devotion? The aromatic complexity of quality vanilla provides the foundation for her foolproof desserts. Though it might strain your wallet, Ina insists this is one ingredient where cutting corners leads to culinary disappointment. Try her approach – your taste buds will thank you!
12. Gordon Ramsay Insists On Sea Salt
Bloody hell! The Hell’s Kitchen commander-in-chief wouldn’t dream of using ordinary table salt. For Ramsay, flaky sea salt is the only acceptable sodium delivery system.
What makes sea salt his ride-or-die ingredient? The texture and clean flavor elevate every dish it touches. Catching any of his protégés using iodized salt might trigger one of his legendary outbursts! Ready to upgrade your salt game? Gordon certainly thinks you should!
13. Anthony Bourdain Cherished Good Knives
The late culinary rockstar considered a quality chef’s knife the true mark of a serious cook. “No one who cooks with a dull knife can be trusted,” he famously quipped.
Bourdain’s beloved 8-inch Global knife traveled everywhere with him. Through his globe-trotting adventures, he showed that respecting your tools connects you to culinary traditions worldwide. His practical wisdom: invest in one excellent knife rather than a mediocre set.
14. Jamie Oliver Can’t Cook Without Olive Oil
Crikey! The Naked Chef’s famous “glug of olive oil” has become his signature move. Oliver’s Essex-accented instruction to add a generous pour appears in virtually every recipe he creates.
Growing up inspired by Mediterranean cooking, Jamie embraced olive oil as the foundation of healthy, flavorful meals. His enthusiasm has even led him to create his own olive oil brand! Want to cook like Jamie? Start with that iconic, liberal glug!
15. Alton Brown Demands Kosher Salt
Great googly moogly! The food science wizard won’t touch table salt with a ten-foot whisk. Brown’s devotion to Diamond Crystal kosher salt borders on religious fervor.
Why the salt snobbery? Its larger crystals provide better tactile control when seasoning. During his Good Eats reign, he converted countless home cooks to this professional standard. Catch him without his trusty salt box? Impossible! Even his emergency car kit probably contains a kosher salt stash.
16. Giada De Laurentiis Always Uses Parmigiano-Reggiano
The Italian-American goddess refuses to compromise on proper Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Those green cans of pre-grated stuff? Not in her pristine kitchen!
De Laurentiis insists on the real-deal aged cheese imported from specific Italian provinces. The nutty, complex flavor creates that signature Giada magic in everything from pasta to salads. Her pro tip? Save the rinds to simmer in soups for an umami flavor bomb!
17. David Chang Relies On MSG
Flavor bombs away! The Momofuku maverick boldly champions monosodium glutamate despite its controversial reputation. Chang crusades against MSG myths with scientific evidence and blind taste tests.
“The fear of MSG is rooted in xenophobia, not science,” he argues passionately. This umami-enhancing ingredient appears throughout his acclaimed restaurants. Feeling brave? Chang recommends keeping MSG alongside salt and pepper in your home kitchen for instant flavor enhancement!
18. Julia Child Loved Butter Above All
With a warbling “Bon appétit!” Child introduced America to the glories of French butter usage. Her famous quote – “If you’re afraid of butter, use cream!” – perfectly captures her philosophy.
The pioneering TV chef believed butter’s flavor was absolutely irreplaceable. While health trends came and went, Julia remained steadfastly devoted to this golden ingredient. Her unapologetic approach to butter helped liberate a generation of home cooks from fear of fat!
19. Bobby Flay Can’t Live Without Chipotles in Adobo
Holy smoke! The grill master’s secret weapon comes in a humble can – chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. These smoky, spicy flavor bombs appear in countless Flay recipes, from marinades to aiolis.
What makes them his ride-or-die ingredient? The complex combination of heat, smoke, and tanginess adds instant southwestern flair to anything they touch. Bobby’s pro tip: Purée the entire can and freeze in ice cube trays for easy flavor boosting anytime!