142638 Tue Jul 23 17:13:57 -0700 2002 14 12 Boston Area 0 763185 My vote goes to Jaime Oliver. I like his food, his freewheeling style and the cute young models he entertains. Over the top and down-to-earth. Worst: That fuzzy little dude from New Bedford, Emeril LaGasse. He's a cross between Jacki Gleason and the Galloping Gourmet. Enough already; BAM! You're history...and take Todd English with you too!!! Cool enough: Maria Bitale Non-celeb: Christopher Kimball from Cooks Magazine. He da man!!!! Tue Jul 23 17:13:57 -0700 2002 0 1crispydude 1 763188 He's probably doesn't qualify as a celebrity chef because he doesn't own a restaurant and he's not on the food network but he's an incredible chef. An award-winning author and a long time ago at the beginning of his writing career, a food critic for Boston Magazine, which was subsequent to his being trained at La Varenne in France and earning, I believe, a Masters degree in Food History. Over 20 years ago, I took my first and best cooking class from him in Cambridge. He was very entertaining and interesting and if you gave him ten ingredients of your choice, he could make anything taste delicious! Steve Raichlen...my vote...though I am sure not caught up in the celebrity status such as a certain unnamed Charlestown restauranteur who seemingly never saw a camera he didn't like and who really seems to be smitten with himself and his "celebrity" status. Tue Jul 23 19:49:06 -0700 2002 763185 0 paul 2 763190 Have and swear by several of Steven Raichlen's cookbooks--love Miami Spice. Tue Jul 23 20:24:38 -0700 2002 763188 0 Coyote 3 763192 I picked up his first cookbook, "A Taste of the Mountains" for about $3.00 several years ago. It was published about 16 years ago and contains many great recipes, many which he taught in his Cambridge cooking class. The Barbeque Bible which won the Julia Child's Cookbook award is awesome, too. Tue Jul 23 21:06:04 -0700 2002 763190 0 paul 4 763194 The hands down worst "Celebrity Chef" has to be Bobby Flay from Mesa Grill in NYC. At his best he might be described as a self important asswipe. He was at a charity event at the Charles Hotel about two years ago and was so uninterested in the attendies that it was sickening. Tue Jul 23 23:33:17 -0700 2002 763192 0 Winemark 5 763201 I know everyone hates Bobby Flay but I don't mind him and like Food Nation. Altho if I experienced him being an ass firsthand, it'd be a different story. Ming Tsai is good and seemed nice at a Share our Strength thing last year. I met Rachel Ray when I was in Philly at Jim's Cheesesteaks, she was doing a $40 a Day there. She was hipper looking in real life (and tiny). Wed Jul 24 07:44:01 -0700 2002 763194 0 Joanie 6 764253 I think Wolfgang puck is very entertaining. I have eaten at a couple restaurants of his in Las Vegas and swear his grlic mashed potatoes just melted in your mouth. I love watching him and his entertaining sense of humor. He gets my vote. Mon Aug 19 16:54:49 -0700 2002 763201 0 Roxy 6 764298 Now there is a very annoying woman! I like her recipes, but I can't sit through her giggling and inane chatter. Tue Aug 20 09:45:13 -0700 2002 763201 0 sharon 1 763207 Tied for first: (Great chefs, friendly, accessible). Ming Tsai (Blue Ginger) Chris Schlesinger (East Coast Grill, The Back Eddy) Close second: (Only because food at Summer Shack has been uneven when I've been there). Jasper White And let's not forget the Grand Dame of celebrity chefs: Julia Child Wed Jul 24 10:16:12 -0700 2002 763185 0 groaker 2 763208 I agree with you! I have been to the east coast grill many times and chris will go to every table to see if everyone is enjoying their food. The waitstaff have told me that he is a joy to work for and are treated extremely well by him...... Ming Tse went to prep school with an ex-beau and my ex said he was a kind man.... I ate once at Blue Ginger and Ming was out and about I believe giving an interview. Wed Jul 24 10:21:24 -0700 2002 763207 0 diski 1 763228 The Classics: Jacques Pepin (impeccable technique, he always makes me think that I could bone out a leg of lamb, and then I try it and am reminded that he is the master), Lidia Bastianich (sheer love of food, lack of pretension) and of course the grand dame, Julia Child. The Newbies: Nigella Lawson (because she doesn't fuss over food, spills a lot, and is voluptuous. What's wrong with that?) and yes, Jaime Oliver -- his Naked Chef cookbooks are quite well done, and his cheeky banter whilst preparing the "pukka" feasts he does for tv is entertaining. The Evil doers: Charlie Trotter (all that talk of mouthfeel and the way he treats his kitchen minions is annoying; plus just how many hands do you want massaging your food before it comes to your table?) and the fuzzy afore-mentioned Emeril. I've said it before and I'll say it again...Yuk. Wed Jul 24 16:58:38 -0700 2002 763185 0 yumyum 1 763231 OK, here goes... Jaques Pepin and Julia Child will always rule and never go out of style. Chris Schlesinger and Lidia Bastianich make food I want to make/eat and are people I think I'd like to sit down and eat it with. And - sue me! - the once loathed Nick Stellino gets Most Improved for actually growing on me. Lose the ponytail! (Then make me dinner, please.) And, I'm sure they're all decent people, but... Emeril is yesterday's really annoying news. Charlie Trotter is one cold fish lording over his overwrought preparations. Todd English has NO screen presence at all once he opens his mouth on camera, but I don't find him nearly as evil as the previous two. And, is it me, or is Mary Anne Esposito just scary? She's a combination of the mean kickball-confiscating neighborlady and your bitterest know-it-all high school teacher smiling away as she waits to inform you her recipe is better than yours. Wed Jul 24 17:51:33 -0700 2002 763185 0 Bcancook 1 763254 What a great topic! The Great: Andre Soltner, formerly of Lutece in NY. Maybe not a celebrity, as he was in the kitchen every night with his wife who ran the FOH. You don't get 4 stars from the NYT annually for over a decade by being on the Food Network on a regular basis. Julia - 'nuff said Alice Waters - regional and seasonal cooking were made popular by her way back when mesclun couldn't be found anywhere. The Good - not local: Nobu Matsuhisa - a sushi/"fusion" master. Thomas Keller - perfection in the kitchen, achieved the chef's ultimate dream - running a restaurant where people come for his cooking and creativity, not a particular dish or cuisine. The Good - local: Barbara Lynch - a great, formal restaurant and an interesting, colorful background as well Chris Schlesinger - great food at great prices, knows how to make customers happy Jasper White - great culinary history in Boston, hope his Summer Shack openings across the country don't dilute their quality (although I think that's probably inevitable) Ming Tsai - 'nuff said about him from others; I concur. The Bad: Jamie Oliver - he's just too annoying for me to watch. Maybe the food's good, but he can't hold my attention long enough for me to find out. Bobby Flay - also annoying, although I do like Food Nation. I've never eaten at his restaurants, so can't comment there. And I have to say that I don't hate Emeril. Although his style may be annoying to many, his widespread appeal to a massive audience can only be good for people who love good food, like us. If he can help alter the tastes of children and adults away from fast and crappy food to anything he cooks on his show, that can only mean more good dining options for us in the long run. Thu Jul 25 11:38:19 -0700 2002 763185 0 oystershucker 2 763263 I can take or leave a lot of the "personalities" on Food TV shows, but feel I must give chefs their due when they succeed in maintaining the quality of their restaurants while clearly focussing much of their energy elsewhere. I have enjoyed meals at Emeril's(Emeril) in New Orleans, both the Mesa Grill and Bolo (Flay) in NY and even Spago (Puck) in Beverley Hills. Thu Jul 25 13:58:32 -0700 2002 763254 0 Coyote 1 764267 Mario Batale's Molto Mario show is truly instructive. I don't like the Mario Eats Italy show but I've learned a lot from Molto. I'll vote for Mario. Mon Aug 19 19:26:05 -0700 2002 763185 0 christina z