There are plenty of chefs who have, over the years, become major celebrities. While it used to be that these famous cooks were either the ones who notably served celebrities at events or had daytime cooking shows, celebrity chefs of all kinds now entertain viewers on television.
From cooking competitions, fake reality cooking shows, and food and travel combination series, these celebrity chefs do it all. But which one of these personalities has proven to be the biggest hit on Instagram?
Massimo Bottura – 1.4 Million Followers
Massimo Bottura account has a healthy 1.4 million followers who want to learn more about Bottura's ventures. He also runs the non-profit organization Food for Soul, which advocates for healthy and equitable food systems around the world.
The Italian chef has made a number of television appearances. He was a guest chef on MasterChef Australia, appeared in a feature on 60 Minutes, and was the very first subject in the premiere episode of the hit Netflix food show, Chef's Table.
Bobby Flay – 1.6 Million Followers
Bobby Flay's account is home to musings and photographs from the famous celebrity chef. He owns several restaurants across the U.S., including the Las Vegas restaurant Amalfi and Atlantic City's Bobby Flay Steak in Atlantic City.
Flay has appeared on a number of television series through the years, hosting a total of 16 cooking shows and specials that have aired on Food Network and Cooking Channel. Some of his most notable shows include Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, Beat Bobby Flay, and Food Network Star. He has also been a judge on several cooking competition shows, including The Next Iron Chef and Paula's Party.
David Chang – 1.7 Million Followers
This famous chef is known for opening the restaurant Momofuku. Fans love seeing the absolutely mouth-watering close-up dishes Chang posts photos of on his Instagram account, sprinkled with other content.
Chang stars in his own show on Netflix called Ugly Delicious, which also ranks among the best food shows on the streaming service. He also produced the series Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner, and was the first celebrity to win the million-dollar prize for his charity on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
Guy Fieri – 1.8 Million Followers
Describes himself in the Instagram bio as the "Mayor of Flavortown," Guy Fieri has 1.8 million followers. Having hosted a number of television shows for Food Network, there are plenty of really cool behind the scenes facts about Fieri's shows. He always brings his signature upbeat and rowdy style to shows like the popular Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives as well as Guy's Family Road Trip.
He also ventured outside of the realm of cooking by hosting the game show Minute to Win It. Fieri owns a number of restaurants across the U.S. including, with his most recent one being a chicken sandwich shop at Disney Springs in Walt Disney World.
Nigella Lawson – 2.5 Million Followers
With 2.5 million followers and counting, the London-based chef rose to fame hosting the show Nigella Bites in 1999. She followed this up with her own daytime talk show Nigella and the Food Network's Nigella Feasts. Additionally, she has also starred in her own three-part BBC Two series Nigella's Christmas Kitchen, among other TV projects.
Lawson describes her popular Instagram account as being home to her "eating updates and other occasions of joy." Lawson also promotes her many books and her cookware line, Living Kitchen.
Yolanda Gampp – 2.7 Million Followers
A YouTube sensation with her web show How to Cake It, Yolanda Gampp teaches everyday viewers how to make cakes that have special designs. Not only is she well-followed on Instagram, but Gampp's YouTube also has 4 million subscribers, too.
Some of Gampp's most popular videos acquired millions of views, including "How To Make A Sushi Cake" and "How To Make A Pyramid Cake With A Surprise Inside." For anyone who wants to know how to make a cake that looks like just about anything, Gampp's channel is a good place to start.
Antonio Cannavacciuolo – 2.8 Million Followers
Antonio Cannavacciuolo is also one of the most popular chefs on Instagram, with 2.8 million followers to his name. From his page, Cannavacciuolo's page often shows the Italian chef's three restaurants in Italy and his delicious meals.
He has also made several television appearances in Italy too, including on MasterChef Italia, Celebrity MasterChef Italia, and, most recently, Family Food Fight, which aired in the U.S.
Martha Stewart – 3.7 Million Followers
With a very respectable 3.7 million followers, Stewart is a legend in the culinary business. A television personality who rose to fame in the '90s with her series Martha Stewart Living followed by Martha, she got her start in the business writing cookbooks in the '80s.
Before getting her own show, Stewart made many appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Her most recent television appearances included starring in the VH1 series Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party with Snoop Dogg, and as a recurring judge for the cooking competition show Chopped. In 2020, Stewart made a shift to focus on another aspect of her home living expertise with an HGTV series called Martha Knows Best, which focuses on gardening.
Ree Drummond – 3.8 Million Followers
Dubbed The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond is a blogger, author, food writer, and photographer, as well as a pretty big television personality.
Living and working on a ranch in Oklahoma, she has her own show on the Food Network called The Pioneer Woman and has appeared on many other series throughout her cooking career, from Good Morning America to The Chew and The View. While Drummond is a home chef versus a restaurateur, she has competed against top chefs like Bobby Flay on shows like Throwdown! With Bobby Flay.
Jamie Oliver – 8.6 Million Followers
One of the most well-known and popular celebrity chefs and television personalities, Jamie Oliver has a solid 8.6 million followers. Many of his fans come to his page looking for healthier food alternatives.
Owner of several restaurants, Oliver has starred in shows like The Naked Chef, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, and Jamie's 15 Minute Meals. He has also made many television appearances over the last several decades, both in the U.S. and his home, the U.K.
Gordon Ramsay – 12.6 Million Followers
Not surprisingly, Gordon Ramsay's Instagram account has 12.6 million followers. Fans love to keep tabs on his posts, which range from recipes to clips from his many television projects.
Ramsay, of course, is a mainstay in the television business, with shows like Hell's Kitchen, Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, The F Word, Kitchen Nightmares. However, one of his most iconic ones has to be 24 Hours to Hell and Back, where he visits some of the most disgusting kitchens. Most recently, the chef added a new show to the list in Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted, where he travels to remote locations around the world to learn about local cuisine.