Born Kimberly Alexis Bledel on September 16, 1981 in Houston, Texas, you wouldn't initially think Alexis's heritage includes a large Central American influence, especially given her fame as Rory Gilmore in the "Gilmore Girls" series from 2000 to 2007. However, both her mother Nanette and father Martin grew up in Latin America. As a result, Bledel was raised in a Spanish-speaking household and did not learn English until she began school.
Little-Known Fact: Bledel was shy as a child. In order to help her overcome this shyness, her mother Nanette encouraged her to participate in the local community theatre. After appearing in local productions such as "The Wizard of Oz", Bledel was scouted at a shopping mall and began her career in the spotlight as a fashion model. Who knows where she'd be or if we would have this headshot of her had her mother not been so encouraging?
Chefs made their way into celebrity land a while ago. But how many celebrities that weren’t trained as professional cooks are actually whizzes in the kitchen? Here are several that come to mind.
Actress Julia Roberts is confident about her cooking skills. “I’m quite a good cook,” she told E! News. “I’m like a closet home ec teacher…I can really cook anything.” Roberts has said she often cooks fish for herself and her kids. And speaking of her three children, “They think that I’m a good cook,” Roberts told People. “They actually told me that I should open a restaurant.” She also relishes cooking for the holidays, particularly shredded Brussel sprouts. Roberts hasn’t published a cookbook, but we did find recipes attributed to her for peach crisp and banana hemp muffins. Or you can make the same summer salad the actress supposedly eats.
Chrissy Teigen started off as a supermodel. Then her love of cooking filtered into her professional life too. At this point, she’s created recipes for a limited Blue Apron release and also just launched her own home and cooking line at Target named “Cravings,” after the two cookbooks she’s released. Teigen describes cooking as “a time of peace” for herself. So maybe peace out to her tuna melt sandwich or the fried chicken wings that are a favorite of her husband, John Legend.
Lady Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, comes from a cooking Italian family. Her father started his own restaurant in New York and also published a cookbook. And apparently, Lady Gaga has inherited the family’s cooking genes. Her Instagram account occasionally features photos of her culinary activities. Sure, sometimes it’s topless cooking. But other times it’s more poignant like in the post she shared about her bringing food to the family of her dear friend who passed away. Want to try a Gaga/Germanotta family favorite? Check out her recipe for whole wheat pasta with a sweet fennel sauce.