Oprah Winfrey was once considered a failed news reporter and was told that she would amount to nothing in the media industry. Well, whoever thought so probably turning in their grave as Oprah has turned out to be one of the most influential and inspiring media personalities of all-time. Her self-entitled show, Oprah, became a platform for women around the world to feel appreciated and share their views and concerns as women, it also didn't hurt that Oprah became filthy rich through her endeavors and often gave her audience members free gifts. Now, Oprah is running her own television network and is a billionaire.
Oprah also just so happens to share a similar aesthetic to another legendary African-American woman in poet, author, and singer, Maya Angelou who is responsible for influencing a number of artists, poets, and writers with works like And Still I Rise, her series of autobiographies especially the first entitled, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. Ms. Angelou recently passed away in May 2014 and still is referenced to this very day by elite activists and entertainment personalities. Rest in power to the queen, Maya Angelou.
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.