What could people possibly have against the seemingly harmless singer-songwriter John Mayer? Well, as it turns out, just about everything. Mayer rubbed people up the wrong way by claiming to be pure and innocent at the start of his career, stating that he'd never drink, take drugs, date celebrities or otherwise distract himself from his music. A few years later, after a relationship with Jessica Simpson and a couple of badly advised drunken interviews in which he used racist language, he looked both a fool and a hypocrite.
To be fair to Mayer, he recognized the error of his ways shortly afterward. He took two years out of the spotlight to refocus on his life, and later admitted in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres that he'd 'lost his way.' He's also happy to help out with charitable causes; he's set up the 'Back to You' foundation, which raises money for healthcare, education and the arts. Many times, he's donated his own equipment and memorabilia to charity auctions for the fund.
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.