A surprising fact about Mark Schlereth is that he wasn't able to read until the age of seven due to his struggles with dyslexia while growing up in Anchorage, Alaska. While he struggled with a learning disability in his youth that didn't stop him from being one of the most dominate and smartest NFL offensive guards in the 1990s. Schlereth attended the University of Idaho from 1985-89 and since then been inducted into the institution's Athletic Hall of Fame.
In the 1989 NFL Draft, Schlereth was drafted 263rd overall by the Washington Redskins in the tenth round. During his twelve season career, he played half of his career with the Redskins (1986-1995) and the other half with the Denver Broncos (1995-2000). Schlereth collected NFL Championships with both ball clubs, Super Bowl XVII with the Redskins and Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII with the Broncos and was also a 2x Pro-Bowler (1991, 1998). In 156 games played Schlereth started 140 and admitted that it was common for him to urinate on himself from time to time while playing. No biggie.
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.