Standing at 6'4 and weighing at 240lbs, Daunte Culpepper was one of those large quarterbacks that was athletically nimble and could take a hit. Whether on the ground or through the air, Culpepper delivered results during the prime years of his NFL career. Daunte Culpepper's mother, Barbara Henderson was serving a prison sentence during her pregnancy and adopted and raised by Emma Lewis Culpepper who worked at the same correctional facility, Daunte's mother was being held at. Throughout his sports career, Culpepper excelled at multiple sports and was even drafted 26th overall in the 1995 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees. Culpepper refused to sign a contract with the Yankees and took his talents to the University of Central Florida where he would play from 1995-1998.
After virtually rewriting UCF's quarterback record books, Daunte Culpepper was selected 11th overall in the 1999 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings where he would play seven seasons out of hi eleven-season NFL career. The 3x Pro Bowl selectee's best season came in 2004 when he contributed to a total yardage of 5,123, the most by a quarterback in a single season in NFL history. Unfortunately, in 2005, Culpepper would suffer a knee injury that damaged his ACL, MCL, and PCL that would derail his professional football for the remainder of his days. From 2006 to 2009, Culpepper would suit up for the Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, and Detriot Lions before taking his talents to the United Football League where he would play a single season for the Sacramento Mountain Lions before his official retirement from the game.
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.