Jamie Oliver’s Net Worth Makes Him 1 of the World’s Richest Celebrity Chefs
Celebrity chefs have become a global phenomenon. Many have combined their screen presence and culinary abilities to amass impressive wealth. Jamie Oliver is one of the most famous celebrity chefs and has made a name for himself in a cutthroat industry. Oliver’s net worth makes him one of the world’s richest celebrity chefs.
What is Jamie Oliver’s net worth, and how did he get wealthy?
Oliver entered the limelight almost by accident and pure fate. While working at a restaurant, a BBC crew wanted to film the goings-on in the restaurant. That day, Oliver wasn’t supposed to come to work. He’d just gotten an off day and planned to spend some quality time with his then-girlfriend, now-wife Juliette Norton.
However, Oliver’s boss called him in at the 11th hour to show up, and the chef considered turning it down. However, he said his dad had instilled a lot of work ethic in him, which ate at him, and he eventually decided to go to work.
Unbeknownst to him, Oliver was about to be thrust into the limelight. That day, he got his first taste of cooking in front of a camera. Two years after the special aired, Oliver landed his own show called The Naked Chef.
Since then, things looked up for the chef, and even though he forayed into authoring cookbooks, he remained in the restaurant business opening up his own eateries. According to Wealthy Gorilla, Oliver is worth an impressive $200 million.
How does Jamie Oliver’s net worth compare to other celebrity chefs?
Food is big business and being able to combine that with TV appearances makes for big bucks, and chefs like Gordon Ramsay, Oliver, and Alan Wong know this. The three are the wealthiest celebrity chefs, with Wong leading the pack.
According to Wealthy Gorilla, Wong is worth an impressive $1.1 billion, making him the richest celebrity chef in the world. Wong is one of the 12 cofounders of Hawaii Regional Cuisine, which seeks to showcase the beauty of Hawaiian cuisine. He also owns several restaurants in Hawaii and Japan and has appeared on the panel of judges in Top Chef.
Next up is Ramsay, who’s only $20 million richer than his counterpart Oliver, with a net worth of $220 million. Ramsay became famous after appearing in Boiling Point. By 2004, he’d already made a name for himself in the culinary world. The multitalented chef has amassed his wealth through several cookbooks, TV appearances, sponsorships, and restaurants.
Why Jamie Oliver may be the most hated celebrity chef in the world
Although Oliver is a super talented chef, his personal life can sometimes get in the way. Oliver has experienced several scandals, but none were as huge as when he tried lobbying for schools to make healthier meals for kids. While a noble initiative, Oliver cried actual tears when the U.S. failed to take his advice.
The celebrity chef has also made his money in some shady ways. According to Mashed, Oliver made $6.3 million off a partnership with gas giant Shell, which has been linked to several scandals, including destroying the environment and taking bribes. He also inked a multi-million-dollar deal with Sainsbury after lecturing the public on animal exploitation.
Oliver might also have the biggest ego out of the other celebrity chefs. In a sit-down with The Guardian in 2010, Oliver kept complaining about doing the interview to the point where the interviewer feared he might walk out at any time. Oliver has also come under fire for what many considered cultural appropriation with his dishes; the most notable example being his jerk rice.
