The United States' cuisine is a delicious mix of different cultural influences, many of which are informed by chefs, food writers and home cooks from all over the country. Here, we celebrate 41 individuals who have all left an indelible mark on the food scene in the US, shaping the way regular Americans cook and eat every day.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the USA's most inspirational chefs, counting down to the most influential of all.
We've based our ranking on the popularity and influence of each chef, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. The list is unavoidably subjective.
A cookbook author, blogger and educator, Andrea Nguyen has taught countless Americans about the beauty of traditional Vietnamese cooking. Her Viet World Kitchen website and multiple cookbooks are full of recipes for Vietnamese classics such as pho, banh mi and rice noodle rolls, as well as dishes from other parts of Asia. A true expert in her field, Nguyen has shown home cooks that they don’t have to go to a restaurant to enjoy a delicious Vietnamese-style meal.
One of the most recognisable chefs to come out of the cooking show Top Chef, Carla Hall’s enthusiastic personality and love of comforting, Southern-style dishes and modern soul food has made her an influential voice in US cooking. In addition to her ongoing career as a popular television host, Hall has written several cookbooks and sells her favourite foods through online marketplace Goldbelly.
Cookbook author and The New York Times Magazine columnist Dorie Greenspan often gets serious in the kitchen and many of her recipes push home cooks out of their comfort zones. But her joy for food shines through and makes her aspirational recipes feel like anything but a chore. A New Yorker who lives part-time in France, Greenspan brings French inspiration to US cooks in a new and refreshing way. She also makes a darn good cookie.
One of the country's most prominent modern Latino chefs, Aarón Sánchez has worked at restaurants all over the country and is currently the chef and co-owner of Johnny Sánchez, a Mexican restaurant with locations in New Orleans and Lake Charles. As a cookbook author and TV personality, Sánchez is a strong advocate for Latin American cuisine and a mentor for young Latinx chefs across the US.
A restaurateur, TV host and cookbook author, Ming Tsai was instrumental in introducing the now commonplace fusion of Asian techniques and ingredients with Western cuisine. Tsai is the host of Simply Ming on PBS and before that, the Food Network's East Meets West. He’s also been at the forefront when it comes to creating allergen-free restaurants, in response to his son’s severe allergies.
Charming Food Network audiences since 2005, Sunny Anderson’s power lies in her ability to make everyday home-cooked meals seem fun and interesting. A former radio DJ, Anderson’s bright personality and approachable recipes have helped regular Americans feel comfortable and confident in their own kitchens.
Paul Prudhomme’s celebrity status may not have been as well-established as some of the other chefs of his generation, but the late chef was a superstar in New Orleans, thanks to his big personality and role in popularising Creole and Cajun cuisine at a national level. He was the chef and owner at the legendary, now-closed K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen, the founder of the popular line of spice mixes, Magic Seasonings Blends, and a prolific cookbook author and TV personality.
Italian American chef Giada De Laurentiis has been making delicious Italian cuisine more accessible to home cooks since the launch of her first Food Network show, Everyday Italian, in 2003. America fell in love with her bubbly personality, adoring her easy to follow, classic Italian dishes with a healthy Californian twist. Quickly becoming a household name, she has gone on to host an array of other shows, release a line of cookbooks and open a number of restaurants.
One of the most prominent Latina chefs in the US, Marcela Valladolid has the advantage of having both French culinary training and plenty of time spent at her aunt's cooking school in Tijuana, Mexico. Through her various TV series (including Mexican Made Easy) and cookbooks, Valladolid has consistently demonstrated the beautiful simplicity of Mexican food and highlighted the importance of fresh ingredients and bold flavours.
Starting his career as a restaurant chef, Bobby Flay's greatest influence has been on home grillers, thanks to his work on TV. He popularised Southwestern-style cooking across the US and helped countless Americans hone their backyard grilling techniques. While Flay’s presence isn’t quite as strong as it was at the height of his popularity in the 1990s, he continues to write books, appear on television shows and run his restaurants.
Rachael Ray was first introduced to the world by Oprah Winfrey in the mid-2000s, and even at that point, the future cookbook author and TV host had developed her signature bubbly style. Ray’s main contribution to the world of American cuisine is the quick and easy 30-minute meal. Her philosophy is that cooking shouldn’t be intimidating and that anyone can put together a delicious dinner without too much effort or expertise.
Back in the 1970s, Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor wrote about issues that the food media is only really starting to embrace now: cooking intuitively and telling stories about identity and culture through food. Her 1970 book Vibration Cooking: or, The Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl, is a landmark publication, combining personal narratives and loose recipes to paint a story of her life and the racialised nature of food and food culture.
Rick Bayless is a slightly controversial figure in that he is credited with introducing many Americans to traditional Mexican food, while countless Mexican chefs that came before him aren't given the same recognition. But there’s no question that his love of Mexican food has changed the way Americans approach the cuisine. Bayless’ books, TV shows and restaurants have steered Americans away from heavy Tex-Mex food and towards fresher, more flavourful regional Mexican dishes.
Proving that the restaurant industry doesn’t have – or need – to be male dominated, Catherine Cora made history when she became the first-ever female Iron Chef on Food Network’s renowned TV series, Iron Chef America, in 2005. She continues to inspire the future generation of American female chefs and has gone on to appear in a host of other shows, including My Kitchen Rules and Around the World in 80 Plates, as well as open more than 15 wellness-focused restaurants across the US.
One of the internet’s most respected food phenoms, Serious Eats’ J. Kenji López-Alt is not only an accomplished chef, but has also helped readers to dig into the science behind cooking with his massively popular The Food Lab column, which became a textbook-like cookbook in 2015. J. Kenji López-Alt doesn’t only write recipes that work, but shows readers why they work, empowering cooks to become more intuitive in the kitchen.
Probably the most well-known contemporary restaurateur in Harlem, New York, Marcus Samuelsson has dedicated his career to celebrating Black culinary culture with a focus on his personal roots in Ethiopia. He now heads up a small empire of restaurants around the US and his PBS series No Passport Required has helped him to further highlight the contributions of immigrants to America’s culinary landscape.
The author of the bestselling book Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat and host of the accompanying Netflix television series, chef and food writer Samin Nosrat is an unassuming and enthusiastic guide to the wide world of food and flavour. She got her start as a chef at Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse in Berkley, California and her curiosity about food and culture led her to explore the world, sharing her findings with equally food-curious Americans.
While some food writers pride themselves on creating complicated and aspirational recipes, Mark Bittman is all about keeping things simple. A former columnist for The New York Times and the author of 30 books, including the highly acclaimed How to Cook Everything, Bittman writes recipes that are often very easy – perfect for beginner cooks learning basic skills. His more recent work represents a shift towards flexitarian diets, advising people to stick to a vegan regime before 6pm.
These days, Nashville hot chicken has spread its way across the US, but the dish can be traced back to the 1930s and a man named Thornton Prince (sometimes spelled Thorton). Prince was caught cheating by his girlfriend who, by way of revenge, added a slew of chilli and spice to his favourite fried chicken. The plan backfired and Prince loved the dish, going on to open a café selling it, which later evolved into Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack. His great-niece Andre Prince Jeffries still runs the restaurant today.
Chef, restaurateur, author and television personality David Chang has arguably been the biggest influence in the restaurant world over the last decade. He's made hipster ramen joints the norm, pushing for creativity and playfulness in contemporary dining while celebrating Asian techniques and ingredients. Americans certainly don’t have to have eaten at Chang’s now closed New York restaurant Momofuku Ko (or his many subsequent restaurants) to have had a taste of his influence.
Opened in 1922, Tucson’s El Charro Café is considered to be America’s oldest Mexican restaurant, and its founder, Monica Flin, is credited with inventing the chimichanga. Like many great inventions, it was an accident. According to legend, Flin accidentally dropped a burro (a version of a burrito) into a deep fryer. After exclaiming “chimichanga!” (a mild version of a swear word), she realised that the crisped-up tortilla was a delicious new invention that should be added to the menu.
Historians’ assessments of J. Ranji Smile's character vary wildly, but the charismatic chef from India is widely regarded as the man who introduced Indian curry to the US and is often referred to as America's first celebrity chef. Naturally, there were already Indian immigrants making curry in their own homes, but in the early 1900s the glitzy, glamorous Smile served dishes like Madras chicken curry and Bombay duck at New York restaurant Sherry’s (pictured here), earning himself considerable attention for doing so.
Even though most Americans will never eat in Thomas Keller’s most exclusive restaurants (The French Laundry and Per Se), he remains arguably the most famous fine dining chef in the country. The French Laundry, which opened in 1994, not only continues to set the standard for California wine country cuisine, but Keller’s renowned tasting menus and cookbooks have inspired many Americans to develop an interest in top-tier dining.
If Julia Child introduced Americans to French home cooking, Jacques Pépin refined the concept. An American media presence since the 1980s, the French-born Pépin’s role has largely been as a teacher, showing his audiences how to enjoy classic French soufflés, cream sauces and croque monsieurs in their own homes.
Domenico DeMarco didn’t invent pizza, but he’s widely regarded as the godfather of Brooklyn pizza. The late DeMarco opened the no-frills Di Fara Pizzeria in 1965 and for most of his career, he worked there seven days a week. DeMarco’s dedication to quality ingredients and consistency made him a hero to pizza fans, who came from around the world to see him in action. Di Fara remains open today and is still regarded as a must-visit spot for a piping hot slice.
Along with his co-founders at Los Angeles’ Kogi Korean BBQ, chef Roy Choi is responsible for not only pioneering the Korean taco, but also the modern food truck movement. He’s translated Kogi’s success into a career as a writer and a TV star, inspiring classically trained chefs to follow their passion by starting food trucks and casual restaurants, rather than restricting themselves to fine dining.
Known as the Queen of Creole Cuisine, the late Leah Chase was the long-time chef and owner of Dooky Chase’s Restaurant in New Orleans and the inspiration for the main character in Disney’s The Princess and the Frog. She perfected dishes like Shrimp Clemenceau and gumbo, and was also an important civil rights activist. Chase passed away in 2019, but Dooky Chase is still open, using the recipes that she developed over the course of more than 50 years.
Many Americans discovered wok cooking through a PBS show called Yan Can Cook, hosted by Martin Yan. Yan started the show in 1982 and he is still going strong, teaching viewers Chinese recipes and cooking techniques. Yan considers himself a culinary ambassador, introducing his audience to not just Chinese food traditions, but to different cuisines from around the world.
Bam! For the bulk of the 1990s and 2000s, Emeril Lagasse was the biggest cooking star on American television, so ubiquitous that he started to experience backlash due to overexposure. But Lagasse is much more than his catchphrases. An immensely talented chef, he is a huge ambassador of New Orleans cuisine and brought those flavours to kitchens across America. These days, Lagasse tends to focus on his restaurant company, The Emeril Group.
The roots of American barbecue go back too far to be attributed to any one person, but when it comes to Kansas City–style barbecue, Arthur Bryant deserves some accolades. Bryant learned the barbecue trade from his brother Charlie, who worked for Henry Perry, who started an early barbecue stand in 1908. By 1946, both Charlie and Perry had passed away and Arthur took over, creating the signature Kansas City barbecue sauce. Today, Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque is still in full operation and run by the Bryant family.
Ina Garten went from being a regular person with a government job to one of America’s favourite cookbook authors and food personalities. After opening a store called the Barefoot Contessa in 1996 and releasing a book of the same name a few years later (followed by a TV series), Garten became known and loved for her welcoming nature and proving that food can be pretty and feel special without being overly complicated or tricky for the home cook.
Austrian-born Wolfgang Puck is one of America’s first celebrity restaurant chefs. Throughout the 1980s, his restaurant Spago was the place to be seen in Los Angeles, and his name is now associated with multiple restaurants in department stores, airports and hotels around the world. He’s been a tremendous influence on American cuisine, making fusion-style cooking mainstream by mixing elements of French and Asian techniques with fresh California-grown ingredients.
Jessica B. Harris is a food writer and historian who has dedicated her career to the exploration of America’s African diaspora through food. Her multiple cookbooks explore how food reflects Black culture, both in America and in Africa, the Caribbean and other parts of the world. Each of her books not only tells the stories behind the recipes, but shows readers how food is an intersection of culture, history and tradition.
No one item is as emblematic of American cuisine as the humble hamburger, which was (by most accounts) invented by Louis Lassen in 1835. At Louis’ Lunch, the late Lassen’s restaurant in New Haven, Connecticut, staff still make them the same way today, with five cuts of freshly-ground meat served on white sandwich bread with optional cheese, grilled onion and tomato.
Irma S. Rombauer’s name may not be instantly recognisable, but her 1931 cookbook, The Joy of Cooking, is still a fixture in millions of American kitchens. The book has been revised often over the years (first by Irma’s daughter, Marion Rombauer Becker, pictured here with her mother) and is still the resource countless home cooks turn to when they need to roast a holiday turkey or whip up a vegetable side dish or classic dessert.
Alice Waters opened Chez Panisse in Berkley, California in 1971, with the goal of serving an evolving menu of high-end dishes made with locally sourced ingredients, in an environment where people could gather and relax. Chez Panisse not only went on to produce countless other great chefs, but Waters’ commitment to simply prepared, fresh food essentially started the farm-to-table and local movements that now dominate American restaurants. The restaurant remains hugely popular today.
Long before social media existed, American homemakers were pinning their lifestyle aspirations on Martha Stewart, America’s original domestic goddess. Through her Martha Stewart Living brand, Stewart’s simple but impeccable style has crept into kitchens across the country. Even a stint in prison couldn’t get Stewart down – after being convicted on charges related to stock trading, Stewart’s lack of perfection made her all the more appealing.
Known as the Grande Dame of Southern Cooking, Edna Lewis has had an immeasurable impact on American food traditions. Born in 1916, Lewis opened a Southern-style restaurant in New York in 1948 and went on to work at restaurants around the country, while also teaching cooking classes and writing cookbooks. Lewis’ contributions are responsible for chefs’ and diners’ ongoing respect for the history and sheer deliciousness of Southern-style food.
Even though the late Anthony Bourdain worked as a chef in the first part of his career, his influence goes well beyond his time on the restaurant scene. As a celebrated author and host of multiple travel television series, Bourdain made a career out of telling the stories of people and cultures around the world, through the lens of food. While his work may have revolved around food and cooking, it was really about the power of human connection.
America’s original celebrity chef, Julia Child taught regular Americans that French cooking techniques weren't just the domain of fine dining restaurants. Her 1961 book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and subsequent television programs empowered home cooks to create works of brilliance in their own kitchens. Perhaps most importantly of all, Child helped audiences to realise that food isn’t just about sustenance, but that at its best, it’s about pleasure and artistry.
To some, James Beard is just the name behind the prestigious James Beard Awards, which are bestowed for culinary excellence. But the actual James Beard was one of the (if not the) most influential people in the history of American cooking. Born in Oregon in 1903, Beard was America’s original foodie, helping to form the basis of what constitutes American cuisine. A chef, a teacher, a writer and an ever-enthusiastic eater, Beard’s legacy is present in meals cooked all over America every day.
Now discover the amazing stories behind America's most historic foods
Last updated by Lottie Woodrow.