Celebrity Chefs Scandals That Rocked 2025

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It may surprise you to learn that the first celebrity chef can be traced back to 19th century France. Well before Julia Child and Jacques Pépin captivated foodies all over the world, Marie-Antoine Carême was wooing nobles with his culinary creations, writing cookbooks and developing the style of French cuisine that remains iconic to this day. These days, there are more culinary superstars than you can shake a stick at, as illustrated by our ranking of the most influential celebrity chefs of all time (Anthony Bourdain, Gordon Ramsay, and Martha Stewart all make an appearance). These individuals have provided endless hours of entertainment, in addition to teaching fans how to whip up their own tasty creations at home.

However, celebrity chefs can also find themselves embroiled in controversy for numerous reasons, and 2025 proved to be a big year for culinary scandals. Some chefs featured here faced many allegations of impropriety, while others experienced significant business setbacks. Some of these incidents involved tragic occurrences, as well as legal issues and firings due to misconduct. It's worth remembering that celebrities, chefs and otherwise, are people too. And like the rest of us, they're prone to poor behavior, questionable decisions, and assorted shenanigans.

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After Anne Burrell's sudden and shocking death this year, Food Network stars offered an outpouring of condolences in honor of the beloved chef and TV show host. Chef Aarón Sánchez, best known for hosting gigs on "MasterChef" and "MasterChef Junior," said of Burrell (via Instagram), "I'm heartbroken by the loss of my dear friend... Her spirit, her fire, her talent, her leadership, her laugh... unforgettable." A short time later, it was revealed that the culinary personality died by suicide, which made the loss even more tragic.

From the outside observer, Burrell seemed to have it all: An amazing career, good friends, and a beloved spouse in Stuart Claxton, whom Burrell wed in 2021. The celebrity chef was also known for having a happy, upbeat personality, as evidenced by Burrell's last post on Instagram, which included the hashtags "#ilovewhatido #luckygirl." Sadly, people who experience depression sometimes conceal their feelings, often due to societal pressures or in effort to remain strong and in control of their lives. There's no way to discern what Burrell was truly feeling, but it's undeniable that her loss affected everyone who knew her, as well as her adoring fans. As expressed by one commenter on her final social media post, "What a loss... She was so insightful and passionate about food. She is missed!!"

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It's rare that you get two celebrity chef scandals in a single show, but that's precisely what happened with the most recent season of "MasterChef" on BBC. The show's hosts, Gregg Wallace and John Torode, were fired after each was subject to their own set of damaging allegations. Wallace faced claims of improper behavior of a sexual nature, including multiple charges that he engaged in non-consensual physical contact of female employees, fans, and show participants. In an Instagram post, Wallace characterized the allegations as "rumor and clickbait," and attributed the controversy to "difference in perception," though the sheer volume of accusations points to a pattern of problematic behavior.

As for Torode, the TV show host was accused of using racist language in a work environment. Though it's not clear what exactly transpired, Torode has been accused of using a racial slur on two separate occasions: Once while singing along to Kanye West's "Gold Digger," and also when he was alleged to have directed the slur towards a member of the "MasterChef" staff (the latter incident was what led to Torode's firing). In a now-deleted statement on Instagram, Torode claimed, "I have no recollection of what I'm accused of" (as reported by the BBC). Despite the controversy, the BBC released the "MasterChef" series, as well as a celebrity version of the show that features Torode as a co-host.

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Guy Fieri has an undeserved reputation for being obnoxious, but many claim the chef is a multifaceted, caring individual in real life. However, the TV host known for his love of diners (as well as his spiky blonde hair) is wrapped up in litigation relating to "Guy's Chance of a Lifetime," which aired in 2022. During the show, seven chefs navigated through numerous challenges, with the winner being promised a Chicken Guy franchise, part of a chain helmed by Fieri and co-owner Robert Earl. Philadelphia-based chef Kevin Cooper was dubbed the winner after six episodes, and expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity.

It appears Cooper's experience eventually turned sour, as demonstrated by his court filing against Chicken Guy LLC and Earl Enterprises LLC this year (Fieri was not personally named in the legal filing). Cooper's Chicken Guy franchise was shuttered roughly a year after it opened, and the chef alleged that promises made during the contest were not upheld. Namely, Cooper claims that he never received the $100,000 salary he was promised, nor did he obtain funds for any operational expenses in excess of the franchise's revenue, which amounted to $69,000. Fieri has not publicly commented on the suit, which is still pending. This incident does show the importance of honoring contracts (as well as reading the fine print when offered a too-good-to-be-true opportunity).

Paik Jong-won might not be a household name in the U.S., but to call this chef a major celebrity in his home country of South Korea is an understatement. Referred to as the "Gordon Ramsay of Korea," Paik is a wildly successful restaurateur, TV show host, and business consultant – even without formal culinary training. Paik got his start in business with The Born Korea in 1994, a company that operates more than one hundred food brands in South Korea and elsewhere in the world. Paik's restaurants have a reputation for being affordably priced, endearing the business magnate to South Korea's middle class. This is despite Paik's massive financial success, which increased even further last year after The Born Korea went public. Paik also hosted "Culinary Class Wars" on Netflix, a top-rated show on the streaming platform.

Despite these achievements, the celebrity restaurateur has been struck with a litany of missteps in 2025. Paik allegedly skirted food labeling laws when certain The Born Korea products containing imported ingredients were touted as being domestically manufactured. The self-taught chef was also fined for food safety violations after footage emerged of Paik cooking dangerously close to a high-pressure cannister containing liquefied petroleum gas. A former coworker even claimed that Paik engaged in tyrant-like behavior on "My Little Television," a South Korean show where celebrities compete to see whose online program is most popular. This myriad of issues have decreased the monetary value of The Born Korea, while simultaneously tarnishing Paik's once pristine image.

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Gino D'Acampo is an Italian chef who made a name for himself in the U.K. thanks to a multitude of television appearances, as well as a winning run on "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!" D'Acampo is perhaps best known for his work on ITV's "This Morning," which the chef has been a part of since 2009 (and which also spawned the carbonara meme that introduced people outside ITV's viewing area to D'Acampo and his rigid views on Italian cuisine). While D'Acampo has enjoyed a lengthy career and has been largely regarded as a jovial media figure, recent allegations have painted a much more sinister picture of the celebrity chef.

According to his accusers, D'Acampo has engaged in unwanted, sexually-charged language on numerous occasions, as well behaving in an aggressive manner. These accusations were provided to ITV News, and many of the anonymous respondents claimed they didn't speak out at the time due to job fears. Claims against D'Acampo have been co-signed by Kim Woodburn, who also appeared on "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!" alongside the chef. In a statement to The Sun, Woodburn claimed that the chef repeatedly made inappropriate comments and was abusive towards the crew of the reality TV show. While the Italian chef has thus far denied any wrongdoing, his current lineup of ITV shows has been axed from the network schedule.