Yum-o, meet ka-ching. Aggressively perky Food Network star Rachael Ray leads Forbes magazine's list of top-earning celebrity chefs, with an annual income of $18-million (U.S.).
In addition to hosting four Food Network shows built around her simple, homey style, Ms. Ray has an eponymous syndicated talk show, a magazine, scores of cookbooks and an endorsement deal with Dunkin' Donuts. She beat out culinary stalwarts such as Wolfgang Puck and Alain Ducasse, as well as Gordon Ramsay.
Notable exceptions: Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson are missing from the list, though other media sources have estimated that both have annual incomes in the multimillion-dollar range. However, "their earnings over the past year were not enough to put them into Forbes' top 10 rankings," says Elizabeth Wasden, senior manager of editorial publicity for Forbes.
Perhaps Tim Hortons is hiring?
FORBES' FORTUNATE FOODIES
1. Rachael Ray, $18-million
2. Wolfgang Puck, $16-million
3. Gordon Ramsay, $7.5-million
4. Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, $5-million
5. Alain Ducasse, $5-million
6. Paula Deen, $4.5-million
7. Mario Batali, $3-million
8. Tom Colicchio, $2-million
9. Bobby Flay, $1.5-million
10. Anthony Bourdain, $1.5-million
