Fascinating map reveals every country’s most popular chef, with Gordan Ramsay the most Googled overall and Guy Fieri No.1 in the U.S

Fascinating map reveals every country’s most popular chef, with Gordan Ramsay the most Googled overall and Guy Fieri No.1 in the U.S

It’s definitely food for thought.

Every country’s most popular chef has been revealed in a fascinating world map, with an accompanying U.S map highlighting each state’s most sought-after cook.

The maps were created by food and drink tour operator Explore Worldwide, which determined the No.1 chef in each country and U.S state by gathering a list of prominent chefs and restauranteurs and then analysing the global Google search volume for their names from November 2022 to October 2023.

The chef with the highest number of searches was named the most popular in their country – or state – of birth.

Overall, Gordon Ramsay reigns supreme as the most Googled chef in the world – and the UK – with 12million searches on the platform last year.

Following Ramsay and his multiple Michelin stars is Jamie Oliver, securing over 4.42million searches last year and ranking him the world’s second-most-searched cook, together with American Guy Fieri.

‘Oliver’s home-cooking style, focusing on big flavours over fancy presentation, is vastly different from Ramsay’s fine-dining expertise,’ says Explore Worldwide.

‘But combined with his dedication to food advocacy, Jamie Oliver is synonymous with dishes that are accessible and nutritious.’

In third place globally is another UK chef, celebrated home cook Nigella Lawson, with 2.95million searches.

Breaking the UK domination is U.S chef Bobby Flay and Italy’s Giada De Laurentiis in joint fourth position, each with 1.98million searches made last year.

‘Born in Rome, De Laurentiis has a brilliant ability to deliver the rustic flavours of her birth country on a plate and is a regular on cooking shows across major USA television networks,’ Explore Worldwide comments.

‘Fellow Italian, Gino D’Acampo, completes the top five with 1.62million searches. Born in Torre del Greco, D’Acampo is known in the UK and internationally for making Italian cuisine accessible and fun; his fiery passion for simple, high-quality ingredients and traditional Italian techniques has endeared him to millions.’

D’Acampo shares fifth place with Singaporean chef Tariq Helou, who the tour operator describes as an example of ‘a fine-dining pioneer who doesn’t frequently grace our TV screens’.

Other renowned figureheads of European cooking feature in the rankings, including Austrian Wolfgang Puck (joint sixth), ‘a legacy in the culinary world’, and France’s Alain Ducasse (joint seventh), ‘the only living chef holding more than 20 Michelin stars’, Explore Worldwide adds.

Curtis Stone (594,000), meanwhile, is the most popular Australian chef, positioned joint ninth on the global chart.

Zooming into the UK, the most Googled Scottish chef is Gordon Ramsay, while Jamie Oliver wins for England, Bryn Williams for Wales and Clare Smyth for Northern Ireland, according to the study.

Whipping up a storm for Spain as the country’s most Googled chef is Ricard Camarena while in Germany, it’s Heinz Beck, the maps show.

In a separate map of U.S states, Sam Choy is the most-searched chef from Hawaii, Brian Malarkey is the most popular from Oregon and from California it’s Antonia Lofaso and Thomas Keller.

The most popular chef from Missouri is Christopher Gross, from New Jersey it’s Buddy Valastro and Tom Colicchio, from Florida it’s Michelle Bernstein, and Bobby Flay is the most-searched New Yorker cook, the data declares.

Former TV cook Mario Batali is the most Googled from Washington despite being largely absent from the mainstream media since he was first accused of sexual misconduct in 2017, something he has strenuously denied and never been prosecuted for.

The most Googled chefs from South America include Rodolfo Guzman from Chile; Francis Mallmann from Argentina; Gaston Acurio from Peru and Rodrigo Oliveira from Brazil, the map shows.

In Asia, the most popular names include Sanjay Thumma from India,  Chef Wan from Malaysia, McDang from Thailand and Japan’s Jiro Ono.

The most-searched Chinese chef is Vicky Lau, with 1.32million views, also ranking her joint sixth in the world alongside Austria’s Wolfgang Puck and Nigeria’s Hilda Baci.

Among other African chefs named on the map are Mourad Lahlou as the world’s most searched Moroccan chef, Pierre Thiam as the most popular from Senegal, Elijah Amoo Addo from Ghana and South Africa’s Carmine Pecoraro.

Commenting on the data, Michael Edwards, managing director at Explore, added: ‘From the innovative creations of Wolfgang Puck to the warm flavours of Hilda Baci’s Nigerian cuisine, this research has certainly given us a deeper appreciation for the culinary diversity that enriches our world.

‘Food inspires travel in so many ways, from trying authentic local dishes to visiting famous fine-dining establishments. We hope our study inspires explorers to find out more about the food heritage and artistry that can be found in their destination.’

The full findings and further information on the must-try foods in each country and continent can be found here: www.exploreworldwide.com/blog/most-searched-chefs