We'd all heard one of John Denver's best songs before we even knew his name. Denver was the author of 'Leaving on A Jet Plane,' which was recorded and released by folk trio Peter, Paul, and Mary to great commercial success. Denver got a little of that money, but none of the acclaim. Undeterred, he decided to stop selling his songs to other people and set out on his own. Fortunately for him, he had plenty more hits up his sleeve. 'Take Me Home, Country Roads' is as popular now as it's ever been, and has been passed down from generation to generation.
Denver's introduction to music was also passed down from one generation to another - it was his grandmother who bought him his first ever guitar, as a birthday gift. He may have had more to give us as well - his life was ended prematurely in his early 50s in a plane crash. A memorial stone to him in his hometown bears the lyrics of his hit 'Rocky Mountain High.'
Chefs made their way into celebrity land a while ago. But how many celebrities that weren’t trained as professional cooks are actually whizzes in the kitchen? Here are several that come to mind.
Actress Julia Roberts is confident about her cooking skills. “I’m quite a good cook,” she told E! News. “I’m like a closet home ec teacher…I can really cook anything.” Roberts has said she often cooks fish for herself and her kids. And speaking of her three children, “They think that I’m a good cook,” Roberts told People. “They actually told me that I should open a restaurant.” She also relishes cooking for the holidays, particularly shredded Brussel sprouts. Roberts hasn’t published a cookbook, but we did find recipes attributed to her for peach crisp and banana hemp muffins. Or you can make the same summer salad the actress supposedly eats.
Chrissy Teigen started off as a supermodel. Then her love of cooking filtered into her professional life too. At this point, she’s created recipes for a limited Blue Apron release and also just launched her own home and cooking line at Target named “Cravings,” after the two cookbooks she’s released. Teigen describes cooking as “a time of peace” for herself. So maybe peace out to her tuna melt sandwich or the fried chicken wings that are a favorite of her husband, John Legend.
Lady Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, comes from a cooking Italian family. Her father started his own restaurant in New York and also published a cookbook. And apparently, Lady Gaga has inherited the family’s cooking genes. Her Instagram account occasionally features photos of her culinary activities. Sure, sometimes it’s topless cooking. But other times it’s more poignant like in the post she shared about her bringing food to the family of her dear friend who passed away. Want to try a Gaga/Germanotta family favorite? Check out her recipe for whole wheat pasta with a sweet fennel sauce.