The Top 20 Chef Kings (Oops, 1 Queen)

Who's cashing in the biggest on culinary skills

(NEWSER) - Rachael Ray may not be a classically trained chef, but her cooking prowess has made her a wealthy woman nonetheless, reports Forbes. Thanks to four Food Network programs, a talk show, and a self-titled magazine, she's the highest-paid celebrity chef, pulling in $18 million a year. Here are 9 others who bake up plenty of bread:

2. Wolfgang Puck: $16 million

Chef wanted to do away with bad 'spirits'...with sage

(NEWSER) - Rachael Ray and Martha Stewart aren’t exactly what you would call chums, and apparently the blood between them is so bad that Ray made her staffers “exorcise” Stewart’s studio before she would use it. “She ordered her staff to ‘sage the place,’” burning sage in order to chase away negative “spirits,” a source tells the New York Post . Stewart taped her long-running show at the studio before it was canceled , and Ray will move in next month. More»

And it involves pet donkeys, lots of cashmere

(NEWSER) - Alain Ducasse cooks up elaborate dishes at his ritzy restaurants. But at home, for an outdoor dinner party, he believes “less is definitely more,” he tells the Wall Street Journal. Which begs the question: What passes for “simple” tips for the average party-thrower from Ducasse? Read on:

• If you want to copy the backyard garden at his country home, you’ll need two wandering pet donkeys. Because, really, nothing says “simple” like donkeys with French names.

Falling ratings, expensive chefs add to business crunch

(NEWSER) - The recent cancellation of Emeril Live is just one sign that the Food Network is in the throes of a transformation, reports the New York Times. Having made chefs into stars, it is now trying to keep the money rolling in while facing increased competition—including instructional cooking on the Web. The network's ratings have dipped, especially on the weekend, forcing refunds to advertisers and perhaps a shift in philosophy. More»