8 Food Network Chefs Who Had Incredible Careers—Here's What They're Doing Now

Guy Fieri, Ina Garten, and Emeril Lagasse (among plenty more notable names) practically built Food Network on their backs. The channel is, well, nothing without its star culinary talents and the recipes/judging skills/kitchen drama that keep ratings high.

And while plenty of its celeb chefs have remained a fixture on longstanding (and new) series, others have left for greener—or at least so they thought—pastures. So...where are your favorite Food Network stars now?

Ina Garten

Ina Garten has lived 12 lives. She worked in the White House Office of Management and Budget (yes, that White House) before becoming the Barefoot Contessa we know her as today. Since her Food Network Show (of the same name) took off in 2002, Garten has only expanded on her empire. Now?? She’s the proud author of 13 bestselling cookbooks, has a published memoir, and hosts "Be My Guest with Ina Garten"—a show and podcast. Queen!

Guy Fieri

Guy Fieri rose to real fame with his series "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives," and while it's still on the air (and hopefully forever!), that's not his only venture. As far as TV appearances go, he’s currently hosting "Tournament of Champions" on the network (it’s also available for streaming on HBO Max) and recently produced and starred in "Guy’s Ultimate Family Cruise," which premiered in January. "Guy’s Grocery Games," "All American Road Trip," "Ranch Kitchen," and more are still on TV, too.

Fieri’s restaurant business is also booming, and his Flavortown sauces are a hit. On the family front, his youngest just completed his freshman year of college, and his oldest, Hunter, is set to get married this year.

Ree Drummond

Ree Drummond is as popular as ever. The blogger-turned-Food Network sensation (and lifestyle mogul) launched a new YouTube series in June 2025 (appropriately dubbed "Drummond Ranch") and is still filming her hit series, "The Pioneer Woman."

Her home life has been just as jam-packed. In 2024, Drummond added a new title to her resume, "grandma," with the birth of her daughter and son-in-law’s first child. She also added another son-in-law to the mix after her daughter Paige wed David Andersen.

Rachael Ray

Rachael Ray remains in the public eye to this day. She’s currently starring in "Meals in Minutes" and "Rachael Ray in Tuscany" on FYI network (yes, she left the Food Network) and hosting her own podcast, "I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead." Her health has been a major concern to the public. Fans have continued to speculate on her slurred speech and other alleged symptoms. And while she’s remained rather tight-lipped on the subject amid growing worry, she did open up about "a couple of bad falls."

Emeril Lagasse

While Emeril similarly left The Food Network (execs controversially ended his show while he was still under contract), he has stayed quite busy since. He’s still on TV screens for starters—you can catch him on two Roku originals: "Emeril Cooks" and "Emeril Tailgates"—and runs an entire restaurant group, along with his son EJ, who is the culinary lead at New Orleans’ flagship Emeril’s.

Giada De Laurentiis

In 2023, Giada De Laurentiis officially left the network after spending over two decades there. She admitted that the decision primarily stemmed from burnout. "I couldn't see a path that was exciting anymore," she said. "I need excitement. I get bored. And if I'm getting bored, my viewers are getting bored."

So, where did she find said excitement? An e-commerce site and pasta line, which she called a part of her career "rebirth" and something she "really want[ed] to do." However, she hasn't left TV behind altogether. In June, De Laurentiis premiered her new Amazon Prime series "Giada in My Kitchen."

Bobby Flay

Bobby Flay really got his start on the Food Network...and never left. He remains one of the channel's most popular personalities with a lineup of shows: "BBQ Brawl" (which he stars in alongside his now-girlfriend Brooke Williamson), "Bobby’s Triple Threat," and "Beat Bobby Flay." In fact, he just signed an exclusive multi-year contract with the network. So…um…he’s not going anywhere.

In addition to his onscreen ventures, Flay is constantly hosting public events. In 2025 alone, he’s led demonstrations and dinners for Nassau Paradise Island Wine & Food Festival, South Beach Wine and Food Festival, An Evening with Bobby Flay, and the Bobby Flay Dinner Experience.

Alton Brown

After years on The Food Network—where he kept busy with hosting gigs on "Iron Chef America" and "Cutthroat Kitchen"—Alton Brown teamed up with Netflix for a relatively brief Iron Chef reboot ("Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend"). While he’s seemingly embraced a quieter life for the most part, he recently toured a live show called "Last Bite" and has a habit of making us very hungry with his Instagram content.