The Celebrity Chef Comeback Trail

From store demonstrations and corporate ad pitches to books and webisodes, the market is saturated with faded stars such as Curtis Aikens and Graham Kerr of The Galloping Gourmet

By David Sax

After weaving his way through a maze of living room sets with unpronounceable Swedish names, Curtis Aikens was ready. “Good afternoon, Ikea shoppers,” says Aikens, in an avocado green chef’s jacket, before a crowd of 10 or so customers listening to muzak and fondling sleek crock pots. Undeterred, Aikens announces with gusto, “Today, we’re having fun in the kitchen!” Yet the showroom kitchen in the Emeryville (Calif.) superstore was a humble reminder of glory days past for the former celebrity chef who once commanded $450,000 a year in salary and endorsements. The previous day, Aikens led a demo by an escalator at a Sacramento Ikea. “It’s called ‘making it work,’” says Richard Gore, the architect behind Aikens’s comeback attempt. “We’ll make lemonade from lemons.”

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What people are saying!

Curtis is an incredible person and quite inspirational. His passions extend far beyond the kitchen and remains to be an amazingly successful person.
Ryan May 25, 2011 5:05 PM GMT

I have never met a person with such a positive outlook on life when it seems the chips would be down for most of us.He has inspired many of us who are fortunate enough to call him a friend.This article should be about Curtis giving of himself to help others without any monatary gain.True, he is a wonderful chef,but so much more. I do hope Michele Obama would consider Curtis to help in the educating of our young.
Tom Maloney May 25, 2011 11:25 AM GMT

Interesting article. I could have done with out some of the pejoratives eg “faded” but on the whole, was inspired by the work of Curtis Aikens, vision, sense of purpose, personal integrity- I hope I run into him at IKEA.
SOPHIE OTIS May 24, 2011 10:59 PM GMT