Fans of "Chopped" undoubtedly know Amanda Freitag. But the chef has had a long and impressive
career leading up to her mainstay position as a judge of the epic Food Network show.
From cooking with her grandparents and exploring her love of the culinary arts in a high school
home economics class to attending the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York,
Freitag has led quite the accomplished career since graduating. Freitag was born in May
1972 in Cedar Grove, New Jersey.
"Created in the seventies, of course."
From an early age, Freitag's family could see her affinity for cooking. That's why everyone
encouraged her to pursue her passion, including her grandparents, who she particularly enjoyed
cooking with as she grew up. By the time she reached high school, Freitag had enrolled
in her school's home economics courses which allowed her to learn even more about cooking.
By the time she graduated from high school, she clearly had a mind for going into the
culinary arts professionally. That's why she enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America
at the behest of her grandparents.
"And it was like chef heaven."
Upon graduating from culinary school, Freitag worked as a line cook at Vong. After that,
she moved on to Verbena, where she ultimately became the chef de cuisine by 1994. Under
the famous chef Diane Forley, Freitag mastered the art of cooking seasonally. She then spent
a short period working in Paris at a number of notable restaurants, where Freitag truly
learned to use fresh ingredients and use everything that she had at her disposal.
It was after her varied and successful career progression that the Food Network reached
out to Freitag. With such a diverse and impressive resume, Freitag was skilled enough and could
move between so many styles of cooking that she was likely a prime candidate for the network.
Freitag would make a great contestant on a Food Network show, but little did she know
she would actually go on to become a judge for the network.
Freitag's first experience with the Food Network was competing against Bobby Flay on "Iron
Chef America." However, her on-camera personality must have resonated with audiences because
Freitag went on to become a television personality. She then was asked to host "American Diner
Revival" alongside Ty Pennington and has also presented on the Cooking Channel's "Unique
Eats." However, most viewers know the celebrity chef through her long-time seat at the judges'
table of "Chopped."
But these shows were only scratching the surface of her impressive career. Freitag has also
appeared on tons of other series, like "Cooks vs. Cons," "Rachael Ray's Kids Cook-Off,"
"Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off" and "All-Star Academy," for instance. The cook
has also appeared on "Chopped: Sweets Showdown" and "The Next Iron Chef." You can also see
her on "Chopped Junior," "Chopped After Hours" and "Disney Dream Cruise with Food Network"
among many other guest appearances on television shows. Clearly Freitag's big break with the
Food Network became a lucrative on-air career for the chef. However, a busy shooting schedule
hasn't kept Freitag from achieving additional accomplishments. Even if she isn't working
in a restaurant these days, Freitag has more than enough projects to keep her busy.
Apart from her numerous kitchen experiences and her time on television, the famous chef
has also become an avid saleswoman. She has written a successful cookbook and has also
developed her own line of spices and seasonings that fans can purchase from her website. Though
Freitag has not created tons of product lines like some other chefs, there is plenty of
room for her to grow her entrepreneurial business in the next few years.
In 2018, she was also given an Augie Award by the Culinary Institute of America at their
yearly Leadership Awards ceremony. It seems that all of her hard work has paid off because
Freitag is currently worth an estimated $3 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
While she is admired for her glamorous looks by some fans, she has also earned the respect
of many chefs and culinary experts. It's no wonder her career has turned heads, and she's
sure to accomplish even more in the near future.
Check out one of our newest videos right here! Plus, even more Mashed videos about your favorite
celebrity chefs are coming soon. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so
you don’t miss a single one.