It’s a pretty safe bet that when Sam Talbot graced the kitchen of Top Chef, any audience mouth-watering had nothing to do with the food. Who cares about cooking? We could eat ramen noodles every night if it meant being on the arm of Talbot. But as fate would have it, the chef is something of a genius when it comes to food, working as an executive chef in various New York City restaurants, placing third in Season 2 of Top Chef, and probably cooking up all sorts of good stuff for his new bride (and model) Paola Guerrero. Zack Seckler / Getty Images Casey Thompson’s sex appeal was either seriously damaged or seriously aided by her somewhat controversial role as Carla’s partner on the finale of the last Top Chef season. On the one hand, she’s a downright saboteur, ruining poor Carla’s chances at winning the coveted title with a downright disastrous dish. On the other hand, her fallen soufflé was a symbol of bravery and gustiness—hot. Virginia Sherwood, Bravo, NBCUPB / AP Photo With a body that just won’t quit and a flair for spicing up even the blandest linguine, this hot Italian mama may have single-handedly inspired every man in America to buy a colander. Laurentiis’ start as a TV chef was not without its haters (people actually accused the Food Network of hiring a model posing as a chef when Laurentiis’s Everyday Italian debuted in 2003), but since then, she’s become a fixture in the foodie hall of fame with three books, an Emmy, and a healthy fan base lusting after her every step of the way. Bob Riha Jr., WireImage / Getty Images If Bourdain’s rugged take on culinary travel makes him something of an Indiana Jones-like figure, his sailor’s mouth and former drug use make him an Ozzy Osbourne. It’s a strange contradiction that Bourdain embodies—and chefs like Rachael Ray and Bobby Flay are oftentimes the butt of his mean-spirited jokes—but it works for him. After all, what would a sexy chef be without a wild streak? Jason Squires, WireImage / Getty Images When Rocco DiSpirito’s reality show The Restaurant aired in 2004, America was confused: Do we love him or hate him? Are his boyish good looks enough to make up for his failed attempt at starting a restaurant and less-than-charming personality? Yes. Since then, DiSpirito’s more than made up for getting off on the wrong foot, appearing as a guest judge on Top Chef, making special appearances on The Biggest Loser, and—if it’s possible—getting a little bit cuter every single year. Craig Sjodin / Retna Nigella Lawson may not have any professional training, but that hasn’t stopped her from being bestowed with the title of “the queen of food porn” for her sexy presentations, sensual way of speaking, and goddess-like curves. Yet the food columnist, best-selling author and TV host refutes the sex appeal that’s won her numerous awards: “It’s intimate, not flirtatious,” Lawson has said in defense of her cooking style. Sven Arnstein, Stay Still Ltd. / Newscom Keeping things platonic while Today show host Meredith Vieira hangs on your every word is a full-time job, but somehow this Aussie (who’s single!) manages to squeeze in some extracurriculars—and, from the looks of it, quite a bit of time at the gym. The host of TLC’s Take Home Chef is also the author of several cookbooks and was not surprisingly named one of the sexiest men alive alongside George Clooney and Brad Pitt by People magazine. Hans Gutknecht / Newscom If Daniel Boulud is working overtime to up his level of chef stardom, it’s working. His latest New York endeavor, DBGB Kitchen and Bar, is more than just a restaurant full of artery-clogging delights (read: a pork burger and self-serve ice cream cart). It’s a tribute to the now-defunct CBGB rocker haven, a trendy late-night eatery, and a brand of New American cuisine all its own. Way to rack up cool points, Boulud! Scott Fisher / Newscom By the age of 29, Jean-Georges Vongerichten had already opened 10 different restaurants around the world, from Singapore to Hong Kong, as well as earned four stars from The New York Times for his New York debut as executive chef at Lafayette. His next venture, Vong, where he created Thai-inspired French cuisine, used more than 150 different spices, earning another excellent three-star rating from the Times. His Jean Georges restaurant in the Trump International Hotel and Tower remains one of the very few restaurants to receive four stars from the Times, and three stars from the Michelin guide. And he’s not slowing down anytime soon—his new company (co-owned by Phil Suarez) is set on opening seven Spice Markets (Southeast Asian street food) worldwide, while Las Vegas, Washington and Vancouver are also tapped to be the home of various new projects. Zandy Mangold/ Retna The son of Michigan restaurateurs, Grant Achatz graduated from the Culinary Institute of America to join acclaimed restaurant, The French Laundry, in California. In 2005, he opened his famous Alinea, which offers two small-course tasting menus. Gourmet magazine named Alinea America’s best restaurant. But all this success was overshadowed when, in 2007, Achatz was diagnosed with life-threatening, stage 4 squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth. Luckily, Achatz was able to survive due to intensive radiation, but tragically he lost his sense of taste. His saga will be the subject of an upcoming book. Joe Corrigan / Getty Images While Portland, Oregon, foodies have been raving about Naomi Pomeroy for years, the self-taught chef recently garnered wider acclaim: Food and Wine < recently honored Pomeroy as one of the 10 Best New Chefs of 2009 particularly notable since she was the only woman to make it onto the list. “I’m the solo chick representing all the girls of the world,” Pomeroy told Portland’s Willamette Week. “It’s an honor, it’s so badass.” Pomeroy is co-owner and chef at Beast, a French-inspired Portland hot spot. For those who are curious—yes, she’s single. Alicia J. Rose Count on the French to bring a little je ne sais quoi to the kitchen. Eric Ripert and his white-hot shock of hair have become staples at the judges’ table of Top Chef, where they’re in beauty foodie good company among the likes of Padma Lakshmi and Gail Simmons. Ripert’s restaurant, Le Bernadin, is no slouch, either: With four stars from The New York Times and three—the maximum—from Michelin, Ripert’s food is as hot as he is. J. Scott Applewhite For more than a decade, Los Angeles-based Suzanne Goin been celebrated as one of the best chefs in America. Since opening her first restaurant, Lucques, in 1998, Goin has been nominated for three James Beard Awards, among a host of other accolades. She’s no dummy: Loin graduated with honors from Brown University, before honing her culinary skills in the kitchens of the best restaurants in the world—L’Arpège, Olives, and Chez Panisse, to name a few. She and her business partner, Caroline Styne, also run the highly praised A.O.C. and Hungry Cat. Reuters