Olivia Tiedemann has built a massive social media following by flipping the script on the polished, aspirational world of private cheffing. Known for her unfiltered, chaotic vlogs from the kitchens of the ultra-wealthy in the Hamptons, the 29-year-old has turned a profane, rebellious persona into a career that now includes the release of her debut cookbook, Eat (Like) the Rich.
A Viral Path to Culinary Success
It has been three years since Tiedemann first posted a video that captured the reality of her work: a mashup of flames, expletives, and her signature middle-finger salute. That “fuck-you energy” resonated with millions, leading to collaborations with culinary icons like Anthony Bourdain-adjacent industry titans, including Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Masaharu Morimoto, Giada De Laurentiis, and Gordon Ramsay. While her online presence is defined by its irreverence, Tiedemann emphasizes that her new book is a serious milestone, serving as a tangible translation of her expertise and personal growth.
“When I first started making videos, I was upset at the time,” Tiedemann says. “I was going through this whole new world that was my job. I’ve matured a little bit, but I try to keep the fire. You can’t just be an angsty little shit all the time.”
Finding Purpose in the Kitchen
Growing up in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, the daughter of a chef, Tiedemann initially resisted the culinary path. Her journey was far from linear, involving stints in various industries before she found her footing as a private chef. Her cookbook, Eat (Like) the Rich, is described as a “private chef’s list of commandments,” blending practical advice with her unique, no-nonsense personality. It includes everything from her famous challah French toast to recipes for “fuck desserts.”
Beyond the recipes, the book touches on the darker moments of her career, including a period where she nearly walked away from cooking entirely. “I wanted to not exist,” she reveals in the book’s foreword. “It’s such a common story that you don’t see, because it’s back there. [Your] whole life exists in this box. Those months [after I quit] were just reopening the world. It primed me to grow.”
Today, as she balances her growing online presence with the demands of her profession, Tiedemann remains committed to the craft. “I want to be a chef forever. Losing touch with that would be like losing touch with myself,” she says. “So I never want to stop doing that. And if I ever do, I’m probably morphing into some little shit and somebody better stop me. Because cooking is what I like most in the world.”