Friedman Paul Erhardt facts for kids

Friedman Paul Erhardt (born November 5, 1943 – died October 26, 2007) was a German American chef. He became famous as "Chef Tell" to millions of fans. He was one of the first chefs to become widely popular on American television. Many people consider him a pioneer in TV cooking shows. Some even say his German accent inspired the Swedish Chef character from The Muppet Show, though this has been denied.

Becoming Chef Tell

Friedman Paul Erhardt was born in Stuttgart, Nazi Germany on November 5, 1943. His father was a newspaper publisher. Friedman got the nickname "Tell" when he played William Tell in a school play. Later, when he started on TV, he decided to use "Chef Tell" as his stage name.

He began training to be a cook and chef at just 13 years old. This training lasted three years. After that, he worked in many hotels and restaurants across Europe. In 1970, at age 27, he became Germany's youngest master chef at that time. That same year, he led a team of chefs to win a Gold Medal at the Cooking Olympics in West Germany. He was also named Chef of the Year.

Two years later, in 1972, he moved to the United States. He became the Executive Chef at the Barclay Hotel in Philadelphia. He was invited by Janet Louise Nicoletti, who he later married.

A Star in the Kitchen

Chef Tell first appeared on TV in 1974 on a local Philadelphia show called Dialing for Dollars. He was working as a chef at the Marriott Hotel then. Because of his popularity, he soon got a regular cooking spot on a national TV show called PM Magazine. He often said, with his thick accent, "very simple, very easy" while cooking.

His TV career grew, and he appeared on shows like Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. He also had his own show on PBS called In the Kitchen With Chef Tell. Chef Tell was known for cooking quickly, using humor in his shows, and his famous sign-off, "I SEE YOU!" He also joked, "I wish you had smellavision."

Many people saw him as a culinary icon. He was even made fun of in funny skits on Saturday Night Live. He also became a regular guest on LIVE! with Regis and Kathie Lee.

Beyond Television

Besides his TV work, Chef Tell also owned several restaurants in Philadelphia in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1984, Walt Disney World asked him to bake a huge cake for Donald Duck's 50th birthday. For over 10 years, he owned and ran Chef Tell's Grand Old House on Grand Cayman Island. Later, he opened two more restaurants in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Former U.S. President Richard Nixon sometimes ate at one of Chef Tell's restaurants. President Nixon even helped Chef Tell become a U.S. citizen in 1986.

Chef Tell also became a spokesperson for big food and cookware companies. He wrote several cookbooks, and his book Chef Tell's Quick Cuisine was a bestseller.

Towards the end of his life, Chef Tell taught cooking skills at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College in Philadelphia.

His Passing

Chef Tell passed away on October 26, 2007, at his home in Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania. He was 63 years old. He died from heart failure. He was survived by his wife, Bunny, his son, Torsten, and a grandson.

In Popular Culture

Chef Tell's life story is told in a book called CHEF TELL: The Biography of America's Pioneer TV Showman Chef. It was written by Ronald Joseph Kule and published in 2013. The book includes photos and some of Chef Tell's recipes.