Ted Allen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ted Allen
Allen in 2012
Born	(1965-05-20) May 20, 1965 (age 60) Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Alma mater	Purdue University (BA) New York University (MA)
Occupation	Television host author
Spouse(s)	Barry Rice ​ (m. 2013)​

Edward Reese Allen (born May 20, 1965) is an American author and television host known for his expertise in food and wine. He first became famous on the TV show Queer Eye.

Since 2009, he has been the host of the popular cooking competition Chopped and its spin-off, Chopped Junior. He has also hosted other Food Network shows like All-Star Academy and Best. Ever. Allen is also a writer for Esquire magazine and has written two cookbooks.

Early Life and Schooling

Ted Allen grew up in Carmel, Indiana, and graduated from Carmel High School in 1983. In 2011, the school added him to its Alumni Hall of Fame.

He went to Purdue University and earned a degree in psychology in 1987. After college, he worked as a copy editor for a newspaper in Lafayette, Indiana. Later, he moved to New York City and earned a master's degree in journalism from New York University. He then moved to Chicago and worked as a reporter.

Career

In Chicago, Allen began writing about restaurants. He was part of a review group called "The Famished Four." This group included Barry Rice, who is now Allen's husband.

Allen later worked for Chicago magazine, where he wrote about food and famous chefs. In 1997, he started writing for Esquire magazine. He wrote about many topics, including food, and was nominated for a National Magazine Award for a story he wrote in 2007.

Television Host and Judge

Allen in 2006

Allen became a well-known TV personality in 2003 on the show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. He was the show's food and wine expert. After Queer Eye, he appeared on many other shows. He was a frequent guest judge on Food Network's Iron Chef America and a regular judge on Top Chef.

In 2008, the Food Network offered him the chance to host two of his own shows. One was Food Detectives, and the other was Chopped. Chopped became a huge success. By May 2022, the show had filmed around 850 episodes.

When asked about his favorite moment on Chopped, Allen said he loved the "whole chicken in a can" mystery ingredient. He said he especially liked "the sound it makes when it plops out of the can."

Allen has also appeared on other Food Network shows like Beat Bobby Flay, The Best Thing I Ever Ate, and The Next Food Network Star.

Personal Life

Allen and his longtime partner, Barry Rice, got married in 2013.

Books

• Esquire's Things A Man Should Know About Style (1999)
• Esquire's Things A Man Should Know About Marriage (2000)
• Esquire's Things A Man Should Know About ... (2001)
• Esquire's Things A Man Should Know About Handshakes, White Lies and Which Fork Goes Where: Easy Business Etiquette for Complicated Times (2001)
• Co-author, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy: The Fab Five's Guide to Looking Better, Cooking Better, Dressing Better, Behaving Better, and Living Better (2004)
• The Food You Want To Eat: 100 Smart, Simple Recipes (2005)
• In My Kitchen: 100 Recipes and Discoveries for Passionate Cooks (2012)

Filmography

Awards and Recognition

Allen has won several major awards for his work.

• In 2004, he won an Emmy Award as part of the cast of Queer Eye for "Outstanding Reality Program."
• In 2012, he won a James Beard Foundation Award for his role as the host of Chopped. The show also won an award that year.
• He has also received awards from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation for his work on Queer Eye.

See also

• LGBT culture in New York City
• List of LGBT people from New York City