Reporter: Liz Hayes
Producer: Phil Goyen
Who'd have thought it. Cooking's cool again. A year or so ago, the kitchen was the most obsolete room in the house. Losers cooked, high flyers ate out in flash restaurants.
Remarkable what a global recession and a couple of hit TV shows can do, isn't it.
So it should be no surprise that our master chefs have become the hottest things on two legs.
And they don't come any hotter than Curtis Stone and Luke Mangan. They're now on the international A-list-the new must-have celebrities.
Hobnobbing with the stars, teaching the Americans how to cook a decent feed, and making a small fortune along the way.
Story contacts:
For more information on Luke Mangan, visit: www.lukemangan.com
For more information on Curtis Stone, visit: www.curtisstone.com
Full transcript:
STORY -
LIZ HAYES: In the world of celebrity chefs, America is king. And for 33-year-old Australian chef Curtis Stone, there's no better place to be.
CURTIS STONE: I think everything in America is bigger, you know, they get a lot more excited, they do everything in bigger scale, you know.
LIZ HAYES: Curtis Stone has hit the Big Apple and on the talk show circuit they love him to the core. WENDY WILLIAMS, TALK SHOW HOST: I almost tipped off my feet! You are just so doggone good looking.
CURTIS STONE: Ooooh, Wendy!
LIZ HAYES: What has happened that we now have a world of celebrity chefs? The world cannot get enough of Curtis Stone.
CURTIS STONE: It's bizarre. I've got no idea.
LIZ HAYES: Happy about it?
CURTIS STONE: I'm not complaining. I mean, we were the stinky bunch. And somehow, it's gone full 360 and now, you know, we've turned into the new rock stars. It's ridiculous but I love it.
LUKE MANGAN: Oh! Who's that pinching my behind?
LIZ HAYES: OK, Luke, smile! On the other side of the country, in San Francisco, Luke Mangan, another Australian chef, is being smothered with attention.
LUKE MANGAN: You're beautiful, beautiful.
LIZ HAYES: Well, they like you here too.
LUKE MANGAN: I think so.
LIZ HAYES: They actually know who Luke Mangan is.
LUKE MANGAN: Oh, no - please.
LIZ HAYES: They do.
LUKE MANGAN: Do they?
LIZ HAYES: Oh yeah - I've seen the write-ups. Luke's come to town. Actually it's 'Luke-rative has come to town.' It's kind of like the new Hollywood, isn't it?
LUKE MANGAN: Well, you know, I'm not sure I'm going to get an Oscar any time soon, but...
LIZ HAYES: But you'll be cooking at it.
LUKE MANGAN: Yeah, well, there you go. Yeah, that's possible. I've been cooking for 25, nearly 30 years so it didn't happen overnight.
LUKE MANGAN: Look at this - I'm getting the hang of it.
LIZ HAYES: Chefs are the new celebrities, and cooking shows are television's ratings bonanza.
CURTIS STONE ON TV: And sprinkle that over our tuna, like I said.
LIZ HAYES: For Curtis, it started with the cooking show 'Surfing the Menu'.
CURTIS STONE ON TV: Just a little bit more of the garlic butter, you don't want too much.
LIZ HAYES: For Luke, it was 'Appetizing Adventures'.
LUKE MANGAN: Why are you laughing?
LIZ HAYES: Both introducing the basics of cooking to a new generation.
CURTIS STONE ON TV: And if you want to get your hands into the bowl and give it a big squish, a big mix.
CURTIS STONE: We went from eating out in restaurants once every two weeks to three or four times a week. So I think what happened was a lot of that skill set, I'm talking about the person at home, cooking for the family, was lost. So when that's lost - it's hard to get it back. Then how do you go about getting that knowledge and the knowledge comes from people like me, chefs.
LIZ HAYES: Today, in Curtis's L.A. home, it's my turn to learn. You're laughing at me already, I can feel it.
CURTIS STONE: No I'm not, you want it to be nice and even.
LIZ HAYES: And how can you possibly go wrong with pizza?
CURTIS STONE: And when you spin, you're sort of forcing it to stretch.
LIZ HAYES: I've got a little see-through...
CURTIS STONE: You don't want those see through bits just yet. These are going to end up nice, these pizzas, believe it or not.
LIZ HAYES: Mine's gone a little saggy - such is my life. Curtis's luxury home is his office, right here in the heart of Hollywood. Does Cameron Diaz really live next door to you?
CURTIS STONE: She lives up the road.
LIZ HAYES: Have you popped up and asked to borrow a cup of sugar?
CURTIS STONE: My dad was quite keen at finding out which fence it was so he could drill a hole through it.
LIZ HAYES: Ironically, when Curtis was 16, his dad almost put an end to his career before it started.
CURTIS STONE: He had a bit of a funny moment with me, he said, "Do you want a beautiful wife?" and I said, "Yeah". He said, "Well, do you know who gets the beautiful wives? "The guys with a bit of money. "So what you want to do is put your head down for Year 11 and 12, "go to university and make a decision then."
LIZ HAYES: How smart is your dad?
CURTIS STONE: Fair enough, he played to my weakness.
LIZ HAYES: He qualified to study law but the call of the kitchen proved too great.
CURTIS STONE: I wanted to open a restaurant 10 years ago and it hasn't happened, you know, because I was in London and got offered an incredible position with Marco Pierre. Well, I couldn't turn that down, so I did it. And the next thing was a TV show and I couldn't turn that down, so I did it. And then next thing was...
LIZ HAYES: Oprah was calling.
CURTIS STONE: That's right.
LIZ HAYES: I couldn't turn that down. OPRAH WINFREY: I didn't realise - it was not a TV bite, and now I can't hardly talk.
LIZ HAYES: For Curtis, success came without a restaurant. While Luke's success is because of restaurants - he has four. Two in Tokyo, one in Sydney and this one, in San Francisco. How does a chef from Australia, an interloper basically, come into a foreign country set up shop and get away with it?
LUKE MANGAN: Well, it can be a bit risky but, you know, it's worked. and it's... we're nearly three years old so it's all about having a point of difference.
LIZ HAYES: Because, we don't see many American chefs coming down under.
LUKE MANGAN: There's none, is there?
LIZ HAYES: That's right. My point is how the hell do you get away with it?
LUKE MANGAN: 'Cause Australian food is better. No Americans will watch this, will they? There we go. Lizzie - this is living.
LIZ HAYES: Will I be eating this for the rest of the day?
LUKE MANGAN: No.
LIZ HAYES: Mind you, even Luke can be tempted by the great American hot dog.
LUKE MANGAN: All in one Lizzie - and the key to it is - to make sure you get the tomato and mustard all around your mouth.
LIZ HAYES: All in one go.
LIZ HAYES: Luke is one of seven boys in the Mangan family. He has worked in Michelin star restaurants across Europe and rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous. Not bad for a kid who left school at 15. You were invited to leave school, I'm putting it nicely.
LUKE MANGAN: Yeah, that is nice.
LIZ HAYES: What were your school reports like?
LUKE MANGAN: Oh, D, E, Fs. I mean, they were embarrassing.
LIZ HAYES: And what did you think about yourself at the time, did you think you had a career, a life?
LUKE MANGAN: Well, you know, I did get a C in geography and, you know, I look back now and wonder why I got a C in geography. I've travelled the world, so I've been lucky in that aspect.
LIZ HAYES: So there was a hint.
LUKE MANGAN: I reckon it was. But it was pretty bad.
LIZ HAYES: How do you sell a product in a place like this?
LUKE MANGAN: It's hard. Luke's teachers today would be proud, if not a little surprised. Luke Mangan is now a-multimillion dollar brand. But really, we're talking about Luke Mangan Inc, here, you're making some serious money?
LUKE MANGAN: Well, we're planning on it.
LIZ HAYES: All of this equals a pretty big business.
LUKE MANGAN: It does, and that's what we're trying to expand. And once we get it into the US market, maybe Asia, sell the oils on the airlines that we do, and things like that...
LIZ HAYES: Oh yeah - the airline, I forgot. This is my ultimate dream, sitting in not a bad seat...
LUKE MANGAN: It's not bad is it?
LIZ HAYES: But also, seated beside the chef who's serving up the nosh. Luke's business extends to 33,000 feet up, dishing out food on Virgin America Airlines.
LUKE MANGAN: You should be a chef, that's amazing.
LIZ HAYES: And he has just announced restaurants on cruise ships. It's pretty audacious though, isn't it, for an Australian chef to want to conquer the world?
LUKE MANGAN: Well, I wouldn't think so, I think it's pretty cool.
LIZ HAYES: But maybe that's the difference between you and those who came before you, you have the belief that you can do it.
LUKE MANGAN: Yeah, you saying I'm a bit cocky?
LIZ HAYES: Being a celebrity chef is as much about image as it is about cooking. Curtis Stone trades on plenty of sex appeal.
CURTIS STONE ON WENDY WILLIAMS TV SHOW: All my friends are going to be so jealous because the first time I ever met Wendy Williams, I cooked her breakfast. WENDY WILLIAMS: Oh yeah! I love the food. Are you single?
CURTIS STONE: I am.
LIZ HAYES: Might I suggest, that you are actually selling sex.
CURTIS STONE: Selling sex?
LIZ HAYES: Mmmm.
CURTIS STONE: Well, there you go - whatever works.
LIZ HAYES: It' a sex appeal thing, isn't it, that truly is putting you out there.
CURTIS STONE: You know, I think cooking is a really sexy thing. I think caring for each other is a really sexy thing and providing beautiful food for each other is. So yeah, I think there's elements of sexiness there for sure.
LIZ HAYES: You're trading on your sex appeal.
CURTIS STONE: Do you think?
LIZ HAYES: I do think.
CURTIS STONE: See, now you've just brought it to my attention. I always thought it was just because I could cook. You have to say cheese.
TWO GIRLS GETTING PHOTO TAKEN WITH CURTIS STONE: Cheese! Cheese!
CURTIS STONE: Beautiful!
LIZ HAYES: Are you celebrity chefs, a little, you know, wary of each other?
CURTIS STONE: Chefs have got huge egos, you know, that's sort of, that...
LIZ HAYES: I'm a little surprised. Not.
CURTIS STONE: That's why we are where we are. So anyone that tells you there's no rivalry is a liar, there's a lot.
LIZ HAYES: Are people reluctant to have you over?
LUKE MANGAN: Yep.
LIZ HAYES: And how do you get over that, how do you tell them it's alright?
LUKE MANGAN: I go...I mean...
LIZ HAYES: Do you end up cooking?
LUKE MANGAN: I do, sometimes, I help. But I love it. I love a home-cooked, simple meal, a roast or anything. As long as people don't try too hard.
LIZ HAYES: I would be totally intimidated...
LUKE MANGAN: Lizzie, you can cook for me any time.
LIZ HAYES: Luke Mangan and Curtis Stone set out to be chefs and ended up businessmen. chowing down on a huge side serving of celebrity. Aren't you somewhat pinching yourself?
CURTIS STONE: Yeah, I do, I do. It's been a cool journey you know, and it's been a lot of fun. I've loved every minute of it and...
LIZ HAYES: It ain't over yet.
CURTIS STONE: It's not over.
LIZ HAYES: That's the best bit.
CURTIS STONE: It's the best part.
