The Surprising Food Jean-Christophe Novelli Can't Stand

Famous French chef Jean-Christophe Novelli is known for a lot of things — his cooking talent, his good looks, and his unique persona. According to a Guardian profile, Novelli was born in a French town and found himself being drawn to cooking when he started a gig at a local bakery when he was 14 years old. He was also influenced by his mother, who took it upon herself to prepare simple and wholesome meals for her family. He found the process of cooking "melodious" and eventually began working at a brasserie where he prepared omelettes.

Novelli has come a long way since then. From slowly working his way up the ladder to being a part of cooking shows on television, he has become one of the most respected names in the culinary landscape. He has seen his share of ups and downs — he went through bankruptcy in 1999. These days, the chef has a cooking academy of his own. As for his personal food preferences, Novelli is surprisingly a little fussy with certain ingredients, even though he uses some of them while cooking.

In a conversation with the Belfast Telegraph, Novelli mentioned that he's really fond of garlic and bread in general. He's also fond of sticky toffee pudding, but doesn't like cakes or biscuits with cinnamon in them. In an interview with What's On, he revealed, "I really hate cooked onions. Obviously, I use them in my dishes. But if someone gave me a plate of cooked onions, I'd never be able to eat it."

 And guess what? He can't stand onions and ketchup. He also tries to stay away from mainstream fast food, but can't help treating himself to fish and chips every now and then. In an interview with What's On, he said, "I really hate cooked onions. Obviously, I use them in my dishes. But if someone gave me a plate of cooked onions, I'd never be able to eat it."

Onion is, of course, an essential ingredient in many everyday recipes, and Novelli knows that. One of his most hearty recipes is French onion soup and he has acknowledged the importance of the ingredient. Additionally, the celebrity chef has a special technique: He tries to make onions less bitter by soaking them in milk for a few hours. Everything said and done, he still isn't a fan of onions.