Instagram Is Impressed With Michael Symon's Ink

These last few months have been a busy time for all, but especially for chef Michael Symon. In addition to managing his various restaurants, the 52-year-old has also been busy with the launch of a new Food Network show, "Throwdown with Michael Symon," as well as his latest cookbook, "Fix It With Food: Every Easy Meal," both of which dropped on December 14 (via WKYC). 

Based on his Instagram page, it appears that Symon did a considerable amount of promotion for his newest projects, with appearances on shows like "Good Morning America" and "Live With Ryan & Kelly." Couple all of that in with the general whirlwind of chaos that is the holiday season, and it's safe to say that the Iron Chef has been a bit preoccupied these last few months — and now that it's all over, he is certainly deserving of a relaxing break.

Earlier this week, Symon was finally able to indulge in some of that R&R, and took to his Instagram account to show off his "overdue vacation" with his many fans. On January 5, the chef shared a selfie in which he could be seen enjoying a dip in a hot tub with a big smile spread across his face. "Some days are def better than others," he captioned the upload that has amassed more than 22,000 likes and hundreds of comments since being shared.

Many fans didn't know about Michael Symon's extensive tattoo collection

Considering how busy chef Michael Symon has been over the last few months, it's no wonder that his followers were happy to see him relaxing in his most recent Instagram share. "Enjoy every moment M!!! Looks amazing!" one person commented on his hot tub selfie. "You deserve it!" said another fan. Some took note of the Food Network star's physique, like fellow chef Rocco DiSpirito, who suggested that his pal had been "hitting those dumbbells." 

However, it was the tattoos on Symon's chest and shoulders that caught many of his followers' eyes. One asked if the chef had recently gotten new ink, while several others expressed their surprise that he was even tatted at all. "I keep stuff under wraps!...lol..." Symon said in response to one fan that appeared to have only just found out about his body art.

While the chef does tend to wear clothing that hides his ink, it turns out he has a rather large amount of ink underneath the garb. "I'm not sure how many [he has] exactly. I would say calves, chest and upper arms. Multiples in every location," his wife Liz told Cleveland.com. The chef doesn't seem to have an exact count either, though he did tell Philly Mag that he has "about 200 hours worth of tattoos." Some highlights of his collection? A cartoon devil that he got in high school, as well as a slightly more bizarre design that can be partially seen in his most recent Instagram post.