What is Aaron Sanchez's net worth? 'MasterChef' judge offers scholarships to aspiring Latina chefs
Ever since Aaron Sanchez joined the panel of 'MasterChef' judges on Season 8, the soft-spoken and mild-mannered judge has managed to win over everybody. Unlike his spicy cooking, Aaron is known for being one of the sweetest judges on FOX's hit reality culinary competition show.
Thanks to his incredible culinary skills and appearances on several television shows, Aaron has over the years managed to amass a fortune of $4M. Read on to know how Aaron developed an interest in cooking, his journey in the food industry and how he generously spends his fortune.
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Early life
Aaron Sanchez was born in Texas in 1976. He is the son of popular chef and cookbook author Zarela Martinez. In an interview with Latin Trends, Aaron revealed that his mother and grandmother has inspired him to love and enjoy cooking. He also got hands-on experience in the kitchen at an early age, when he helped his mother with her catering business.
Although he had two popular culinary stars in his family, Aaron was still strongly advised by his mother to develop his own style. He shared in an interview with The Austin American-Statesman about how his mother advised him not to "regurgitate" what he had learned, and constantly pushed him to work with a "bunch of different chefs that have different styles and cultural points of view, and then disseminate that to find your own culinary voice".
Career
Thanks to his mother's encouragement, Aaron ended up training under legendary New Orleans chef Paul Prudhomme. In an interview, Aaron said, "He was a big force in my life. I wouldn't be successful if he hadn't taught me to taste food properly. His whole thing was layering flavors and how seasoning affected food. He really taught me how to think, and develop my palate. He was a man of very few words but, boy, when he talked, you listened."
After training under one of the most legendary chefs, Sanchez went on to study culinary arts at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. According to his website, he is chef/owner of Johnny Sánchez in New Orleans. He is also a partner/creative director of Cocina, the first online content platform dedicated to celebrating Latin lifestyle through its vibrant culinary culture. Besides being a judge on 'MasterChef' and 'MasterChef Junior'. He worked at Patria, Erizo Latino, Rose Pistola, L-Ray and Paladar. Sanchez has also appeared on the TV series 'Melting Pot', 'Boy Meets Grill', 'Throwdown! with Bobby Flay', 'Aaron loves New York' and 'The Taste'. He wrote the book 'La Comida del Barrio: Latin-American Cooking in the U.S.A.' in 2003.
What is his net worth?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Aaron's net worth is estimated at $4M. His net worth can be credited to his successful career in the restaurant business and multiple TV shows, alongside his best-selling books. Aaron strongly believes in giving back, so in 2016, Aarón founded the Aarón Sánchez Scholarship Fund (ASSF), an initiative empowering aspiring chefs from the Latin community. ASSF provides recipients with full culinary scholarships to schools in New York City and ongoing mentorship.
He also won a James Beard Award for Television Studio Program and was recognized by the Hispanic Federation with the Premio Orgullo Award for being a leader in the Hispanic community. Aaron's love for the arts extends beyond the kitchen. He is a partner in world-renowned tattoo shop and museum Daredevil Tattoo in NYC.
You can watch Aaron Sanchez on 'MasterChef: Legends' Season 11 premiering on Wednesday, June 2, at 8/7c only on FOX.