His own kind of honour: reluctant celebrity chef Michael Van de Elzen

Abstract

ABSTRACTAustralasian chef Michael Van de Elzen provides a valuable Antipodean insight into chef celebrity. Within an emic perspective, this article explores his antinomic celebrity experiences. Michael’s contradictions and anxieties emerge within the dilemma he experiences in being a chef celebrity yet not wanting to be a celebrity chef. Language nuance reflects his dilemma. We explore Michael’s lived celebrity experience using an adapted version of a well known celebrity framework. Michael’s celebrity is revealed as he negotiates the antinomy between his ‘culinary self’ and his ‘celebrity self’. We extend this binary to include Michael’s ‘private self’. Michael Van de Elzen’s antinomies are embodied within his celebrity chef status. This triptych simultaneously motivates and detracts from his celebrity experience. Consequently, our article illuminates a domain that is often ignored in the ‘scramble’ of celebrity: celebrity reluctance, anxiety and avoidance. Within a qualitative framework, the article presents his career, illuminating his struggle. Our work contributes towards a wider understanding of how celebrity chefs negotiate celebrity’s negative aspects, and extends Rockwell and Giles’ celebrity framework.