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Costco is a favorite for all kinds of food and kitchen goods, and rightfully so. It offers shoppers tons of amazing deals and just about anything they could want in one big box store. So much so that professional chefs have been known to frequent the many locations, and that even includes some famous ones.
In fact, a handful of celebrity chefs have publicly proclaimed their personal love for shopping at Costco. Whether it’s for bulk goods they use every day, or something more niche like a specific varietal of wine, these chefs have their own favorite Costco finds. And I, for one, would love to know what they are.
Sure, lots of celebrity chefs partner with Costco to get their products on store shelves, like Gordon Ramsay and Rachael Ray. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean they shop for food there themselves, or does it? With this in mind, I scoured online blogs and news sites to round up a list of celebrity chefs who openly declare their love for shopping at Costco. Let’s find out who they are!
1. José Andrés
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Spanish-American chef José Andrés is nothing if not a celebrity. His accolades include a long list of reputable accomplishments. For starters, he holds two Michelin stars. He is also an Emmy Award-winning television chef, creator of several highly regarded restaurants (ever heard of Jaleo?), has been named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people on two occasions, and he’s even credited with putting tapas on the American culinary scene’s radar. And guess what? Both he and his wife love shopping at Costco. Heck yeah.
In a recent interview with Tasting Table, chef José Andrés revealed that his wife calls Costco her favorite place to shop, so you just know he’s eating some of their food at home. He also highlighted Costco’s expansive collection of wines, particularly ones from the region of Bordeaux, and pointed out what a great resource the store can be for anyone looking to snag a couple of quality bottles.
If Andrés loves Costco’s selection of Bordeaux, that’s all we need to hear. After all, that’s quite the ringing endorsement. Unfortunately, he didn’t reveal the exact bottles of Bordeaux he’s drawn to in the big box store, but you’ll find several options, and there’s bound to be at least one that fits into your ideal price point. Happy hunting.
2. Kristen Kish
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Celebrity chef Kristen Kish is making waves in the culinary world. From winning season 10 of “Top Chef” to owning a restaurant in Austin, Texas to hosting “Iron Chef: Quest For an Iron Legend” to returning to “Iron Chef” as a host, she shows no signs of slowing down. However, all that fame didn’t go to her head. Her favorite comfort food is chicken fingers with ranch dressing, mayo, and French fries, after all. Additionally, she isn’t shy about her love for Costco. Nice.
Kish’s must-have ingredient in the kitchen is salt, and she likes to keep several types of it on hand. While essential in her cooking (and every other chef worth their salt — pun intended), she still doesn’t want to drop a ton of money on it. That’s why she just goes to Costco and buys the pink, kosher, and Maldon salts in bulk. That way, she always has plenty available for various types of dishes, and she gets to save some cash as well. If Kirkland Signature is good enough for her, it’s good enough for us. Thanks for the tip, Kish.
3. Floyd Cardoz
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Winner of the third season of “Top Chef Masters,” Floyd Cardoz has an unabashed admiration for Costco, and he isn’t afraid to tell anyone who will listen. In fact, he loves it so much that he revealed he goes at least twice every month. Maybe his stellar New York City restaurant, The Bombay Bread Bar, has something to do with it. Either way, he has openly discussed the list of his favorite products to buy from Costco, so if you want to do like he does (why wouldn’t you?), commit the upcoming picks to memory.
Cardoz’s infatuation with Costco starts with the meat department. While the entire section is highly regarded, one of his top recommendations is the Applewood-Smoked Thick-Cut Bacon, which he says puts other bacon to shame. He also raves about the availability of organic boneless, skinless chicken thighs — something you can’t get everywhere — and the pre-made burger patties (with the addition of some extra salt and pepper). Spinalis steak, which you’ll likely have to order from the butcher, is another top pick.
Moving away from the meat aisles, Cardoz likes the extra juicy Mexican limes for making margaritas and the wine department, particularly anything Italian, gewürztraminers, and rosés. He also repeatedly purchases the following Kirkland Signature products: Maple Syrup, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Super Extra Large Peanuts, and Tellicherry Peppercorns. Our recommendation? Add all the items to your next Costco grocery list.
4. Carla Hall
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You can also count television personality and celebrity chef Carla Hall among the many people who love to shop at Costco. Actually, she even has a cute nickname for the store: “The C.” Regardless, if a pro like Hall — she co-hosted The Chew and participated in multiple seasons of “Top Chef,” after all — wants in on the store’s action, we do too.
So, what does Chef Hall like to get from Costco? Well, quite a bit. However, the three items she picks up every visit are refrigerated pesto, toum, and hummus. The refrigerated pesto is a fan-favorite all around, so it’s nice to hear Hall enjoys it as much as the rest of us. She likes to bulk it up with added collard greens or kale and spread it on sandwiches. As for the toum, if you’ve never heard of it before, consider this your sign to give it a go. It’s a creamy, Lebanese garlic sauce and, oh man, is it delicious. It’s versatile, too. Hall likes to put it in her eggs and use it to make marinades for chicken.
When it comes to Costco’s hummus, Hall likes to beef it up as well. She boosts fiber and protein by blending in black beans or black-eyed peas and then topping with a flavored oil. Yum! In addition to Hall’s top three go-to Costco picks, she also likes to stock up on shelf-stable oat milk sold at the store. Enough said.
5. Duff Goldman
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Considering celebrity pastry chef Duff Goldman’s ideal last meal would be a home-cooked feast with all the Seder fixings, it’s no surprise that he is also a fan of Costco. After all, it’s a great place to stock up on tons of food. Final meal aside, Goldman is a known Costco shopper, and he even counted on it to save his daughter’s birthday a couple of years back.
According to an interview conducted with Business Insider, where he revealed the contents of his fridge, Goldman mentioned that he had plans to make a grand meal and, of course, a cake for his daughter’s birthday. However, due to an injury, he was unable to take on the work himself, like he typically would. So, instead of freaking out or outsourcing the plan, his wife simply went to Costco and picked up a bunch of pizzas, organic hummus cups, and even one of the legendary birthday cakes. As you might expect, it went over spectacularly, too.
If the Charm City Cakes man himself endorses Costco’s birthday cake for his own daughter, that about says it all. We already know the Kirkland Signature hummus is top-notch as well.
6. Joe Isidori
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Just like José Andrés and Floyd Cardoz, Joe Isidori is another celebrity chef who’s been outspoken about his love for Costco’s meat department. As a well-known restaurateur with a Michelin star under his belt, we’re inclined to pay attention to his recommendations, too. Admittedly, we are already pretty much sold on Costco’s food, but a little more celebrity backing never hurts.
In a recent interview, chef Isidori mentioned that he heads to Costco for many of his meat needs. He is a big fan of the Kirkland brand rack of lamb, and even said it is a favorite of his son as well. When he is hosting a barbecue, he also heads straight to Costco for everything he needs. From the burgers to the steaks to the baby back ribs, he said they all hit the spot. Consider us sold.
To top it all off, he also reaches for the Kinder spices sold at the store to season all the meat he picked up while grilling. So, the next time you are hosting a gathering and grilling is in order, take a cue from chef Isidori and let Costco make light work of the event, at least when it comes to getting everyone fed.
7. Jon Shook
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Next up on our list of celebrity chefs who love shopping at Costco is Jon Shook. If you haven’t heard of him before, he is the chef and co-owner of several highly acclaimed Los Angeles restaurants, including the renowned Petit Trois and Animal, for which he won the 2016 James Beard Award for Best Chef. Oh yeah, he also scored the 2009 Food & Wine Award for Best New Chef, so he really knows his stuff. Regardless, he may not be big on buying bulk ingredients in general, but he still heads to Costco for some things, like everyday kitchen essentials.
Dish soap, in particular, is something chef Shook prefers to buy from Costco. We can’t blame him, either. The store stocks plenty of options for both hand-washing dishes and using in a dishwasher. They are all offered at great prices, as well. Considering they are also sold in bulk, you won’t have to think about making another purchase for a while, either. Even if you have a smaller household, it’s one product you can snag without having to worry about whether or not you can use it all before it spoils. After all, it isn’t like it will ever go bad. Of course, purchasing kitchen essentials like dish soap from Costco is bound to save you a bunch of cash, too. Score.
8. Julia Child
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Known for her love of French cuisine, endearing personality, exceptional cooking skills, and more, Julia Child is an icon in the culinary world. We’re adding her to this list because she also loved to shop at Costco.
Interestingly enough, Child was not immune to the wonders of Costco’s discount hot dogs. In fact, she claimed it as her favorite item from the store, and people fondly remember her munching on them while sitting under an umbrella outside the store. Although it should be noted that Costco’s food court hot dog has gone through some changes over the years, so the ones you get there today are not quite the same as the ones Child called her go-to snack at the store. Despite this minor detail, though, she was far from pretentious, and that’s one of the many reasons she holds such legendary status among professional chefs and home cooks alike.
In addition, Costco is listed on the official Julia Child Guide to the Santa Barbara County area. So yeah, she was a fan for sure.