Underdog Chefs

British food can be peculiar, insular, of questionable nutritional value and, at times, a disgrace. Bubble and squeak. Aspic. Marmite. The bacon butty. So why is it that Britain produces so many chefs who find an international following? Do they have more obstacles to overcome when they start out and therefore try harder? Do they purposely look for a platform outside their homeland because they know their countrymen's tastes? Below are a few of them who've created a wider appeal.

Jamie Oliver cooks with a conscience. His restaurant Fifteen employs young people whom other places wouldn't even think of hiring. Now, he's crusading for better school lunches, as seen in the promo above. And not everyone is happy about it. Gordon Ramsay's eponymous restaurant in London has three stars from Michelin and a price tag to match. And his eagerly anticipated new eatery across the Atlantic opens at the London NYC Hotel next month. On TV he dishes out some tough love to hapless chefs and restauranteurs on "Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares." Nigella Lawson remains the queen of comfort food that's still far more sophisticated than anything Paula Deen would whip up. While Tom Parker-Bowles isn't quite a household name yet, his mother Camilla is. The stepson of the future king of England cooks and has assembled recipes from around the world in his new book.