Celebrity Nannies Expose The Ways They're Asked To Play ‘Mommy' For The Stars

If you are escaping criminal charges or attempting to flee a secret family in Florida, the celebrity nanny career path is not for you. Most celebs rely on FBI-style background checks to clear the people who help raise their kids.

As a woman raising eight children, having a nanny makes perfect sense and borders on being a necessity. Kate Gosselin of reality TV fame required practices beyond just taking care of her kids. She had her nanny tend to the family chicken coop!

If you plan on working for Beyonce, you should probably be a professional dancer as well. When Blue Ivy got upset, the only thing that calmed her was the Single Ladies dance. Therefore, the nanny was required to perform.

Julia Roberts required her nanny to wear a wig that emulated her auburn locks while she was away working. Therefore, while the nanny was playing pretty woman, the kids would think their mother was home.

Gwyneth Paltrow treats her body like a temple, and she expects her nanny to do the same. In order to care for little Apple and Moses, you are expected to abstain from wheat, sugar, dairy, caffeine, and alcohol.

You would think any mother would hire a doting nanny to care for their kids in their absence. Allegedly, Halle Berry is the exact opposite. Instead, she enforces a hands-off rule. The actress doesn't allow the help to show her children any affection.

Mariah Carey is basically synonymous with the word diva. Unsurprisingly, she treats her nanny in the most Mariah Carey way imaginable: by forcing her to give the singer compliments everyday. Additionally, the nanny is supposed to instruct the kids to give their mom compliments before bedtime.

The Kardashian empire has no shortage of children, which means they require a whole armada of nannies to help them conquer the world. Kim and Kanye are especially strict with their nanny, threatening a pay cut if one of the children wakes them up.

Sensible shoes and jeans from the GAP are a widely accepted nanny uniform. For the Kardashians, this simply won't do. Kim expects her nannies to dress well. Similarly, she always makes sure her children are in the latest fashions, hardly ever repeating an outfit.

Meanwhile, Kourtney Kardashian enforces a strict no phone policy for her nannies. Some behind-the-scenes paparazzi pics of Kourt and her kids could sell for big bucks. In order to prevent this, at Casa Kourtney, all phones must be checked at the door.

And Kris Jenner didn't aggressively propel her children to unimaginable fame by playing second fiddle to a nanny. The former nanny of the Kardashian family, Pamela Behan, says Kris once lost it because Behan forgot to pick up broccoli at the grocery store.

Working for Madonna is no Holiday. Allegedly she has multiple nannies on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Working for this Material Girl is Borderline crazy, as she requires her children to be the number one priority in your life.

Oftentimes a nanny will become a part of the family due to the personal nature of the work. When Frances Bean Cobain filed a restraining order against her mother Courtney Love, her nanny was called into testify on her behalf record in court.

In another strange case where the law got involved, Paris Jackson testified against her childhood nanny during Micheal Jackson's wrongful death lawsuit. She stated that her super-fan nanny would attempt to sneak into MJ's bed at night.

The worst thing that could happen between nanny and employer is an extramarital affair. In the celebrity world, this has happened more than once. Actor Ethan Hawke cheated on then-wife Uma Thurman with their nanny, leading to their divorce.

Jessica Simpson takes precautions against something like this happening. She allegedly chooses her nannies so they look nothing like her. She thinks doing this will keep her husband from being tempted. We know who wears the daisy dukes in that relationship.

Katie Holmes gave her nanny instructions to let her daughter do whatever she wanted. Suri wanted to paint on the walls in their apartment, so her nanny allowed it. Sadly, the nanny got fired for allowing this act of creativity.

If you love specific lists of things to do, Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker would be your ideal boss. Her former nanny shared that she writes out everything in detail from how to use eye drops to where the Vaseline goes.

On top of these ridiculous baseline standards, many celebrities request their nanny to be bilingual. Or, to be a professional seamstress in the case of Victoria Beckham. It would be great if you wouldn't mind looking after the dog, as well.

In the wake of their divorce, Wilde and Sudeikis's former nanny of three years came forward with details revealing what was really going on behind closed doors. From Wilde starting an extramarital relationship to Sudeikis resorting to raving, drunken binges, the strangest part of it all was this mysterious salad dressing Wilde took with her when she left that really added salt to the wound. The anonymous nanny claims Sudekis fired her while he was intoxicated, but both Wilde and Sudekis claim the entirety of these claims are false. The truth — and the ingredients of this tragic dressing — the world may never know.

And speaking of ingredients...while nannies offer a unique perspective from inside a celebrity's life, their private chefs might understand their clients even more. Like Miranda Kerr's chef, Kate McAloon, who claimed in a 2017 interview with News.com.au that Kerr was relatively easy to work for. The chef said, “Miranda’s great. She walks the talk… she really does eat like she says she does.” But the Australian model did have certain no-nos when it came to the dinner table – most notably no foods with chemicals.

McAloon – who worked for the former Victoria’s Secret star when she was dating Orlando Bloom – went on to detail the culinary delights she was allowed to serve up for the pair. The chef said, “They both love my curries – light chicken or vegetarian curries with coconut – as well as quinoa, salmon, and vegetables... But she has the 80/20 rule that she sticks to… so eating healthily 80 percent of the time and having a treat the other 20 percent.”

As you would expect from one of the ultimate divas, Mariah Carey has her fair share of food demands. But in fairness to the elusive chanteuse, the particular request that Zipora Einav revealed wasn’t for her own benefit. The chef apparently worked for Carey during her 2000 Rainbow tour. And Einay told the Phoenix New Times newspaper she always had to source local products so that her entourage also ate food fit for a pop queen.

Einav admits that tasks such as navigating fish markets in Tokyo to seek out a particular type of clam weren’t always easy. She said, “The biggest challenge was to find the best ingredients. I had to go into the markets wherever we were, with a driver who understood the local language and currency. They love [Carey] so much, some guys asked for my autograph.”

As anyone who subscribes to her famous Goop newsletter will already know, Gwyneth Paltrow is very particular about what she puts in her body. Kate McAloon, therefore, had a job on her hands when she was tasked with preparing the Oscar-winning actress’ meals in 2008. In fact, the private chef was allegedly told by Paltrow’s assistants that the Shakespeare in Love star and her then-husband Chris Martin “eat nothing.”

McAloon explained to Australia’s News.com.au, “[Martin and Paltrow] avoided any sugars, anything sweet, no dairy, just more vegetables.” But undeterred by this strict brief, the chef reportedly gradually began to add more ingredients to the pair’s dinners. Luckily, the former power couple appreciated having their palates expanded. McAloon added, “That’s what happens when you eat more than grass.”

You know you’ve made it when you can hire your own personal chef simply to cook nothing but chicken wings. Yes, according to British newspaper the Daily Mirror, that’s exactly what Jay-Z did in 2004 to ensure he had his favorite foodstuff on tap wherever he went. And the rapper is also very specific about the type of chicken that gets served. Reportedly, it has to be sourced from the same Mexican family-run farm!

Apparently, Jay-Z has no qualms about bringing his chicken wing chef to fine dining restaurants, either. The “99 Problems” hitmaker once had an important meeting at La Plume – an exclusive London caviar restaurant. But seemingly not a fan of the fish egg delicacy, the newspaper reported that he asked the kitchen for permission for his own very specific cook to prepare his meal.

As one of the world’s most famous supermodels, it’s little surprise that Gisele Bündchen is very particular about what she eats. Even the Brazilian's comfort food is less calorific than most people’s idea of a super-healthy meal! Judging by celebrity chef Allen Campbell’s comments to Boston.com, it seems unlikely that Bündchen has ever ordered a Domino’s in her life.

Campbell claimed that Bündchen likes nothing more than cozying up with a bowl consisting of quinoa, kale, garlic, coconut oil and toasted almonds. And if she’s feeling really naughty, she’ll swap the latter for cashew sauce with lemongrass, ginger and lime curry. But although the model trusts the chef with preparing her own food, she prefers to handle her kids’ lunches herself.

Prince Charles has always been at one with nature. So, it’s a little surprise to learn that he likes to make the most of his green-fingered knowledge in the kitchen. In 2020 royal chef Carolyn Robb told Insider that the future king often insists on using food that has been grown in the gardens of Kensington Palace.

In fact, Robb and the Prince of Wales would regularly enjoy mushroom picking together at the royal residence. She said, “It was always good to go with him – he knew a lot more about them than I did. He was very hands-on and knew exactly what was in the garden. All of our menus were planned around what was in season in the garden.”

Gisele Bündchen is known for being a fussy eater, but it turns out that her NFL star husband Tom Brady is even pickier! According to personal chef Allen Campbell, the Tampa Bay Buccaneer doesn’t consume caffeine, dairy, fungus, white flour, white sugar, or MSG. And Brady’s list of no-nos doesn’t end there, either.

Campbell went on to tell Boston.com that star quarterback Brady doesn’t go anywhere near the plant family known as nightshades. He explained. “So, no tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, or eggplants. Tomatoes trickle in every now and then, but just maybe once a month. I’m very cautious about tomatoes – they cause inflammation.”

Meeting the food requirements of a chart-topping superstar is hard enough when you have weeks to prepare. Spare a thought, then, for Rihanna’s personal chef who’s given barely any notice. In 2017 Debbie Solomon told website Bon Appetit, “[With previous clients] I would send in a menu on a Sunday or Monday and they would pick for the week, and then I’d be able to shop and prep, but this is nothing like that.”

Yet there is one mealtime that Solomon doesn’t ever have to worry about. Rihanna has the same breakfast of boiled eggs, berries and crustless toast every day. The Barbadian also likes to have the same condiment with her dinner, too. Yes, it turns out that the Grammy winner is a keen fan of her homeland’s Scotch Bonnet pepper sauce.

According to her former private chef, Paris Hilton doesn’t appear to have the healthiest relationship with food. In 2007 Bethenny Frankel revealed to PR.com how she used to serve up meals to the socialite but that they weren’t always appreciated to the fullest. The chef claimed that Hilton was very much a “taste everything, eat nothing” kind of diner.

Frankel added, “It’s ironic that Paris Hilton could be discussed in a healthy conversation… She has a little bit of a cheeseburger [and] half the French fries. That’s something a lot of Europeans do.” But the chef also freely admitted that this is a method she has now adopted herself, too.

Turns out that the Queen has something in common with vampires: they both have an aversion to garlic! In 2020 royal chef Darren McGrady revealed on his own YouTube channel that the distinctive aromatic was never a feature of Her Majesty’s menu. He told viewers, “...We could never use it at Buckingham Palace.”

McGrady – who cooked for the longest-reigning monarch in British history back in the ’90s – also disclosed one of the foods that he was encouraged to serve. Apparently, the Queen enjoys tucking into the delicacy of potted shrimps sourced from North West England’s Morecambe Bay. She’ll even have them on toast!

In the unlikely event you find yourself at dinner with Jennifer Lopez, make sure you stick to what you order. The “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” singer is not a fan of sharing plates, her personal chef claimed. Kelvin Fernandez told Us Weekly that J-Lo is extremely disciplined when it comes to mealtimes.

Fernandez recalled one occasion when he made Lopez a pre-Super Bowl performance dinner fit for an entire family. It’s fair to say that it didn’t go down well. He said, “The next day she’s like, ‘[Fernandez], you served me rice.’ And I’m like, ‘No, no, no, no, no, there was chicken, there was salad. You grabbed the rice!’” The chef has since ensured that he only cooks J-Lo and her boyfriend Alex Rodriguez individual dishes.

If you’ve ever pondered how Naomi Campbell continues to maintain her figure, then wonder no more. Just ask private chef Sean John, who has cooked for the supermodel for more than a decade. He once claimed to the website Page Six that he only has to prepare one square meal for her every 24 hours. And Campbell insists that it’s free of any gluten, chicken, or dairy.

John explained, “[Campbell] has her own stuff at home, but I prepare one really good meal a day, and it’s super clean and really healthy.” She also has another requirement: the food can’t be bland. The chef added, “You can’t just put salt and pepper in it. I don’t do that anyway, but she knows! There’s got to be some spice and herbs. She’s all about making it soulful and flavorful.”

It’s little surprise to learn that one of pop music’s true eccentrics was unpredictable when it came to dining. In 2016 Margaret Wetzler told Food & Wine magazine that Prince expected his personal chefs to be at his beck and call on a 24/7 basis. Plus, they allegedly weren’t allowed to communicate with the star until he spoke to them first.

Prince may sound like every chef’s worst nightmare. But Wetzler claims that the Purple One was always the perfect gentleman. She does admit, though, that his impromptu demands meant that she occasionally had to bend the rules. On one occasion, the musician allegedly insisted on a birthday cake at the ungodly hour of 11:00 p.m. Instead of baking one from scratch, Wetzler simply served up one bought from a shop!

Bethenny Frankel had to work that little bit harder when feeding the star of FX’s firefighting drama Rescue Me. The personal chef explained to Health.com, “Denis [Leary] is always starving, so I have to make a preamble to every meal. I’ll bring some olive dip on whole-grain bread for him to shove in his mouth when I get there. Otherwise, he’ll be leaning over me at the stove [and] asking what I’m making.”

Frankel was able to change at least one aspect of Leary’s food regime, though. She added, “When I first met [Leary], his assistant told me, ‘He likes to eat chicken Parmesan, and he’s really not into vegetables.’ But I wasn’t about to take a job cooking chicken Parmesan every day, so I changed his diet.” This tactic soon worked and baked fish, lamb chops and even grilled vegetables are now apparently regulars on Leary’s meal table.

We’ve all heard of counting calories, but Kate Beckinsale appears to have taken things to the extreme. According to celebrity chef Kathleen Schaffer, the Pearl Harbor star is super restrictive when it comes to mealtimes. In a 2017 chat with website Insider, the personal chef claimed, “She had us counting blueberries and measuring salmon.”

But Schaffer – who runs a Los Angeles-based catering firm with her husband – acknowledges that there are certain benefits to being so strict. She added, “...You look at some of these people in person and you understand counting blueberries if you look like Kate Beckinsale.” Schaffer also said that the actress is far from the only famous client who’s had such demands.

Sometimes a chef can slave away in the kitchen for hours, only to see all their efforts end up in the trash. In 2017 Kathleen Schaffer recalled to Insider about the time she adhered to David Beckham’s strict dietary guidelines. But after getting a spot of food envy, the former England international decided to break from his usual “lean and clean diet.”

Schaffer explained, “For example, one time David Beckham had his meal of vegetables and grilled steak prepared for him. But when he saw the crew’s buffet spread, he chose to dig into that instead because he was enjoying it so much.” But apparently the ex-footballer’s wife Victoria is far more disciplined when it comes to mealtimes.

It seems unlikely that Wolfgang Puck will get any more work from the Beckhams following his candid interview with Heat magazine in 2016. The Los Angeles-based chef described Victoria as “uptight” while discussing the culinary habits of the pair he’d previously cooked for. He added, “Everything has to be right, she’s not interested in talking to anyone.”

Puck seemed dismissive of Victoria’s choice of foods, too – particularly her favorite of lightly salted spinach. He remarked, “David’s there with a steak and she’s there with vegetables.” The chef was a little kinder about the man of the house, though. She described the former footballer as someone he could “talk to and talk to.”

Priyanka Chopra’s personal chef is so used to preparing the same meal for her celebrity client that she’s even named it after the Quantico star. That’s right, as she revealed on the YouTube channel named Tasty, the “Priyanka Salad” is the dish that Sam Udell is tasked with making every single lunchtime. So, what exactly does it consist of?

Well, it’s not exactly the most elaborate of salads. If you want to recreate it at home, apparently all you need is some chicken, fruit, fennel, carrot, nuts and the in-vogue vegetable that is kale. Udell also cooks for Priyanka’s husband Nick Jonas and his famous brothers Kevin and Joe as well as the latter’s wife: Sophie Turner.

There’s no room for improvisation when it comes to the diet of Swedish footballer Zlatan Ibrahimović. The Milan striker allegedly insists that every ingredient of his meals is weighed to a specific gram! According to magazine GQ Italia, Ibrahimović is so particular because he needs to stay between his target bodyweight of 92-94 kilograms.

Just don’t expect to see any type of pasta being weighed in Ibrahimović’s kitchen. The famously confident sportsman prefers to get his carbohydrate intake from cereals instead of Italy’s finest. Ice cream and any foods that have been frozen are apparently also major no-nos for any chef preparing his pre-match meals.

Who would have expected the heartland rocker renowned for his tales of blue-collar life in New Jersey to be so demanding about his food? Yes, according to reports, Bruce Springsteen has a very strict requirement when it comes to his mealtimes. Chefs must allegedly measure the acidity levels of the dishes before putting them on the table.

Of course, there is some method to this madness. By sticking to the foods that only pass the suitable acidity test, The Boss can make sure his famous raspy voice is as healthy and as strong as possible. It’s a tactic that seems to be working, too. The “Dancing in the Dark” singer is still selling out massive venues in his 70s.