Jeffrey L. Smith Net Worth
John Thompson
Updated on January 14, 2026
Jeffrey L. Smith net worth is
$9 Million
Jeffrey L. Smith Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family
Jeff Smith was born in Tacoma, Washington, in 1939. He grew up in a close family, and learned some of his first lessons in food, and in frugal cooking from his mother. His love of wine; one of the most prominent elements in his cooking, came from his friendship, in his youth, with a doctor named Lester Baskin. Dr. Baskin introduced young Smith to ... | Net Worth | $9 Million |
| Date Of Birth | January 22, 1939 |
| Place Of Birth | Tacoma, Washington, USA |
| Height | 6' 2" (1.88 m) |
| Profession | Actor |
| Star Sign | Aquarius |
| # | Quote |
|---|---|
| 1 | Frugal doesn't mean cheap. Frugal means that you don't waste anything. |
| 2 | I bid you peace" - said at the end of every episode of The Frugal Gourmet |
| # | Fact |
|---|---|
| 1 | Spent the final years of his life encouraging young chefs, researching a book on biblical foods, and traveling to his favorite restaurants and markets in Hong Kong, New York and San Francisco. |
| 2 | The Frugal Gourmet became the most-watched cooking show in the US. |
| 3 | Ran a restaurant called Chaplain's Pantry in Tacoma, Washington, in the 1970s. |
| 4 | His national television career took off when he appeared on the Phil Donahue Show. |
| 5 | He was an ordained Protestant minister. |
| 6 | He underwent surgery in 1981 to replace a heart valve. |
| 7 | a cameo in the video for "Love You Madly" by CAKE |
| 8 | Has two sons; Channing and Jason. Opened the Chaplain's Pantry Cooking School in Tacoma, in 1972. Ordained as a minister in the United Methodist Church, in 1965. Has written several successfull cookbooks, including The Frugal Gourmet (1984), The Frugal Gourmet Cooks With Wine (1986), and The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American (1987). Had rheumatic fever as a child, which led to his undergoing heart surgery in the early 1980s. Served as Chaplain at the University of Puget Sound, from 1966 to 1972. In the late 1980s, he endorsed a line of cooking products bearing his name and likeness -- essentially products he used on his shows, that were otherwise hard to find. |
Actor
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grumpier Old Men | 1995 | The Frugal Gourmet |
Self
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Late Night with Conan O'Brien | 1995-1996 | TV Series | Himself |
| Big Bird's Birthday or Let Me Eat Cake | 1991 | TV Movie | Himself |
| The Pat Sajak Show | 1989 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast | 1985 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Frugal Gourmet | 1983 | TV Series | Himself |
Nominated Awards
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Daytime Emmy | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Talk/Service Show Host | The Frugal Gourmet (1983) |
Known for movies
Grumpier Old Men (1995)
as The Frugal Gourmet
Big Bird's Birthday or Let Me Eat Cake (1991)
as Himself
The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast (1985)
as Himself
The Frugal Gourmet (1983)
as Himself