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Jeffrey L. Smith Net Worth

Author

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 BirthJanuary 22, 1939
Place Of BirthTacoma, Washington, USA
Height6' 2" (1.88 m)
ProfessionActor
Star SignAquarius
#Quote
1Frugal doesn't mean cheap. Frugal means that you don't waste anything.
2I bid you peace" - said at the end of every episode of The Frugal Gourmet
#Fact
1Spent 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.
2The Frugal Gourmet became the most-watched cooking show in the US.
3Ran a restaurant called Chaplain's Pantry in Tacoma, Washington, in the 1970s.
4His national television career took off when he appeared on the Phil Donahue Show.
5He was an ordained Protestant minister.
6He underwent surgery in 1981 to replace a heart valve.
7a cameo in the video for "Love You Madly" by CAKE
8Has 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

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Grumpier Old Men1995The Frugal Gourmet

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Late Night with Conan O'Brien1995-1996TV SeriesHimself
Big Bird's Birthday or Let Me Eat Cake1991TV MovieHimself
The Pat Sajak Show1989TV SeriesHimself
The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast1985TV SeriesHimself
The Frugal Gourmet1983TV SeriesHimself

Nominated Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
1990Daytime EmmyDaytime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Talk/Service Show HostThe Frugal Gourmet (1983)

Known for movies

The Frugal Gourmet

Grumpier Old Men (1995)
as The Frugal Gourmet

Himself

Big Bird's Birthday or Let Me Eat Cake (1991)
as Himself

Himself

The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast (1985)
as Himself

Himself

The Frugal Gourmet (1983)
as Himself