Who Knew That ‘Mamma Mia’ Star Cher Was Such a Good Cook?

Jelisa Castrodale
Jelisa Castrodale
Jelisa is a freelance writer who has covered food and travel, sports and pop culture for numerous publications. When she's not on deadline, she enjoys getting new passport stamps, collecting records and shouting at her beloved Liverpool Football Club.
published Aug 1, 2018
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“As my grandmother was approaching her 72nd birthday, I asked her ‘Grandma Lynda, what do you want for your birthday?'” Cher wrote in her diet and exercise book, Forever Fit. “She said, ‘Well, honey, I could really use some new sweat clothes — you know, some nice leotards.’ She had joined a gym near her house, and she just loved going there every day to work out […] My grandmother is living proof that it is never too late to change the way your body and mind can work together so you look and feel your best.”

Forever Fit was published in 1991 when Cher was 44, following a diet of whole foods, grains and vegetables, and staying stupid-fit with a challenging exercise regimen. Fast forward a couple of decades and Cher is now 72 — the same age as her Grandma Lynda was — and she’s still staying true to her book. (She has said that she can hold an abdominal plank for five minutes. Meanwhile, I recently pulled a muscle trying to make a U-turn).

What’s her secret? The Goddess of Pop has clearly been a mindful eater since before that was even a thing. She’s advocated for vegan diets – or just diets free of red meat — for years, and she’s known for being an enthusiastic home chef. “I am famous among my friends for my chicken Bolognese,” she recently told US Magazine. “I even use my own Diva Pasta labels when I give out jars for Christmas.” (I’m admittedly disappointed that she went with Diva Pasta and not “If I Could Turn Back Thyme.”)

As strange as it is to think about Cher doing anything remotely mundane — like loading a dishwasher or boiling pasta water — she’s probably not kidding. When she posted a photo of her impossibly organized pantry, the investigative journos at the Daily Mail annotated it, discovering that she owned a slow cooker, a pasta maker, a ton of stainless steel cookware and two identical Le Creuset casserole dishes that “sell for $675 each.” (They also spotted some De Cecco-brand pasta, which shows that she likes a value, too.)

Cher, if you’re reading this, what does it take to get on your chicken Bolognese gift list? What if I provide my own jar? What if I make my own “The Eat Goes On” label? LET ME KNOW!