Hungry like the wolf: Julie Ann Rhodes goes from rock 'n' roll wife to food fame

The next time you want to test the mettle of a hard-core Duran Duran fan, mention Julie Ann Rhodes.

True “Durannies” are well versed in the fairytale romance between DD keyboardist Nick Rhodes and the Iowa-born model Julie Ann Friedman, whom he met at a party in Los Angeles during the early ‘80s. After a whirlwind courtship, the pair married in a lavish Art Deco-inspired ceremony at London’s Savoy Hotel in 1984, and became a fixture on the global party circuit. The two had one daughter, Tatjana, before divorcing in the late ‘90s.

After developing an interest in healthful eating for her young daughter, Julie Ann Rhodes became a founding member of England’s Parents for Safe Foods before embarking on a short-lived stint in acting.

But her love for fine cuisine eventually pulled her back into the kitchen, resulting in the Roving Stove, an L.A.-based personal chef service she created in 2002. The successful venture has allowed Julie Ann Rhodes to indulge her inner foodie, which is on full display on her blog 'Jewels' From the Roving Stove, where she shares personal stories about her years traveling with Duran Duran, favorite recipes and reviews of fine restaurants 'round the world.

Her motto: “The glamour doesn’t have to stop when you put the apron on.”

Rhodes hardly shies away from her Duran-affiliated past, going so far as to coin her online recipe videos “Girl on Film”; she's also quick to recall personal anecdotes about celebrity friends ranging from the late artist Keith Haring to famed music producer/Chic guitarist Nile Rodgers.

The blog offers often fascinating insights of someone who very easily could have become yet another footnote in music history, but instead proved herself to be a savvy businesswoman who has made her own lucrative mark in the world of food -- not to mention lots of great behind-the-scenes photos from her years as an A-list rock and roll wife.

(Originally published on L.A. Times)