At the early age of sixteen, Cristina started a career in modeling with the Ford modeling agency in New York. Her career as a super model spanned over twenty-five years. Max Factor put her under contract as their spokesperson while still a teenager.Ā During that time her career took off as she graced the covers and pages of every major fashion magazine including Vogue, Harperās Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, Ladies Home journal and traveled the world as a sought after international cover girl. During this time she soon became a trusted spokesperson and endorsed numerous commercial products.
In the early 80ās, Cristina co-hosted āAM Los Angeles,ā which was the #1 rated morning television show during her five year tenure.Ā Among her many TV appearances, she has hosted her own shows:Ā āCristina and Friendsā and a two hour live show from Universal Studiosā āHome and Familyā. She was a substitute co-host on āGood Morning Americaā and co-hosted numerous times with Regis Philbin on āLive with Regis and Kathie Lee.ā Her primetime series for CBS, āShame on You,ā was one of the first magazine format shows that featured consumer fraud and awareness. It set the stage for other prime time magazine formats that followed. For NBC, she co-hosted āMen are from Mars, Women are from Venusā with Dr. Drew Pinsky. At one time, Cristina had three shows on the air at the same time: the afore mentioned live morning talk show, āAM Los Angeles,ā āThe Home Show,ā and the primetime series āIncredible Sundayā all for ABC. In feature films, she starred opposite David Niven in āThe Impossible Yearsā and the critically acclaimed āJ.W. Coopā with Oscar winner, Cliff Robertson.
Cristina is an accomplished author, with her New York Times bestseller, Okay, So I Donāt Have a Headache, and bestseller Cristina Ferrareās Family Entertainment and Cristina Ferrare Style and her fourth and most recent book Realistically Ever After, a humorous view of finding happiness when heās not Prince Charming, youāre not Snow White and life is not a fairy tale. The success of her books attests to her expertise in the areas of womenās health, well-being, culinary arts, stylistic design, as well as her great zest for life and her humor.
Her fifth book, a new cookbook, A Big Bowl of Love was just released on Motherās Day 2011 and has been widely accepted and has received raving reviews from bloggers across the country. She is already hard at work on her next cookbook!
Cristina has been hosting a series of web episodes for āOprah.comā that includes cooking classes with the emphasis on how to prepare delicious meals for families, who are struggling with money, time and idea issues. She is writing weekly blogs for Harpo.com that includes recipes and answers to questions from viewers on her appearances on āThe Oprah Winfrey Show.ā Cristina has recently joined the āOprah familyā as regular featuring Oprahās favorite meals! As Cristina likes to put it, āServing up a big bowl of love.ā
Cristina completed 28 shows that air on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) that debuted on January 3rd, 2011. Cristinaās show, āA Big Bowl of Loveā features celebrity guests along with members of her family and friends serving up great ideas for all kinds of situations that happen in real life!
Cristina has done Kellogg commercials for OWN and is appearing with her Kellogg recipes on over 20 million Kellogg cereal boxes.
Cristina was able to harness all the experience she has had over the years interviewing different types of people including entertainment executives, major motion picture and television stars, directors, producers, writers, medical professionals, politicians, designers, and chefs and let it fuel her entrepreneurial spirit into starting her own design business. In 2006, Cristina, along with her partners Brian Thorson and Tim Hosier, started a line of home accessories through their newly formed āFerrare With Company.ā It includes picture frames, napkin rings, lamps, scented candles, candle sticks, accessories for the table, and show stopping, one of a kind mirrors and chandeliers using only the finest materials. Swarovski crystals and semi-precious stones, pearls, shells, and metals are placed by hand, piece by piece, onto each object and are true works of art. The pieces are sought after by top interior designers around the country and sells to over 60 stores including Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys on line They have expanded their business to include clients from France, Turkey, Istanbul, Dubai, and Saudi Arabia. In November of 2011 Cristina, Brian and Tim opened up their first retail shop in Hollywood, āMARQUETTEā
Cristina has spoken at various conventions around the country including the 2004 āThe Womenās Conferenceā where she monitored a session about womenās health and sexual well being. In 2007 she hosted, along with Chef Art Smith, a session on cooking for 300 women! She sat on the Board of Directors for āThe Womenās Conferenceā which was headed by Californiaās First Lady Maria Shriver. Once a year, over 14,000 women come from all over for a life-changing day. It is a true day of transformation and empowerment that encourages women to be their own āArchitects of Changeā for a better life for them, their families, and their community!
Cristina lives in Los Angeles with her husband, entertainment executive Tony Thomopoulos. They have a blended family of seven children and four grandchildren.
Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Cristina Ferrare and other top speakers and celebrities.