George Foreman, Boxing Champion, Dies at 76
The George Foreman Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine was the kitchen appliance America didn’t know it needed. Introduced in the mid-1990s, it arrived at a time when food culture was shifting—Food Network had just launched, Martha Stewart was redefining home entertaining, and low-fat diets were trending. Salsa had even outsold ketchup for the first time, reflecting changing demographics and culinary interests.
George Foreman, a retired boxing champion turned preacher, was already working as a pitchman for Doritos and mufflers when the Salton company approached him about endorsing a countertop grill. Initially uninterested, he only tried it when his wife, Mary, cooked a few hamburgers on an early model.
Foreman agreed to lend his name to the product, and by 1996, it had already generated $5 million in sales. Over time, the company would sell more than 100 million units, embedding the grill into American culture.
The grill became a staple in college dorm rooms and a fixture on late-night television. Even high-end chefs used it—at New York’s Tavern on the Green, one was set up near the dining room to quickly grill tuna steaks for salade niçoise. New York columnist Jimmy Breslin kept one in his kitchen and raved about its convenience.
Foreman, who passed away at age 76, gave the appliance its magic. The grill’s unique design featured two nonstick plates connected by a floating hinge that could cook a beef patty in about two minutes. More importantly, its grooved surface sloped at a 20-degree angle, allowing fat to drain away into a plastic tray.
Low-fat eating was at its peak, and for young adults setting up their first kitchens, the grill became indispensable. Georgia politician Teri Anulewicz recalled pressing countless chicken breasts between the plates of her George Foreman in her first apartment—without a vent hood or dishwasher, it was a lifesaver.
Beyond its practicality, the grill also had a macho appeal. It played into the man-at-the-grill stereotype but also served as an entry point for young men into the growing food revolution. At the same time, vegetarians found it useful for keeping fragile 1990s-era veggie burgers intact.
The infomercial, with Foreman at its helm, was key to its success. His preacher-like charisma and infectious enthusiasm made him the perfect pitchman. “You get all the flavor and you knock out the fat,” he’d say. “Tell them the king of the grill sent you.”
Celebrity chef Bobby Flay, a longtime boxing fan, found the partnership between a heavyweight champion and a countertop grill both unexpected and brilliant. “It made no sense, except it made perfect sense,” he said, noting that the appliance was essentially America’s first panini press.
The grill’s success spawned numerous variations, including a cookbook, a quesadilla maker, and a version with a bun-warming dome. Foreman’s cut of the royalties was substantial—at one point, he was earning $8 million per month. In 1999, he and his partners sold their stake for approximately $137.5 million.
The grill’s cultural impact endures. Mindy Kaling centered a 2006 episode of The Office around it, with Michael Scott hilariously burning his foot on one he kept bedside for making bacon. Today, high-end brands sell similar appliances for nearly $200, while the George Foreman Grill company continues to innovate with smokeless and outdoor models.
Yet, the original 1995 version remains iconic. It even holds a place in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, alongside other legendary kitchen inventions like the first microwave, the Rival Crock-Pot, and Julia Child’s complete kitchen.
