Peruvian chef Franco Noriega has been named People magazine's sexiest chef of the year.

Noriega, 27, spent the past eight years as a model - having posed for brands like Burberry and even stripped down to his underwear in ads - and is so comfortable in the buff that he cooks at home in only his birthday suit.

The 1.87m-tall Noriega is a social media sensation, with 288,000 followers on Instagram. The singleton also helms a YouTube channel, Franco Cooks, where he teaches fans how to cook while wearing nothing but form-fitting boxer shorts.

The Telegraph reported that Noriega was surprised to have been compared with British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, who goes by the moniker "the Naked Chef".

"Did he cook naked?" Noriega - who had not previously heard of Oliver - is said to have asked the Telegraph journalist.

He was reassured that Oliver, at least, poses no threat to Noriega's semi-nude culinary schtick.

According to food magazine Eater New York, Noriega - whose parents are both restauranteurs - owns two restaurants in Peru on top of the two he opened this year in New York City, where he is based.