Wikipedia

Rachael Ray

This article is about the person. For her television series, see Rachael Ray (talk show). For the similarly-named 1863 novel, see Rachel Ray (novel).
Not to be confused with Rachel Roy.

Rachael Domenica Ray (born August 25, 1968) is an American cook,[4] television personality, businesswoman, and author. She hosted the syndicated daily talk and lifestyle program Rachael Ray.[5] Other programs to her credit include 30 Minute Meals, Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels, $40 a Day, Rachael Ray's Week in a Day, and the reality format shows Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off and Rachael Ray's Kids Cook-Off. Ray has written several cookbooks based on the 30 Minute Meals concept, and launched a magazine, Every Day with Rachael Ray, in 2006. Ray's television shows have won three Daytime Emmy Awards. Ray also played herself in the Netflix revival of Gilmore Girls in 2016.

Rachael Ray
Ray in 2007
Born
Rachael Domenica Ray

(1968-08-25) August 25, 1968 (age 56)
Glens Falls, New York, U.S.[1]
Occupation(s)Television host, businesswoman, author, celebrity cook[2][3]
Years active1996–present
Spouse
John Cusimano
​
(m. 2005)​
Culinary career
Television show(s)
Websiterachaelray.com

Early life and career

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Early life

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Rachael Domenica Ray was born in Glens Falls, New York, the daughter of Elsa Providenza Scuderi and James Claude Ray.[6] Her mother's ancestry is Sicilian and her father is French, Scottish, and Welsh.[2][7][8][9]

When Ray was eight, her family moved to Lake George, New York. Her mother managed restaurants in New York's Capital District, including the Lake George Howard Johnson's restaurant, located near the former Gaslight Village amusement park, which attracted many entertainers.[7] Ray also briefly worked at Sutton's Marketplace in Queensbury, New York, and later offered to do commercials for the business. She would continue to promote the establishment, especially their cider donuts and grilled raisin bread. She graduated from Lake George Junior/Senior High School.[10][11][12][13][14]

In 1995, Ray moved to New York City.[15] She worked first at the Macy's Marketplace candy counter. When Macy's tried to promote her to a buyer in accessories, she moved to Agata & Valentina, a specialty foods store.[16]

1996–2004

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Moving back to the Adirondacks, Ray managed Mister Brown's Pub at The Sagamore, a hotel on Lake George. From there, she became a buyer at Cowan & Lobel, a gourmet market in Albany. Ray credits the concept of 30 Minute Meals to her experience working at the store, where she met people who were reluctant to cook. She taught a course in which she showed how to make meals in less than 30 minutes.[citation needed]

In the early 2000s, Ray came to Price Chopper Supermarkets with an idea to hold some cooking classes for shoppers and perform food demos in stores. During her time working for the chain, she also wrote her first cookbook, "30 Minute Meals.[17] With the success of her "30 Minute Meals" classes, WRGB, the local CBS-TV affiliate, asked her to appear in a weekly segment on their newscasts. This, along with a public radio broadcast and the publication of her first book, led to a Today show spot and her first Food Network contract in 2001.[citation needed]

Rachael Ray was the host of the TV show $40 a Day for three seasons (77 episodes) from 2002 to 2005. She would travel to various destinations and attempt to eat three meals for $40 a day.[18]

2004–2017

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Ray, who favors a "quick and easy" cooking style, teaches many simple recipes that she says can be completed in 30 minutes or less, although critics claim her concept does not include preparation time.[19]

Ray says her Sicilian maternal grandfather, Emmanuel Scuderi, and her Cajun ancestry both exert strong influences on her cooking. She uses ingredients such as fresh herbs, garlic, and chicken stock to boost flavors, and believes measuring "takes away from the creative, hands-on process of cooking." She, instead, favors approximations such as "half a palmful" or "two-pan swirl."

 
Ray, Shanna Peeples, National Teacher of the Year, and Jill Biden in 2015.

To critics of her shortcut techniques, Ray responds, "I have no formal anything. I'm completely unqualified for any job I've ever had."[15] She has also repeatedly said, "I'm not a chef."[2]

On her television programs, she has used catchphrases such as "E-V-O-O" (extra-virgin olive oil), "yum-o", "G.B." (garbage bowl), "Oh my gravy!", "delish," "entréetizer" (entrée-sized appetizer), "stoup" (cross between a soup and stew),[20] and "choup" (thicker than a soup but thinner than a chowder).[21] In 2007, The Oxford American College Dictionary announced the addition of the term EVOO, short for extra-virgin olive oil, which Ray had helped to popularize, and credited her with coining the phrase.[22][23]

One of Ray's specialties is burgers. She has devoted one of her published works to the topic, The Book of Burger.[24]

Other works

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Television

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Ray hosted 30 Minute Meals on Food Network for 11 seasons from 2001 to 2012, as well as a revival of the series starting in 2019.

In 2005, she signed a deal to host a syndicated daytime TV talk show.[25] The show, Rachael Ray, premiered on September 18, 2006, and aired until May 24, 2023. Recurrent appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show were used to fuel the launch, much as Dr. Phil's show was spun off based on his own frequent visits to Oprah.[26] The show tapes in New York City. In coordination with the syndication announcement, Ray said, "People know me for my love of food, but I have so much more I want to share".[citation needed]

On January 12, 2008, Ray's television series Rachael's Vacation premiered on the Food Network.[27] The show was a five-part food travelogue shot in various European countries.[28]

In 2008, Ray became a television executive producer[29] of a short-lived Latin cooking show on the Food Network, called Viva Daisy!, starring Daisy Martínez.

Rachael Ray's Week in a Day is a 2010 reality television cooking series hosted by Rachael Ray.[30][31]

In January 2012, Ray and Guy Fieri were team captains in the Food Network reality series Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off.[32]

In 2016, Ray guest-starred in the second episode of Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, a miniseries revival of Gilmore Girls, as a fictionalized version of herself.[33]

In 2019, Ray fulfilled a long-time goal of voicing a cartoon character when she voiced a character on the Nick Jr. Channel program Butterbean's Café.[34]

In 2023, Ray announced that she would be ending her talk show after its 17th season, and she will launch her new production company, "Free Food Studios."[35]

In 2024, Ray and her show were featured in the final episode of the show The Curse. Ray played herself on the show, with her guests being Vincent Pastore as himself, and Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder as their fictional characters Whitney and Asher Siegel.

Magazines

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In 2003, Ray posed for the men's magazine FHM.[15] Though she was not nude in any of the photos, this drew criticism so harsh, not least of which from Ray's own mother, that in a March 2, 2009 ABC News Nightline interview she gave to Cynthia McFadden, an ABC News correspondent, Ray defended her decision to pose in the magazine.[36] The interview quoted her as saying, "I'd do it again tomorrow."[37]

The Reader's Digest Association launched Ray's magazine Every Day with Rachael Ray on October 25, 2005. The magazine featured seven issues in 2006 and increased to 10 issues in 2007. In October 2011, Meredith Corporation acquired the magazine.[38]

Product endorsements

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Ray in 2007

In November 2006, Ray became a spokeswoman for Nabisco crackers. She appears in commercials and on boxes for the many Nabisco products. Many boxes with Ray's picture have her recipes.[citation needed]

In February 2007, WestPoint Home launched sheets, blankets, and coverlets designed by Ray.[39] Within six months, WestPoint expanded Ray's bed and bath line to include the "Moppine," a two-in-one dish towel/oven mitt, as Ray is often seen with a kitchen towel over her shoulder that doubles for her as an ersatz mitt.[40]

In March 2007, the Dunkin' Donuts company announced Ray as its celebrity endorser, mainly of its coffee, since she had denied being able to make coffee herself.[41] As part of a promotional campaign, Ray describes the company's coffee as "fantabulous."[42]

In May 2007, Ray's recipes were made available on AT&T cellular phones via the "Rachael Ray Recipes on the Run" feature.[43]

In July 2008, Rachael Ray's "Nutrish" pet food was introduced. The dog foods are created from recipes Ray developed for her pit bull, "Isaboo". All proceeds from the sale of these products go to Rachael's Rescue, a charity which Ray organized specifically to provide assistance for at-risk animals.[44]

In December 2016, PulteGroup started Rachael Ray Home Collection for their interior design division.[45][better source needed] The furniture it markets is all of Ray's own design.[citation needed]

Personal life

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On September 24, 2005, in Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, Ray married John M. Cusimano. Ray's main residence is located in Lake Luzerne, New York. She also owns a Manhattan Greenwich Village apartment which is located near the studio.[46][47] The Lake Luzerne home was destroyed in a fire on August 9, 2020.[48] The next day, a director of emergency services with the county stated that there were no injuries to Ray or her family.[49]

In June 2009, Ray stated that "hard work was too much for her to be a [mother]".[50][51][52][53]

Charitable work

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In 2006, Ray launched the Yum-O! nonprofit organization. Its mission is to "empower kids and their families to develop healthy relationships with food and cooking. This goal is achieved by teaching families to cook, feeding hungry kids, and funding cooking education."[54][55]

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ray joined with the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America to support a charity in Ukraine, the Unbroken National Rehabilitation Center in Lviv with projects and programs related to food and children.[56]

Bibliography

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Cookbooks

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  • Rachael Ray's Open House Cookbook (2000)
  • Comfort Foods (2001)
  • Veggie Meals (2001)
  • 30-Minute Meals 2 (2003)
  • Get Togethers: Rachael Ray 30 Minute Meals (2003)
  • Cooking Rocks!: Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals for Kids (2004)
  • $40 a Day: Best Eats in Town (2004)
  • Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Meals: Cooking 'Round the Clock (2004)
  • Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Meals for Kids: Cooking Rocks! (2004)
  • Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Get Real Meals: Eat Healthy Without Going to Extremes (2005)
  • Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats: A Year of Deliciously Different Dinners (2005)
  • Rachael Ray 2, 4, 6, 8: Great Meals for Couples or Crowds (2006)
  • Rachael Ray's Express Lane Meals (2006)
  • Rachael Ray's Classic 30-Minute Meals: The All-Occasion Cookbook (2006)
  • Rachael Ray: Just in Time (2007)
  • Yum-O! The Family Cookbook (2008)
  • Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book (2008)
  • Rachael Ray's Book of 10: More Than 300 Recipes to Cook Every Day (2009)
  • Rachael Ray's Look and Cook (2010)
  • The Book of Burger (2012)
  • My Year in Meals (2012)
  • Week in a Day (2013)
  • Guy Food: Rachael Ray's Top 30 30-Minute Meals (2014)
  • Kid Food: Rachael Ray's Top 30 30-Minute Meals (2014)
  • Comfort Food: Rachael Ray's Top 30 30-Minute Meals (2014)
  • Everyone is Italian on Sunday (2015)
  • Rachael Ray 50: Memories and Meals from a Sweet and Savory Life: A Cookbook (2019)

Accolades

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Emmy Awards and nominations

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In 2009, Ray's sole win came during the Daytime Emmy Awards as she was ruled ineligible by multiple judges during all other nominations and did not receive any awards.

Year Association[citation needed] Nominated work Result
2006 Daytime Emmy Award for Best Outstanding Service Show 30 Minute Meals Nominated (ineligible)
Daytime Emmy Award for Best Outstanding Service Host Nominated (ineligible)
2007 Daytime Emmy Award for Best Outstanding Talk Show Host Rachael Ray Nominated (ineligible)
2008 Daytime Emmy Award for Best Outstanding Talk Show Nominated (ineligible)
2009 Won (only win)
Nominated (ineligible)
Daytime Emmy Award for Best Outstanding Service Host 30 Minute Meals
2010 Daytime Emmy Award for Best Outstanding Talk Host Rachael Ray
2011
2012
2013

Other honors

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References

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  1. ^ Hiltbrand, David (October 22, 2006). "One fast foodie: Into the blender of life, TV's perky Rachael Ray throws everything (except mayonnaise) and hits whoosh". Philadelphia Inquirer. Born at Glens Falls Hospital in the Adirondacks of Upstate New York. Her family moved when she was an infant to Cape Cod, Mass., where her mother worked as a manager for a restaurant chain.
  2. ^ a b c Keeps, David (May 28, 2010). "Rachael Ray's Rules for a Delicious Life". Good Housekeeping. Archived from the original on July 6, 2015. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
  3. ^ Linda Childers. 6 celebrity chef-preneurs Archived August 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. CNN. Accessed August 4, 2011.
  4. ^ "Rachael Ray | Biography, Books, TV Shows, & Facts". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  5. ^ "Rachael Ray". Forbes. Archived from the original on August 23, 2017. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
  6. ^ Williams, Pat; Williams, Ruth (2008). How to Be Like Women of Power: Wisdom and Advice to Create Your Own Destiny. HCI. p. 2. ISBN 978-0-7573-0650-1.
  7. ^ a b Keel, Beverly (September 10, 2005). "Rachael Ray's Recipe for Success". AmericanProfile.com. Archived from the original on February 14, 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2007.
  8. ^ Hiltbrand, David (October 22, 2006). "One fast foodie". Charlotte Observer.
  9. ^ Jacobs, Laura (September 11, 2007). "Just Say Yum-O!". vanityfair.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2009. Retrieved October 4, 2009.
  10. ^ "Rachel Ray talks about life and Lake George".
  11. ^ MARGIOTTA, CHRISTINE (April 19, 2005). "Sutton's Marketplace co-owner dies at 52". Glens Falls Post-Star. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
  12. ^ "Sutton's Market Place". Food Network. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
  13. ^ Kennedy, Sarah (June 22, 2013). "5 Reasons Rachael Ray Loves Lake George". What's New In Lake George NY: Fun Events, News & More!. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
  14. ^ The People in Rach's Neighborhood, November 3, 2012, retrieved March 22, 2022
  15. ^ a b c Severson, Kim (October 19, 2005). "Being Rachael Ray: How Cool Is That?". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 22, 2006. Retrieved August 4, 2005.
  16. ^ Keel, Beverly (October 19, 2005). "Rachael Ray's Recipe for Success". NewYorkTimes.com. Archived from the original on July 29, 2017. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
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  18. ^ "$40 a Day (TV Series 2002– ) - IMDb". IMDb.
  19. ^ Pellettieri, Jill Hunter (July 13, 2005). "Rachael Ray – Why food snobs should stop picking on her". Slate Magazine. Archived from the original on January 15, 2007. Retrieved January 15, 2007.
  20. ^ "Rachael-isms (from Every Day with Rachael Ray)". RachaelRayMag.com. November–December 2005. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2009.
  21. ^ Food Network humor Archived May 13, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  22. ^ "Adding a Little E-V-O-O...to the Dictionary!". RachaelRayShow.com. December 5, 2006. Archived from the original on December 24, 2007. Retrieved March 2, 2007.
  23. ^ Stacy Jenel Smith. From Rachael Ray to Mary J., Celebrity Word-Making, an EVOO Trend Archived July 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Netscape.com. Accessed November 24, 2009.
  24. ^ Ray, Rachael (2013). The Book of Burger. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781476744735. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  25. ^ Barnes, Brooks (September 21, 2006). "TV Syndication's Ray of Hope?". The Wall Street Journal.
  26. ^ Benson, Jim (December 4, 2005). "King World OKs Production on Ray". Broadcasting & Cable. Archived from the original on July 15, 2006. Retrieved January 15, 2007.
  27. ^ "Entertainment Index". ABC News. Archived from the original on March 10, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  28. ^ "Rachael's Vacation with Rachael Ray". Archived from the original on September 15, 2008.
  29. ^ ""Viva Daisy!" Rachael Ray, Daisy Martinez Cooking Up New Latino Food Show". Huffington Post. January 8, 2009. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  30. ^ "Rachael Ray's Week in a Day". Rotten Tomatoes.
  31. ^ "Rachael Ray's Week in a Day". PopSugar. October 2014.
  32. ^ "Rachael vs. Guy Celebrity Cook-Off on Food Network – FN Dish – Food Network Blog". July 29, 2011. Archived from the original on January 19, 2012. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
  33. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Rachael Ray Spills on Her Surprise 'Gilmore Girls' Role Filling in For Melissa McCarthy!". November 26, 2016. Archived from the original on July 27, 2019. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  34. ^ Sneak Peek Of Rachael's Role In Halloween Episode Of Butterbean's Café On Nick Jr., October 4, 2019, archived from the original on October 7, 2019, retrieved October 7, 2019
  35. ^ March 04, Emlyn Travis; EST, 2023 at 11:52 AM. "Rachael Ray is ending her daytime talk show after 17 seasons". EW.com. Retrieved March 9, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  36. ^ McFadden, Cynthia. "Rachael Ray: "I Don't Regret a Thing."". Nightline. ABC News. Archived from the original on August 6, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  37. ^ Shea, Danny (March 2, 2009). "Rachael Ray Defends FHM Shoot: "I'd Do It Again Tomorrow" (Photos, Video)". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on September 28, 2017. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  38. ^ Meredith to Acquire Every Day with Rachael Ray Archived October 17, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, PR Newswire, October 12, 2011
  39. ^ "Rachael Ray Debuts at WestPoint". Home Textiles Today. February 2007. Archived from the original on October 15, 2007. Retrieved September 5, 2007.
  40. ^ "WestPoint helps Rachael Ray mop up". Home Textiles Today. August 9, 2007. Archived from the original on October 15, 2007. Retrieved September 5, 2007.
  41. ^ Reidy, Chris (March 9, 2007). "The new face of Dunkin' Donuts". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on August 22, 2007. Retrieved September 5, 2007.
  42. ^ Sprague, Tibet. "A (Rachael) Ray to light up the jewelry district". Providence Daily Dose.com. Archived from the original on September 5, 2008. Retrieved October 7, 2008.
  43. ^ "AT&T and LimeLife Launch New Mobile Application 'Rachael Ray Recipes on the Run'". AT&T Corporate News Room. May 23, 2007. Archived from the original on October 15, 2007. Retrieved September 5, 2007.
  44. ^ "A Rachael Ray Food Truck for the Dogs". Associated Press. October 17, 2012. Archived from the original on October 18, 2012. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  45. ^ "Rachael Ray and Del Webb Team Up!". 55places.com. December 29, 2016. Archived from the original on March 28, 2017. Retrieved March 27, 2017.
  46. ^ Experts Media (October 19, 2005). "Being Rachael Ray: How Cool Is That?". Experts Media. Archived from the original on February 23, 2007. Retrieved January 15, 2007.
  47. ^ Hill, Michael (January 27, 2006). "Rachael Ray expands her reach". Archived from the original on August 11, 2014. Retrieved January 15, 2007. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  48. ^ "Warren County Sheriff told: Rachel Ray's house on fire". KRON-TV. August 9, 2020. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  49. ^ Respers France, Lisa (August 10, 2020). "Rachael Ray and family safe after house fire". CNN. Archived from the original on August 11, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  50. ^ "Rachael Ray's 12-Year Marriage Has Had So Many Ups And Downs". Delish. April 25, 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  51. ^ Huddleston, Justina (September 26, 2019). "Rachael Ray Reveals The Reason She Didn't Have Kids". Mashed. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  52. ^ Okeke, Rose (June 10, 2023). "Rachael Ray Chose Not To Have Children For A Logical Reason". The List. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  53. ^ Silverman, Rachel (June 17, 2009). "Rachael Ray and Being Childfree By Choice". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on January 27, 2024. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  54. ^ "Rachael Ray's Yum-o". Archived from the original on July 1, 2010.
  55. ^ Hirsch, J.M. (April 25, 2007). "Rachael Ray launches charity and teams with Bill Clinton to get kids eating healthier". North County Times. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved September 5, 2007.
  56. ^ "UCCA & Rachael Ray Support UNBROKEN". Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  57. ^ Batali, Mario (April 30, 2006). "Rachael Ray". Time Magazine. Archived from the original on May 15, 2006. Retrieved January 15, 2007.
  58. ^ "#79 Rachael Ray – The 2009 Celebrity 100". Forbes. June 3, 2009. Archived from the original on December 21, 2010. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  59. ^ "Rachael Takes the Ride of Fame". May 25, 2010. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
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