Rachael Domenica Ray (born August 25, 1968) is an American television personality, chef and author. She hosts the syndicated talk and lifestyle program Rachael Ray and three Food Network series, 30 Minute Meals, Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels and $40 a Day. Ray wrote cookbooks based on the 30 Minute Meals concept, and launched a magazine, Every Day with Rachael Ray, in 2006.

Personal life

She was born in Glens Falls, New York, to Elsa Scuderi, an Italian (Sicilian) American and James Ray, who is of French, Scottish and Welsh descent. Ray grew up in Lake George, New York. Her family owned a restaurant on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, called the Carvery, and her mother managed restaurants in upstate New York.

Her first job was at the candy counter at Macy's in New York City, where she eventually managed the fresh foods department. She later helped open a New York City market. Moving back to upstate New York, 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 thirty minutes. 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 appearance and the publication of her first book, led to a Today show spot and her first Food Network contract in 2001.

On September 24, 2005 in Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, Ray married John Cusimano, a lawyer and lead singer of the rock band The Cringe. She owns homes in Lake Luzerne, New York, and Manhattan's Greenwich Village.

Career

Cooking

Ray teaches simple recipes that she claims can be prepared in 30 minutes or less, although critics claim that her 30-minute concept does not account for preparation times and meals cannot be completed in half an hour. The best time a reviewer managed was 49 minutes.

Ray says that her Sicilian maternal grandfather, Emmanuel Scuderi, and her Cajun ancestry serve as a strong influence on her cooking. She uses ingredients such as fresh herbs, garlic and chicken stock to boost flavors. She believes that measuring "takes away from the creative, hands-on process of cooking" and instead favors approximations such as "half a palmful".To critics of her shortcut techniques, Ray responds, "I have no formal anything. I'm completely unqualified for any job I've ever had." She acknowledges that she cannot bake (because it requires measured ingredients), that she cannot make coffee, and that she burns bread under the broiler.

On her television programs, she has coined catch phrases such as "EVOO" (extra-virgin olive oil), "yum-o", "G.B." (garbage bowl), "Oh my gravy!", "entréetizer" (entrée-sized appetizer), and "stoup" (cross between a soup and stew). In 2007, The Oxford American College Dictionary announced the addition of the term EVOO (short for extra virgin olive oil), which Ray has helped to popularize, and credited her with coining the phrase.

The set of 30 Minute Meals uses a yellow Model 61C Chambers stove from the 1950s, notable for its top-opening broiler, super-insulated oven, and unique Thermowell.

On November 12, 2006, Ray and Mario Batali defeated the team of Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis on an episode of Iron Chef America during which cranberries were the secret ingredient. On March 18, 2007, Food Network debuted a Rachael Ray episode of its special Chefography series, on which she stated that "the worst day of (her) life" was Iron Chef America, admitting to being anxious about it weeks before.

Television

In 2005, Ray signed a deal with Oprah Winfrey and King World Productions to host a syndicated daytime TV talk show. The show, Rachael Ray, premiered on September 18, 2006. 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. 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."

Ray has appeared on The View, The Today Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and Larry King Live.

For Sesame Street’s 38th season, Ray appeared in an episode to present "pumpernickel" as the word of the day.

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

In 2008 Ray became a producer of a Latin cooking show on the Food Network called Viva Daisy!. The show starred Daisy Martínez.

In August 2009, Ray appeared as herself on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire for charity for Yum-O! and her own charity for animal rescue with Regis Philbin.

Magazines

In 2003, she posed for the men's magazine FHM. A writer for The New York Times wrote, "The shots feature Ray in short-shorts with an exposed midriff, licking chocolate off a big wooden spoon, eating a strawberry and sitting in a sink, laughing as suds cascade down her thighs."In a March 2009 interview with Nightline co-anchor Cynthia McFadden, Ray defended her decision to pose provocatively in men's magazine FHM in 2003, when she was 35 years old.

The Reader's Digest Association launched Ray's eponymous magazine, Every Day with Rachael Ray on October 25, 2005. The magazine featured seven issues in 2006, and increased to ten issues in 2007.

Product endorsements

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

In February 2007, WestPoint Home launched sheets, blankets, and coverlets designed by Ray. 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.

In March 2007, the Dunkin' Donuts company announced Rachel as its celebrity endorser. As part of a promotional campaign, Ray describes the company's coffee as "fantabulous". Celebrity chef and Travel Channel personality Anthony Bourdain has referred to Ray's affiliation with Dunkin' Donuts as "evil", and that it is like "endorsing crack for kids."

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

In July 2008, Rachael Ray Nutrish pet food was introduced. The dog foods are created from recipes that Ray developed for her pit bull, Isaboo. All proceeds from the sale of these products go to Rachael's Rescue, a charity founded by Ray to help at-risk animals.

Awards and recognition

• 2004, ranked #92 on "FHM-U.S.'s 100 Sexiest Women 2004"
• 2006, ranked #71 on "FHM-U.S.'s 100 Sexiest Women 2006"
• 2006, 30 Minute Meals received a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Service Show. Ray was also nominated for Outstanding Service Show Host.
• 2006, named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people. She was nominated by fellow Food Network star Mario Batali.
• 2006, according to Forbes magazine, Ray earned about $6 million June 2005-June 2006 from her books and television shows (excluding her new series, Rachael Ray).
• February 21, 2007, Ray announced on her show that a wax creation was made of her and that this wax figure will be on display at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in New York City.
• 2007, nominated for Daytime Emmy Award, Outstanding Talk Show Host
• April 2007, Ray launched a charity, "The Yum-O! Organization", with help from Bill Clinton, to help children eat healthier.
• June 2008, The Rachael Ray Show received a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show/Entertainment
• June 2008, according to Forbes magazine, Ray earned about $18 million June 2007-June 2008
• June 2009, according to Forbes magazine, Ray earned about $15 million in the year ending June 2009, as well as naming her as the 79th most powerful celebrity in the world.
• August 2009, The Rachael Ray Show received a second Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show/Entertainment

Charity work

Ray's nonprofit, "Yum-O organization", launched in 2006, aims to help children and families develop a healthy relationship with food. The organization introduces children and families to the kitchen, helps combat childhood hunger in the U.S., and raises money for food-based educational programs and scholarships.

Bibliography

• 30 Minute Meals (1999)
• 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)
• $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: 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)

References

1. (registration required)
2. Stacy Jenel Smith. From Rachael Ray to Mary J., Celebrity Word-Making, an EVOO Trend. Netscape.com. Accessed 2009-11-24.
3. ABC News: Rachael Ray Has New Food Network Series
4. Rachael's Vacation with Rachael Ray
5. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/08/viva-daisy-rachael-ray-da_n_156360.html
6. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/02/rachael-ray-defends-fhm-s_n_171132.html
7. Top 100 Celebrities - Rachel Ray (2006). Forbes. Accessed 2007-06-26.
8. http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/53/celebrities08_Rachael-Ray_1CT5.html
9. http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/53/celebrity-09_Rachael-Ray_1CT5.html
10. Yum-O Website http://www.yum-o.org Retrieved November 8, 2008

External links

• Rachael Ray's official site