You go, Rachel! I never quite understood why some people had an issue with her. She turned me onto non fussy cooking and her recipes were always solid and dependable! And she's fun! This article exposed me to so much more I never knew about this cool chick! Rock on, sweetie. You're doing everything right!
3
Ten + years later and I still make her stuffed flank steak with Parmesan mashed on the side, a mushrooms and kale dish and also, broccoli with red pepper flakes.
1
I was a skeptic and a snob about Ms. Ray for years. Thank you for writing this piece and showing us the error of our ways.
4
Haven't seen RR for probably ten plus years. And yes, she has aged exactly how I'd expect a North American woman to age.
I want to be like Rachael Ray!
7
I continued to read the article.
And for all my skepticism, all of my EVOO angst, I found a kinship with this woman.
The photo of the Sharpie marker on her notebook.
That was all I needed.
Rock on Rachel!
10
Love her or hate her, she's lasted a very long time in a TV market where middle-aged, non-model women are either "props", ignored or just background. She's made her own millions, owns her own content, and does whatever she says and wants to say and do.
Maybe she is a miserable diva, maybe she is a patronizing cow, but there is still a lot to be admired
13
Not sure why this puff piece was in the times, because it isn't for her cooking.. Perhaps she could deal with her reputation for treating people better. "Ray is known to be a diva off set. Audience members at her shows have complained about her attitude, waitstaff have accused her of being a bad customer, and during one of her tours, Ray allegedly had it out with a hotel concierge, reportedly stating, "I need stupid people not to talk to me."
1
Unattributed quote? Seriously?
21
EVOO is not a term coined by Racheal Ray as Ms. Severson implies:
"...her [Ray] own EVOO — her phrase for extra-virgin olive oil, which was added to the Oxford American College Dictionary in 2007."
Professional kitchens began using the EVOO abbreviation long before Ms. Ray popped into the cooking scene. It's this kind of incorrect attribution, and lack of research and professional rigor, that professional cooks find frustrating about Ms. Ray.
I get what she's trying to do and I don't wish her ill will...but she really doesn't have the chops. And, to claim EVOO as her term? That's just not true.
6
I doubt she claims EVOO as her term. I think that was likely a poor sentence structure by the writer. She did, however, make it popular for all of us home cooks.
5
What caught my eye is this fabulous article? A small commercial dishwasher that washes dishes in 90 seconds. Could we have a Times wirecutter feature on those??
30
Had to cringe when I read her comments about not caring about her money. Not only is that a very privileged way to live, it's not very smart. I hope she has a good accountant.
14
That is one smart lady.
Rachael and Kim.
7
Rather a softball bordering on kick/T -Ball of an article . The bright star of her career somewhat dimmer, the often reported dynamics of her marriage made to sound like a slightly unorthodox but ultimately "awwww cute" ultimately doesnt matter as It is all good in Ray-land.
3
You go, Rachael! I've always enjoyed your shows, and admired your common sense approach to cooking. Your story is inspiring, and your generosity towards charity as well as your friends is heart warming. I applaud your success and your spirit. We need more of you.
As for the haters who have posted mean comments here, there are always those little minded people who through envy and spite must always heap scorn on someone else's hard earned good fortune.
19
I always liked Rachel Ray, and now I do even more. What a sweet, kind, loving and positive force she is. Thank you for this lovely non-snarky profile.
26
Just as our world is a mosaic so is cooking and Rachel Ray is an important part of cooking’s mosaic. I’ve always enjoyed her programs and her wonderful smile and infectious joy that went with her cooking. I hope she continues to be an important voice in cooking.
7
Thank you Ms. Severson for this article about Rachael Ray.
While I learned to cook 60 years ago from a balanced diet of books, Fannie Farmer, Julia (Child & Moskin) & Jacques Pepin, Ms. Ray taught me many needed tips. My neighbors daughters had parties based on 30-Minute Meals & now they are happily married raising families and still cooking. My second daughter loves & shares Rachael’s newer recipes.
Congratulations on your success, Rachael. I hope you stay happy & in love. Thank you.
14
Back when Food Network or Cooking or whatever they are called were about cooking, Rachel Ray was an instructional and inspirational teacher. Why she was criticized by some for not being a "chef" was always absurd and more about the attitudes of some who don't actually like food and teaching and eating, but like performance and food as art (I think that's obscene). Long ago there was a cook who was from Canada, Pasquale something, who reminded me of Rachel Ray - after watching him cook, one wanted to go to the kitchen and cook and serve family and eat! Rachel Ray has an appreciation for food, for common sense cooking and respect for her viewers.
19
Rachel Ray was so kind to me when I was her waitress. And very generous. You know she’s good people. Have to respect that.
47
in 2004 when I was recuperating from a medical issue, my husband--who never cooks--cooked dinner for me. He made Ms. Ray's linguine with clams. It was a hit and has a permanent place in my cookbook, of course I'm the one making it now. It's one of my most used recipes and the original paper is stained and torn from much use. I make it pretty much as written, only adding more red pepper and substituting dry vermouth if I'm out of white wine. I keep tins of good anchovies in my pantry just for this recipe. I hate grocery shopping so I let my fridge and pantry get pretty bare and the simplicity of Ms. Ray's recipes is why I go to her when I need to make something out of almost nothing. Ms. Ray would have a tremendous impact whatever she chooses to do. Cooking is in her blood and I hope she keeps it food-centered.
20
Several years ago I was celebrating my birthday in an unnamed restaurant in Trastevere, when I noticed unusual floor traffic at a side table. I asked the maitre( owner's son) what was happening and he replied: "oh, that's Rachel; she's family!".
Sure enough, several minutes later, Mom, in her chef whites, came to the table with a special plate and new bottle of wine to catch up over the next 20 minutes.
I had 3 lasting impressions:
Sure am glad we picked this restaurant.
Part of her success is graceful interaction with her public.
She cleans up nicely and has a lovely alternate wardrobe to the denims.
24
I've promoted cookbooks for decades. I remember Rachael Ray's big years of stardom and the anger and envy it generated. But I also watched her shows and marveled at her common sense, and can-do spirit. She was teaching people how to cook, which has disappeared for the most part during prime time on the Food Network, replaced by silliness, cupcake wars, and other game-show nonsense. Ray's menus were focused on whole foods, with no convenience products stuffed with hidden fats and preservatives. She delivered her message in a friendly you-can-do-this way. She's been doing this for a long time, and has my sincere admiration.
78
Yes, to all, and much of what you describe is because she's Italian. Sensible, healthy way to cook and eat with the foundation being the family.
7
"She is developing a gardening line and designing handbags, both expensive ones with hand-dyed Italian leather and more affordable vegan models aimed at millennials."
"This year’s theme was hot dogs, and featured mini vegan corn dogs with tomatillo gazpacho shooters and Hebrew Nationals in various stages of dress."
So. She knows what vegan is. And she says she cares about animals, at least those she doesn't cook and eat. Maybe if she stopped gushing and rushing and gave her weird disconnect some thought, she might decide to cook more veggies and eat fewer corpses.
9
A. Groundling,
this is a mean comment.
12
Rachael earned the comment and has a reputation for being mean.
1
Please explain.
I am a contemporary of Rachael Ray's mom. And I cringe at the description of her being "carted around" by her daughter.
21
I am another fan who learned to cook by watching 30 Minute Meals in the mid 2000s. What I love about her show, which a 30 second Tasty video totally lacks, is that you learn how to handle yourself in the kitchen. How to chop, how to best use your time (put pasta water on to boil then start chopping!), what meat and vegetables look like at various stages of doneness, and so much more.
In fact the non-fancy aspect of her recipes is great too. She never uses crazy ingredients, or puts something in the oven and pulls out one that's ready from 2 hrs ago. So you really know that you, the average beginner cook, can make the food and how long it really takes.
Thanks Rachael for all your hard work, you seem like a really great and generous person. I really appreciate you teaching me to cook!!
40
"dish machine"
What is a "dish machine"?
Dishwasher?
3
A dish machine is a manually operated dish washer that your feed thirty to forty plates or glasses and cups through in plastic racks at a time in one end and out the other. It is used in high volume situations like restaurants. My first job was in a truck stop near Pittsburgh in the early 60's and I operated said device for about eight months.
15
I operated one too, del s - in high school at a knock-off of a Friendly’s, and later at a string of restos in nyc - and we called it a “dishwasher” in every one.
1
Hmm, they were always called dish machines in the kitchens I worked in. Although they performed the same job as a residential dishwasher, they got it done in a different manner. They were big, fast, and noisy. And, steamy! Standing in front of it was the one job people working in the dishroom would try to avoid getting stuck with on a summer day. In smaller restaurants, everybody pitched in when a rack would fill up, and a cook or server would send it through, and someone else might pull the rack out to cool. And it's not a regional thing, I'm on the west coast - and that equipment was never, ever referred to as a "dishwasher".
3
Poor girl makes good. Really, really good, with no " small loan " from Dad, or scheming and scamming. And the best part is the charity work. Actual, worthwhile WORK, not padding your own pockets for publicity. You go, Girl.
And go for a long, long time. Best wishes.
50
Rachel, Ask Billy Joel, watch the books!
17
I heard the day she presented Howard Stern and his wife Beth a check for $500,000 to the North Shore Animal League. They were floored and I thought wow that dog food must really be a hit. Apparently after selling 650 million worth in 2017 it is.. She gives away money and that is nice to hear. I like to hear about a dishwasher from humble beginnings who worked hard and carved out a nice life and is giving back. I think that is the real story.
64
I liked Ms. Ray's shows over the years. My late mother was a big fan of them and so is my wife as well. When they get together, they always talk about her recipes and her cookware. For Ms. Ray, keep on keeping on and don't let the critics and food snobs bring you down. You shine in your own light because you made your way into the good life. Hug Isaboo for me because she's such sweet dog. You always talk about her and bring her on your shows sometimes.
13
Her baby words like "Nutrish" (UGH!) and "EVOO" (FEH!) revolt me, but she is a great practical cook that knows how to teach average Americans how to cook and I respect her for that. But I'd much rather read her cookbooks than watch her, it tones down the saccharine.
6
Good for Rachel. She sounds like someone we need more of in our broken society. MAKE SOMEONE HAPPY is a good motto. i learned to cook from my mother, the Victory Edition (1943, the year I was born) of the American Woman's Cookbook and a little bit of Fanny farmer and others. Sadly, I have not read Ms Ray's books but the whole point is to enjoy what you do. The French know it--watch any French movie and there are always people having dinner. Food is really a big part of life. apparently our MACPRESIDENT hasn't discovered that yet along with more things about being civilized.
5
I've asked for it here before and will ask again; would the NYT please give up the backstory on how, and for how much $$, these front page advert promos masquerading as stories come to be?
6
I read this story in the FOOD section. And get informed on how print and digital NEWS outlets make their money, you crank.
9
Yes and she's sitting all alone behind a heavy metal fence... Don't kid me - this woman is all alone and not happy.
1
Nice. But if she can afford a private jet to fly a pit bull back and forth to Italy, it would be nicer if she used some of that wealth to make the world a better, more just place. Hmmm, maybe donate to an environmental group or a gun-control lobby? These two issues may have relatively less relevance if you live 199 acres upstate. But I would wager that the matter -- a lot -- to Ms. Ray's neighbors in the Village.
3
Apparently you didn't read far enough to see that she has two foundations. One for animals funded by proceeds from the Nutrish brand, and the other for nutrition-related causes.
Time's up on the high horse. You can get down now.
35
Hear, hear!
2
I LOVE Rachel Ray, but please do not move to Austin.
That place is full of the self-righteous who continually tell you how hip they are, and you aren't because you don't live there.
Please don't get sucked in by their egomania, Rachel. Stay in your cabin and visit AusTex when you can.
5
Umm...she doesn't care about or watch her finances? Bad idea, Rachael. You had better keep your eyes on, and your hands in your money. Or one day we'll be reading how your money disappeared.
21
I still adore Rachael. I learned so much from 30 minute meals, its still a favorite of mine. I love her down to earth and non-chef style!
10
She does not look healthy. I wish some of these chefs would at least explore a whole food plant based diet and do some recipes on their shows for those of us not eating animal products or at least trying to eat LESS animal products.
5
How cool to hear she is the real deal...enjoying and doing what she loves because she loves it..not for the money. I'd love to have her come to our bakery sometime and personally hang with her. I love to hear of her kindness and generosity. That is why many of us get into the food business. To bless others by our cooking/baking.
8
Not a fan, but I hope for her sake that she gets good financial advice. People who have the attitude that "I don't know how much I have" sometimes end up broke because they gave it all away.
7
When I was in my early 20s before law school, I use to work at a salon Rachael would visit. She was always so nice, remembered everyone’s name, made sure we all received Christmas presents (12 bottles of the best wine and champagne for the big boss) and the list goes on and on. She always asked me about me and made me feel important. I was always a huge fan of hers as a little kid so I was completely starstruck at first. All I can say is Rachael is the real deal! She’s really hilarious and a straight shooter.
77
Interesting! She was always so nice on that silly show Worst Cooks in America. While Anne Burrell was screaming, Rachel was trying to teach them.
4
When I was a busy mom working and cooking for my family, I grew tired of trying to figure out what to make for dinner every night. Everything took so long to prepare and cook. We did a lot of pasta dinners. When I started watching Ray's 30 Minute Meals show I was inspired and began trying new recipes and not resorting to take out food so often. I thank Rachel for that. I know we ate better, healthier, food because she made it look so easy and delicious.
41
I’ve been watching Chef’s Table on Netflix. That’s the kind of show about food I like. The art, the incredible technique; it’s amazing to watch. And yet I have very little desire to eat at restaurants like Noma or Alinea. I’d rather eat the kind of stuff Racheal Ray cooks. I just don’t get interested in watching people cook it.
Oh yeah, and thanks for reminding me how terrible South by Southwest is now.
8
I don't know how she does it, coming up with new stuff every day. Kudos to her!
23
My husband learned to cook real food from Rachel Ray's 30-minute meals. It usually took him longer than that, but at least he was able to feed the boys something other than Hamburger Helper.
The favorites (out of many) were chicken, wine and leeks, and porkchops with apples, mustard and cream. My husband learned to peel apples and wash leeks! Thank you, Rachel!
44
Rachel Ray has offered some very good ideas and some very bad ideas in her cooking programs over the past decades, but one good idea I will be always grateful for is the simple suggestion of placing a "garbage bowl" near my work space as I do my cutting, chopping and prep work. I can't even guess at the amount of time I have saved or the amount of hot water and soap that I have saved by not having to carry each individual item of trash over to the bin or garbage compactor as I cook, which then required me to wash my hands using lots of hot water and soap before I could return to my cooking. Now everything goes in the garbage bowl to be thrown away at the end of the project. So thanks to her, and I wish her well.
67
It's a shame that you didn't move the vegetable scarps to a compost or worm bin.
4
I watched Rachel Ray all throughout high school and, now, in my mid-30s, I feel like I am much more confident cook than many of my friends and I attribute much of that comfort in the kitchen to Rachel. She totally took the mystique out of cooking for me and helped me really enjoy the process of cooking and the ability of food to bring people together and be happy.
Thank you, Rachel, from a real life Millenial :)
37
So what if Rachel's not a fancy chef. I've only watched her show a few times, but I enjoyed it because she understands that eating together with family and friends is what makes food so good. Most of us understand this naturally, just, for example, by recalling how much you enjoyed that cheese sandwich your aunt would make for you.
Contrast Rachel Ray's show with the joyless Christopher Kimball (of Cook's Illustrated) program I used to listen to on NPR. He and his partner on the show made every cooking exercise seem like a dreaded mechanical chore. Yea, maybe he and his radio partner may have been cooking experts, but not a smile to be found or experienced.
59
What device are you listening on that detects smiles? Where may I purchase one?
6
Completely on point. Meanwhile, go back to new episodes of America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Country since Kimball left. The remaining hosts are having FUN!! and Kimball's new venture, Milk Street, is, if possible, even more joyless than his earlier efforts.
20
@Molly Bloom: I can't speak for Oswego, but I watch Christopher Kimball regularly on PBS where his "Cooks illustrated" has a show -- America's Test Kitchen, now Milk Street -- and Oswego is dead on. Kimball is stiff, unpleasant, unsmiling and makes cooking food seem complicated, rigid, miserable and unpleasant. He's like the Opposite World version of Rachel Ray.
3
It's gratifying to read that Rachel Ray is happy and doing well. I made a couple of her 30 Minute Meals -- though they took me more than an hour to prepare, at least they got me started in the kitchen and not ordering in or eating pizza on the run. Anyone who inspires us to get into the kitchen and do it ourselves is A-OK in my book.
Good on you, Rachel Ray!
53
Still remember the travel show she did for Food Network. The places were awesome, but over half the time she did not tip in order to keep the dollar limit of $25(?)
14
If you're referring to international locales, you know that tipping practices are far different from those in the US.
14
I think it was $50.00 I enjoyed that show immensely! Love Rachael.
4
No, she stiffed waiters in the U.S. too.
4
It's great that people are finding ways to enjoy cooking, but it makes me sad that as a nation we turn to someone so utterly uninformed and unqualified. There are so many talented and and inspiring people who actually know things about good food, as well as about teaching. Can't we give them our attention and our millions? We'll all eat better, we'll bring up the next generation on better food, and nations with real food cultures might even ridicule us less.
15
Sorry, PaulR, but few people have time for a Julia Child special on a weeknight (the movie notwithstanding). Rachel has rescued millions from takeout, frozen dinners, and supermarket sandwiches. That in itself is a great accomplishment.
71
Great article. Thanks for writing it and printing it. Like many commenters, I learned some basic cooking skills from watching Rachel on the Food Network. I can still hear her voice when I am chopping onions: Make round objects flat. Or when I am cooking mushrooms: Don't salt them until they have browned. She may not be a true chef, but she can cook everyday food. I appreciate that, along with her willingness to give back her time and money to people and animals.
53
One thing you can say about Rachel Ray - she always seems to be enjoying herself with whatever she's doing and in today's world - that's a wonderful thing.
85
I met Rachel Ray when she was doing a cooking demo at Grand Central Terminal, NYC. to promote her first book, 30-Minute Meals. She signed my book and complimented me on my name and smile. She has a beautiful smile and is very friendly and down to earth. I credit her with taking the mystique out of cooking, I was intimidated by it and she showed me that it is not intimidating at all. Thank You Rachel. She has a positive energy that is infectious.
65
Just imagine what would happen if she promoted a whole foods plant diet. She may just help a lot of people lower their cholesterol and lose weight!
11
There are chefs/cooks who already do so. As someone with lifelong food allergies,(none of them involving animal protein) I have learned to pick up what I want from whatever TV cook I watch, whether it's Ina Garden, Lorraine Pascal, or even Rachel Ray.
15
YES!!! I totally agree.
1
Having read her magazine and a few of her cookbooks, Ray is a die-hard OMNIVORE. She is not going vegan anytime in the future.
4
Ms. Ray is not my cup of tea in terms of the perky persona, but only a grinch or a snob would refuse to admit she teaches good basic technique, has solid flavor profiles in her recipes, and puts the focus on accessible cooking anyone can do anytime. I have given her books lots of times to technique challenged friends, and they have all come out of it better cooks.
78
She even makes bad dog food even as that adds to her millions. As PT Barnum remarked "there are suckers born every day"
2
My God LOVES the Pawsta bones. Loves them. He's 25 lbs, I split them in half
1
Ms Ray got me back into the joy of cooking with her winning smile so many years ago, with her skill in the kitchen and clear and concise instructions. She made it fun and exciting again. I'm so glad she is happy with her life. That she is looking to the next step is no surprise - you can't hold down a dynamic and effervescent soul such as Rachel Ray - she will keep on keeping on far beyond the rest of us. Kudos for a great article!
41
That her television show has been renewed for a thirteenth season is amazing. How many more ways can that woman find to cook pasta and hamburgers?
14
lets see, have you tried actually mixing seasoned Italian bread crumbs INTO the hamburger patties before your fry them--and of course use 73% because the taste is IN the fat---the 27% part is the best, with sliced pickles.
3
I understand some of the criticism of Rachel Ray, but she got me cooking when I was in grad school, and I'll always be grateful to her for that. Now food TV has become all about cooking competitions and glorification of modernist cuisine. I miss shows that actually taught you something useful.
83
What a great article by Ms. Severson. I'm not ashamed to say I learned basic cooking skills from Rachael Ray when I was a teenager. I used to love cookbooks from the library but never cooked from them. But then I started DVR-ing 30-Minute-Meals.
What people don't understand when they denigrate Ms. Ray as "dumbed down" is that she taught you many skills through daily repetition, plus info about solid kitchen equipment. I had never used a chef's knife but after seeing Ms. Ray use one every day, I bought a discounted one (Wustof) from Bed, Bath and Beyond & learned how to use it well. (My mom/grandma use steak knives only & still look at my chef's knife skeptically - but on holidays I have ALL the chopping duty now!)
She used Le Creuset pots, which I had never heard of, but I gradually built up a collection which all still look brand new, though years old. (From Le Creuset outlets and the discounter Tuesday Morning, which both sell irregulars; to verify they're the good stuff make sure they have the word "France" engraved/stamped on bottom; the cookware that doesn't is usually not usable in the oven; stove-top only.)
I have most of her cookbooks; I started getting them as gifts b/c people know I like her so much; her tasty, quick recipes give you confidence to try other people's recipes, too. Her expansion to other things is good - but I wish the now-flashy Food Network had room for instructional shows like Ms. Ray/Emeril/Sara Moulton had. Some would still find them useful.
106
Congrats on being the only one to spell Rachael's name correctly! :-) And I agree about missing the instructional shows.
18
Writer Kim -- left out RR's "laddie-boy" pictorial .. a technique that also greatly boosted Danica Patrick. Per the film "Jerry Maguire" -- it is show *business.*
RR is cool .. she puts the "perk" in "perky."
1
I don't know how she does it: giving the same instructions -- don't add salt until the water is boiling: it will scar the bottom of the pan... and sometimes I think there's way too much cheese, salt, and rotisserie chicken (ugh) - but she is an excellent cook and one can learn all kinds of good tips on how to make food taste good or even better.
Maybe she will start an orphanage like Oprah, take on world hunger (maybe S.A.?) for a project? I would like to see us overfed Americans more involved and with more opportunities to help our neighbors to the south (MX), who frankly are addicted to CocaCola and consequently suffer high rates of diabetes 2. How about healthy inexpensive eating everyday with RR? (When I read about someone who has created huge problems for themselves or others by terrible food choices -- I shudder.)
6
Have always loved RR. She is a genius who was able to demystify good food and how to cook it for the average home chef. I have learned a lot from her that I use in my home kitchen over the years. She is entirely unpretentious and I am not surprised she lives in a nice but modest for her means house in the woods. Keep up the good work, RR!
45
I've watched Ms. Ray since her early days on the Food Network. I've always enjoyed her shows and her bubbly persona. She drove my poor wife crazy until she started her own show, but even she has come around. May she live long and prosper!
31