Rachael Ray - Taking over the World, One 30 Minute Meal at a Time

by Libby Pelham | More from this Blogger

11 Jan 2006 10:30 AM

I love Rachael Ray and have been a fan of hers for a while now. Anyone that can help me put a delightful meal for my family on the dinner table in thirty minutes is my hero! So who is the woman behind the meals, the cookbooks, and the daytime talk show deal with Oprah? Let's find out more about Rachael Ray!

Rachael Ray literally grew up in a restaurant. Her family owned several restaurants then her mother worked as a food supervisor for a chain of restaurants and Rachael often went along with her. Her grandfather on her mom's side was a great cook and her father's family taught her the joys of Cajun cooking.

Rachael started at Macy's Marketplace in New York City. After working as the manager of the fresh food department, she helped open the gourmet marketplace Agata & Valentina. Moving back to upstate New York, Rachael managed several restaurants and began teaching cooking classes. This was the beginning of 30 Minute Meals. First covered by local media, and then becoming a weekly local segment on the news, 30 Minute Meals grew into the major success it is today. In addition to 30 Minute Meals on the Food Network, Rachael is also the host of $40 a Day (how to find great restaurants in different cities on $40 a day), Inside Dish (where Rachael visits celebrities homes and kitchens), and Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels (sharing tasty travel tips).

Rachael also has a number of cookbooks on the market and will be hosting her own daytime talk show in the fall of 2006. Rachael even has her own bimonthly magazine, Rachael Ray Magazine.

Despite all her success, Rachael has critics. Many people dismiss her cooking because she uses boxed ingredients and avoids specialty foods in her recipes. Some think she acts juvenile, but I think she is very entertaining. And as for her recipes? They are for real people like me who does not have time to make everything from scratch. If you get time, check out some of her recipes online at the Food Network.

Learn more about Libby Pelham

Libby Pelham is a work-at-home mom located in Jacksonville, NC. She has a beautiful little boy, Will, born in July of 2004.

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