Her beautiful smile, her infectious laughter, and most of all, her amazing kitchen abilities. Want to know who she is? Read on to know more about this amazing woman: Rachael Ray.

Rachael Who?

Rachael Domenica Ray was born to a family of cooks in August 25, 1968 in Glens Falls, New York. She and her siblings, Emmanuel and Maria, grew up in Lake George, New York. Her family was into the food business and they owned several restaurants in Cape Cod. Her maternal grandfather was the main cook of a family of 12. The father’s side, on the other hand, specializes in Louisiana cooking.

When she turned 8, her family moved to upstate New York where her mother worked for a chain of restaurants as a food supervisor. Rachael’s first job in New York City was at the candy counter of Macy’s Marketplace where she also became the manager of the Fresh Foods Department. From 1995, she worked in New York until she got tired of the city life and moved back in 1997 to Lake George where she managed restaurants and pubs at the Sagamore Resort.

The Humble Beginnings of Chef Rachael

Rachael first took on the responsibilities as a chef when she became the food buyer at Cowan & Lobel in Albany, New York. With prepared dishes becoming more popular, the grocery store sales began to decline. When she asked why her customers did not do grocery and cook their own food, the majority said they had no time and that it was easier to cook already prepared meals.

In an effort to boost the grocery store’s sales, she made coupons for a series of “30-minute Mediterranean Meals” cooking classes. She sold all the coupons but could not find a chef willing to teach the classes for a low price. When she consulted her boss, he suggested that Rachael teach the classes herself because she was a good cook and that she could pretty much do anything in a span of 30 minutes. Lacking the formal education as a chef, she did not think she could be a teacher.

When word of her classes spread around, it reached the executives at WRGB-TV in Albany-Schenectady, New York. She was offered a weekly cooking segment called “30-Minute Meals” during the evening news which won two Emmy’s in its first year and locally sold 10,000 copies of its companion cookbook during the holidays.

Rachael Ray Montage

A Star is Born

Rachael Ray then began a series of lifestyle and travel segments and developed a long-term affiliation with the Food Network. She hosted shows like “Tasty Travels”, “$40 a Day”, and “Inside Dish”. Her “30-Minute Meals” series inspired a bestselling series of cookbooks focusing on dishes that can be prepared in 30 minutes. Her latest books include “Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats, A Year of Deliciously Different Dinners” and “Express Lane Meals” which teaches readers to breeze through the grocery store and prepare a delicious meal with just 10 ingredients or less.

Her most famous daytime talk show, The Rachael Ray Show, was made possible by collaborating with Oprah Winfrey and King World Productions. It debuted in the United States and Canada on September 18, 2006. During her TV shows, Rachael has popularized many catchphrases like “so delish”, “yum-o” and EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil) which has in fact been added to the list of new words by Oxford American College Dictionary.

Rachael also became an endorser of Price Chopper supermarkets, Burger King, Nabisco crackers, and many more. She was seen in many other talk shows like Larry King Live and the Late Show with David Letterman. She also affixed her name to a line of cutlery and cookware.

Rachael Ray’s popularity and appeal comes from the fact that she did not have any formal training but her love for cooking and her simple approach to everyday problem-solving has won and is still winning the hearts of many of her viewers and readers.

Many people derive inspiration from this naturally talented cook. So why not watch her shows or read her books? Let this ray of sunshine brighten up your kitchen and your life at home