Rachael Ray

Rachael Ray has parlayed her cooking birthright into a wildly successful career as a syndicated television star, an iconic Food Network television personality, bestselling cookbook author and director of her own lifestyle magazine, “Every Day with Rachael Ray.”

Ray managed restaurants at the famed Sagamore resort on Lake George. From there, she created cooking classes at Cowan & Lobel in Albany. That’s how WRGB-TV discovered Ray and signed her on to do the weekly “30-Minute Meals” segment for the evening news. Nominated for two regional Emmys in the first year, the segment was a major success; a companion cookbook sold 10,000 copies locally during the holidays, and a franchise was born!

Ray’s television show “30-Minute Meals” earned a 2006 Daytime Emmy Award. Her daytime syndicated talk show, “Rachael Ray,” launched in the fall of 2006, and is credited with getting America back in the kitchen with her easy approach to cooking. Her nonprofit organization, Yum-o!, empowers kids and their families to develop healthy relationships with food and cooking.