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Why do people hate Rachael Ray? Is it because she's bubblier than a human-sized Alka Seltzer? Or so sunny that her television shows should come with skin-cancer warnings? Maybe it's her vowel-heavy, baby talk catchphrases, or her love of cuisine more suited to suburban block parties than fancy restaurants?
The reason Rachael Ray attracts so much scorn is because we hate it when nice people finish first. And finish first she has: Rachael Ray is a mini-empire unto herself. With multiple television shows, best-selling books, numerous endorsements and products and annual earnings upward of $15 million, she's a small-town girl who has done good on an epic scale.
Recently the doyenne of domesticity herself, Martha Stewart, was involved in a public dust-up with Ray, her homemaking rival. It was, of course, much ado about nothing. In an interview, Stewart pointed out that Ray is an entertainer, not the teacher Stewart sees herself as. And Ray responded graciously, pointing out that her skill sets are not as refined as Stewart's. It's true, of course. Martha Stewart could build a two-story gingerbread house fit for a fairytale witch with one hand, while rolling out a hectare of perfect puff pastry with the other. Rachael Ray still seems to have plateaued at the most lamentable food trend of the past two decades: the wrap.
Even still, Martha Stewart is easy to rally against. She comes off as an ice princess. And perhaps that's what it takes to spawn intimidatingly attractive pastries. She carries herself with the confidence of someone who knows they are good at something -- an insufferable trait, even if it's earned. Stewart does not come off as warm and accessible. But the history of artistic expression is full of prickly individuals who find redemption in their work. And in a way, the public demands that it's best come ready -- made with flaws. The former felon seems, especially these days, to be more human than ever.
Rachael Ray is doubly infuriating, because she just seems ... likable. She's the girl-next-door who could afford to buy the entire block. Her food is simple, designed to appeal to harried parents or busy singletons. It's middlebrow, useful fare -- casseroles, salads and pastas. Boring when compared to Stewart's studied craft. There's also a cursory nod toward "healthy," which is a code word for "diet." The bouncy way she chirps through recipes recalls those popular girls in high school who were always so blasted sweet to everyone. You loathed them for no good reason other than they seemed lucky, while you spent gym glass getting thwacked in the solar plexus by a rubber dodge ball.
But Ray's biggest social crime is her sincere earnestness. She is a woman devoid of "snark." The woman doesn't seem to have a sarcastic bone in her body or a sneer on her lip. Snark is wit without wisdom, criticism for the thin-skinned, a teenager's cruel judgment of a world that actually terrifies the brat. Which is why this daytime TV diva is mercilessly mocked – it's easy. Takes for example "Yum-O" -- that's something a technicolor cartoon bear would say. Rachael Ray is boldly goofy, and she is rewarded for it, as well as derided. She seems to have become successful because she's pleasant. Occasionally saccharine, sure, but not disingenuous. You know, nice. That runs counter to everything we're taught that behind every accomplished person is a jerk.
Think about that next time you're rolling your eyes at her "Irish Nachos."
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1-02-2010 @3:59PM Schmice said... Maybe you didn't follow the recipes. They are pretty basic. They are not intended to be gourmet meals. They are just plain everyday fare. Maybe you should look at the Silver Palate Cookbook and get your recipes there because you are obviously such a sophisticate. If you don't like Ms. Ray, don't watch.
1-02-2010 @6:53PM BSR said... Oh, I followed the recipes alright. With a family of four to feed daily, I'm all too happy to find simple, quick meals that are tasty and nutritious. I don't often have the time to go all Cordon Bleu in my kitchen. I and my family just didn't enjoy the results of Rachel's recipes.
Schmice, implying that I am a food snob or didn't follow the instructions because I didn't enjoy the same food you did is insulting and silly. If we all liked the same thing, this would be a very boring world, and we wouldn't have the wonderful variety of tastes and cuisines that is all around us.
And I don't watch Rachel. My initial post was that I tried some of her recipes, didn't enjoy them, and moved on. Nothing wrong with that. I don't begrudge her her success -- I'm just not one of her fans.
12-25-2009 @3:13AM jso said... Rachael Ray is frustrating because she is an intensely popular TV chef who really doesn't seem all that great at cooking.
She has some good ideas, and can execute them well, but I think some of her methods do more to mislead people than to educate.
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1-02-2010 @3:22PM hypervtwin said... thats because she is NOT a chef!! Ask Anthony Bourdaine!
12-24-2009 @4:57PM Kyle said... You can't blame Rachel Ray for her success. You can however blame her and the Food Network for propagating a bunch of these talent-less TV chefs and wannabe gourmands (Ted Allen and Alton Brown not included). There is such a thing as doing something bad. Food Network has committed a sin and caused the de-evolution of human-kind by teaching everyday home viewers that it is "OK" to put canned slop upon canned slop and calling that a gourmet meal.
The other people that I feel bad for are the actual true chefs on the show. Notice all the truly successful chefs have left the network and gone over to PBS. Do you think Eric Ripert would be caught dead judging a BBQ cook off or running around the United States looking at the different factories that make peanut butter? Now Emeril is gone, Mario Batali is gone, Jacques Torres (Dean of Pastry at the FCI), at his calibre wouldn't be caught dead wasting his efforts on a network that DOES NOT promote food intelligence. And, as much as I hate to say it because he's a bit of a pompous jerk, I feel sorry for Bobby Flay. Can you imagine someone as successful as Flay, doing a "throwdown" cook off with some inane imbecile from the sticks? One last thing, apparently Scripps, the owners of Food Network, have bought up the Travel Channel. Can we all petition for them not to screw that up too?
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1-02-2010 @8:33PM daina said... how stupid can this comment b,yes women like taking can slop n puttin othr can slop on top of that,ur wacked n the head. no woman wants 2 take away conveinence n stay n the kitchen 4ever. we like things simple n easy this is not the june cleaver era or the waltons where women had countless hrs as a stay at home mom 2 prepare a meal. ur an idiot.
1-02-2010 @2:29PM slinky said... Wasn't it Bobby Flay who insulted Japanese chefs twice by jumping up on the counter and doing a little victory dance on his cutting board? The man is an ass. As for Rachel Ray, she's just plain annoying. You can learn a lot from Martha Stewart, whether or not you like her. And yes, the Travel Channel will probably get screwed up (dumbed down, really) like the Food Network did.
1-02-2010 @2:47PM Cheri said... I love The Food Network and Rachel Ray. It has made me much more confident as a home cook.
As much as I admire the Julia Childs and Martha Stewarts of the world,not everyone has their abilities. The Food Network has made food preparation,cooking terms and kitchen equipment much easier to understand. Therefore much more user friendly. There is certainly a place everyone.
1-02-2010 @3:14PM Sally G said... Batali and Flay are still on Iron Chef America, one of my Food Channel favorites. You are right that the Food Channel has emphasized more material for home cooks, which is why I find myself watching it less often. I particularly like Mike Colamico's (sp?) show on PBS; wish they'd shrink the commercials, though.
1-02-2010 @3:34PM bob said... Kyle,
I agree with you with respect to the overall decline in quality of the Food Network. If you go on line and look at the UK version you will be impressed. It is very well done by comparison. A bit more like the Food Network here used to be.
There still are some pretty good shows here but less and less. I miss Mario,LaGasse, Puck, Pepin,etc.etc.. These were great shows where you could learn good techniques and interesting recipes.
Rachel Ray is not bad for TV and she has a following. She does not take herself that seriously but she does inspire a segment of the viewership to get into the kitchen with more enthusiasm.Nothing wrong with that.
Martha Stewart has a great talent and I admire her body of work. truly great. Having said that it made her look a lot smaller when she decided to express a petty jealousy in a tv interview. poor taste and not really worthy of a woman who has produced so much.
1-02-2010 @8:21PM Jackie said... I have gone to two of Flays restaurants and I had the worst meals ever, and paid a lot for them. I do not see the attraction for his food. Sorry
12-24-2009 @6:15PM rainey Smith said... Perhaps you have some inside information that she's a nice person. To me what matters is that in the area in which she presents herself for scrutiny, ie food, she's a lightweight and a pretender. Plus she's annoying. Add the fact that's she's almost impossible to avoid and it's not hard to figure out why people who consider her the equivalent of root canal will sound off.
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1-02-2010 @3:37PM kelley said... Such nastiness! Rachael Ray is like a young Paula Dean. They are there for the everyday cooks. Not Chef's. Those of us who want to put out meals for our families that offer variety and flavor. Not 4 star tastings. Those of us who have a limited time and budget but still want to make meals for our families that nuture their souls, not just fill their bellies. She isn't pretending to be a trained chef. You people who feel the need to badmouth Rachael Ray should remember, if you don't have anything nice to say...don't say anything. Just don't watch her show.
12-24-2009 @7:24PM brooklynfood said... No. I don’t buy that America hates RR because she’s a small town success. John’s sophomoric RR breakdown overlooks some pretty serious grievances. 1. Rachel doesn’t taste her food before mooning over it. 2. There’s no delay between food-in-mouth and “Mmmm, delish!” (I’m not sure which she dumbs down more, TV or food. 3. Whether she is or not, she comes across as insanely phony. 4. But her BIGGEST crime is that she’s a really bad actress—the Sandra Bullock of the food world. She plays dumb, and does it badly. I bet she goes home drizzles truffle oil and caviar on everything. I don’t hate Rachel,. I hate her TV personality. I think there’s more inside that feral upstate NY brain that should be let out as soon as she breaks away from the milquetoast Food Network and its cadre of advertiser and Midwest mom-pleasing food personalities. If you want more about the lameness of the Food Network, brush up on Jeffrey Steingarten’s and David Chang’s anti-Food Network rants. Funny stuff.
That said, perhaps Rachel’s recipes are tasty. I’ve never had them, but Stuffin Muffins? Come on, you know they’re prob delicious. Irish Nachos? I bet they’d be devoured by the snarkiest of food writers.
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1-02-2010 @4:15PM Moi said... John also overlooks the fact that anyone who's had to deal with her has seen her as anything but "nice." She's a notorious bitch to those she works and deals with. Whoever said she's phony hit it on the nose. If you don't believe me, go back and watch those Food Network Star episodes she did and see how pissed she gets when the novices get flustered and mess up. It's obvious she has patience for no one but herself.
1-02-2010 @5:30PM dragonflyandsun said... I don't watch Rachel Ray by choice; there are multiple TV screens in my office so I am forced to see her every weekday morning (along with Regis and Kelly but that's another rant altogether). She is juvenile, boorish, ill-spoken, and rambles on-and-on mindlessly whether she's cooking or has a guest. In my opinion, she would better serve the public by still being the grocery-store buyer she was, demonstrating quick and easy-to-prepare meals in the aisles as a way to push products. It's interesting how there have been comparisons to her being a young Paula Deen....Paula was tolerable when she first begun TV but is now so incredibly annoying and self-absorbed that the mere mention of her name (especially by Pawwwwwla herself) makes me cringe. Wonder if Rachel will become Paula-esque by getting enormous porcelain veneers on her teeth, smile so that every tooth shows, and open her eyes as wide as they can possibly go, thus making her look like the crazed aunt straight from a child's nightmare as Pawwwwwwla has done? Next would come the "buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuter" and "mayyyyyyynayyyyyyyyyyyse" references.....I am a southerner and not making fun of Pawwwwwla's southernness; I am frustrated with her butchering of an otherwise beautiful and unique accent and culture. Rachel: go back to your supermarket. Paula: go back to making lunchbox meals.
12-24-2009 @9:19PM Indirect Heat said... "The reason Rachael Ray attracts so much scorn is because we hate it when nice people finish first. "
Wrong. The reason the people *I* know hate Rachael Ray is that we hate it when mediocrity finishes first.
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1-02-2010 @3:03PM pat said... Right place right time-it happens it probably surprises her most but aside from the fact that her presentations look like dog food and she tries to lead us to believe that when she goes home she has so much to do and probably has never had a housekeeper and is still coloring her own hairr(Brown,black depending on what you're watching) her endorsements of everything is just wrong on every level-she has no talent and can't be authentic-this means to me stop the crap that we think your working from paycheck to paycheck and perfect SOMETHING-pot, pans olive oil-she did nothing to be getting paid to endorse these things-she is greedy and will use anything that America holds dear to them including her MOTHER> I don't hate her but what she makes for what she owns is just another person trying to cash in fast and furious. I wonder what she gives back???? Her hour TV show is a total JOKE-She must know someone up there!!!!!!
12-25-2009 @12:27AM dandersn said... It seems to me that the reason people hate RR is that she is just like the rest of us -- nothing special, and yet she is at the head of a "mini-empire" that brings in millions of dollars while the rest of us -- and really, who among US, couldn't do what she does with more style and grace -- are the ones sitting in front of this apparent abomination of a network watching her and buying her books, and other stuff. Whether she can cook or not is not important -- she is successful and we hate her because we aren't. Really, who is the most pitiful, her or the rest of us?
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1-02-2010 @4:12PM Amy said... Yours is the only comment that rings true!