Rachael Domenica Ray (born August 25, 1968) is an American television personality, businesswoman, celebrity chef and author. She hosts the syndicated talk and lifestyle program Rachael Ray and three Food Network series, 30 Minute Meals, Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels and $40 a Day. Ray wrote cookbooks based on the 30 Minute Meals concept, and launched a magazine, Every Day with Rachael Ray, in 2006. Ray's television shows have won two Daytime Emmy Awards.
Forty three year old Rachel was born in upstate New York. Her family owned and operated four restaurants in the area. Rachael moved to New York City in 1995. She started at a market candy counter and moved to Lake George to manage Mister Brown’s Pub located in the Sagamore hotel. From there, she became a buyer at a gourmet market where the concept of 30 Minute Meals was born. After teaching classes at the store and on local television broadcasts, she published her first book and signed her first contract with Food Network in 2001.
