• Faith: Judaism
• Career: Public Figure
• Birthday:  August 25, 1968

Rachel Ray is a TV personality and celebrity chef. Her mother managed a restaurant in upstate New York and she moved to New York City in 1995. One of her first jobs was working the candy counter at Macy’s department store, where she eventually was promoted to manage the fresh foods department.

She moved back to upstate New York and became a buyer at a gourmet market where many of her customers were reluctant to cook, which resulted in her teaching a 30 minute meals course. The local news, who happened to be a CBS TV affiliate, asked her appear in weekly segments on their newscast and eventually she received a spot on the Today show and then her first Food Network contract in 2001.

Ray’s Sicilian and Cajun ancestry influence her ingredients in her recipes. She does not believe in measuring ingredients and is known for her catchphrases, such as, “half a palmful” she uses on the Rachel Ray show, which premiered in 2006. She is a spokesperson for Nabisco crackers and an endorser for Dunkin’ Donuts. She has an AT&T mobile feature called, “Rachel Ray Recipes on the Go,” and introduced her “Nutrish” pet food brand in 2008. All of the proceeds go to Rachel’s Rescue, a charity founded by ray to help at-risk animals.