Rachael Ray
Why food snobs should quit picking on her.
Slate's "Assessment" columns dissect the conventional wisdom about real people ( L. Ron Hubbard), fictional characters ( Scooby-Doo), companies ( Whole Foods), body parts ( the prostate), and even weather patterns ( El Niño). This week, Slate is resurrecting a handful of classic "Assessments," all collected in a new book, Backstabbers, Crazed Geniuses, and Animals We Hate. The following piece was originally published in Slate on July 13, 2005.
Her Super Sloppy Joes certainly aren't haute cuisine, but that's no reason for highfalutin chefs to knock her. Consider what Ray brings to the table: Creativity, adeptness, speed. Her skills are as estimable as those of any Michelin-star-winning chef, and they're far more practical. I may have abandoned my Rachael Ray time trials, but I'm still making "30-Minute Meals." And you know what? They do smell awesome.
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Photograph of Rachael Ray by Ronna Gradus/KRT Photos.