Why Don't You See Rachael Ray As Much Anymore?

Chef and talk show host Rachael Ray once dominated the celebrity culinary scene. Getting her start in the early aughts, Ray was a prolific Food Network personality and cookbook author. In 2007, she even got her own daytime talk show that ran for an impressive 17 seasons. These days, Ray keeps a much lower profile, and fans are naturally curious as to why. According to a March 2026 interview with AP News, Ray became dismayed by the bureaucracy surrounding her daytime show and TV in general. "I wanted to focus more on food the way I want to teach it," the chef explained, likening her TV experience to "[living] by committee."

In a February 2026 interview with "Entertainment Tonight," Ray touched upon the challenges of being a woman in the public eye. When asked how she "protects her peace" in a world full of online commentary about herself, her work, and her relationship with husband John Cusimano, Ray said, "I don't follow a lot of social media ... I don't look at any of that junk."

Criticisms of the popular TV chef range from firing employees without pay during the pandemic to behaving rudely toward staff members and the general public. However, Ray is adamant about focusing on what really matters. "I jump out of airplanes, I hang out with the man that I love. I have a job and [I'm] a woman in her mid 50s that's still relevant," she said.

While she's leading a quieter life these days, Rachael Ray is still passionate about teaching the next generation of cooks. She also uses her Free Food Studios entertainment company to find emerging culinary stars. As Ray said in her "Entertainment Tonight" interview, "I wanted to produce other talent ... I wanted to give other people a lane that might not have been carved yet." Online episodes from the production house show Ray cooking with other celebrities, as well as videos featuring Jake Cohen, an up-and-coming chef and cookbook author.

Ray also has other business ventures under her belt, including a liquor brand with husband John Cusimano called Staple Gin. It's made with quality ingredients like Castelvetrano olives and dried bergamot peel, as well as Ray's cooking show go-to extra virgin olive oil (aka EVOO). On the culinary front, the chef hosts "Meals in Minutes," which is available on YouTube as well as the FYI platform. A callback to "30 Minute Meals," the Food Network show that brought her acclaim, Ray's latest endeavor features easy, elevated recipes that virtually anyone can make. While the chef has faced her share of challenges, Ray's tenacious approach to cooking and life in general is certainly admirable.