Gwyneth Paltrow, Rachael Ray Deny Using Cookbook Ghostwriters, Refuting 'New York Times' Report [UPDATED]

In the March 13 edition of the New York Times' dining section, Julia Moskin wrote a fascinating article about cookbook ghostwriters. The piece was full of horror stories that included anecdotes about obnoxious chefs, jealous wives and bullying book agents. Moskin alleges that celebrity cookbook writers such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Rachael Ray have employed ghostwriters.

The caption of the story reads "Gwyneth Paltrow's ghostwriter is Julia Turshen; April Bloomfield had J. J. Goode." Later, Moskin writes:

Many real-world cooks have wondered at the output of authors like Martha Stewart, Paula Deen and Jamie Oliver, who maintain cookbook production schedules that boggle the mind. Rachael Ray alone has published thousands of recipes in her cookbooks and magazine since 2005. How, you might ask, do they do it?

Both Gwyneth Paltrow and Rachael Ray have a bone to pick with these statements. The day the story broke, Ray tweeted:

@rachael_ray
rachael ray

3-Part tweet: Longtime fan of NY Times dining section, but today they got it wrong re: article on celebrating ghostwriters.

March 14, 2012 8:08 pm via web Reply Retweet Favorite

@rachael_ray
rachael ray

My friend Wes (my longtime food stylist) does get me, but does not ghost me. Proud of Wes and proud to be the author of all my cookbooks.

March 14, 2012 8:09 pm via web Reply Retweet Favorite

@rachael_ray
rachael ray

I remain a NY Times subscriber.

March 14, 2012 8:10 pm via web Reply Retweet Favorite

Ray then spoke to Eater, claiming that she has never used a ghostwriter. Ray claims that Wes Martin, a friend of hers who was quoted for the piece, has done recipe testing and various work for her, but has never ghostwritten. She says she was not contacted for fact checking purposes.

An almost parallel story has evolved with Gwyneth Paltrow. She tweeted:

@GwynethPaltrow
Gwyneth Paltrow

Love @nytimes dining section but this weeks facts need checking. No ghost writer on my cookbook, I wrote every word myself.

March 17, 2012 7:20 pm via WhoSay Reply Retweet Favorite

Paltrow credits her supposed ghostwriter, Julia Turshen for a lot of work in the cookbook and Turshen worked very closely with Paltrow. Still, she distinguishes between her own writing and the assistance of Turshen.

In both Ray's and Paltrow's cases, it seems as if there are discrepancies between the New York Times version of what a ghostwriter is, and what Ray and Paltrow call a ghostwriter. The titles are a bit blurred -- it can be hard to draw the line between ghostwriting and assisting with a cookbook.

What do you think defines a cookbook ghostwriter? Let us know in the comments below.

UPDATE: Moskin clarifies how she defines ghostwriting and states that "the notion of 'ghostwriting' carried a strong stigma in the food world." She says:

Ghost-cooking is rarer than the routine work of wrestling hot, messy, complicated recipes onto the page in comprehensible English. That work can include transcribing scribbled notes into logical sentences. Measuring out ingredients and putting them in order. Producing the routine bits of the book like the glossary and the guide to ingredients.

That is cookbook ghostwriting, as I and many others have experienced it. The food itself, and the story that surrounds it, usually comes from the chef in varying stages of page-readiness.

Read her full thoughts here.

UPDATE #2, March 20, 11:45am: Rachael Ray is not thrilled with Moskin's response. She tweeted:

@rachael_ray
rachael ray

Disappointing response when a correction was in order.

March 20, 2012 2:39 pm via web Reply Retweet Favorite

Comments

[Jackie1992]

11:37 AM on 03/22/2012

You really expected a mea culpa Rachel...isn't happening from the times....maybe on to paltrow but, never you, for sure

[johnw9540]

09:40 AM on 03/22/2012

Don't you love it when the elites turn on each other?

[Jenagain]

09:28 AM on 03/22/2012

I'm surprised Paltrow can read, let alone write.

[yorky36]

10:21 AM on 03/22/2012

Why would you say something like that?

[nancy needham]

08:54 AM on 03/22/2012

Adults and children are starving and dying of starvation in countries all over this world and we should care whether these two women wrote a cookbook Whatis wrong with news agencies that think this is news and important to us ! Shame on you

[david25luvit]

07:53 AM on 03/22/2012

Gwyneth Paltrow
Love @nytimes dining section but this weeks facts need checking. No ghost writer on my cookbook, I wrote every word myself.
...and then Paltrow admits:

Paltrow credits her supposed ghostwriter, Julia Turshen for a lot of work in the cookbook and Turshen worked very closely with Paltrow.

It doesn't sound like she wrote every word herself?????

As far as Rachael Ray....with her hectic schedule of TV appearances and so forth.... I'm sure she wrote every word too???

C"mon ladies.... admit it! You had help (maybe a little...maybe a lot)....its either you call them ghostwriters or co-writers or researchers? What does it matter? People buy your cook books because of your celebrity..right?

[lisabob]

10:09 AM on 03/23/2012

There is a big difference between a ghostwriter and an editor. If both women credited the "help" that they got then, no, those people were not ghostwriters. A ghostwriter writes the book and and recieves no credit or mention - hence the term "Ghost." It is very plausable that both Gwyneth and Rachel wrote every word, but then editors edited for grammar and spelling. And every - EVERY - writer of a cookbook has tasters. Gwyneth and Rachel should not be criticized for using assistants, but that is a long way from having a ghostwriter.

[david25luvit]

11:26 AM on 03/23/2012

I see your point....assuming they do give them credit in the book. As for editing...yes I understand even the best of writers have editors. But I'm also aware of some celebrities who write cookbooks or autobiographies or whatever who actually have a lot more "help" writing their books than they admit... But these two ladies probably did "write" their cookbooks with the help of their computer software. So yes give credit where credit is due.... thank you for your comment.

[Sue Stricker]

07:39 AM on 03/22/2012

I suppose it's possible Paltrow wrote the book, but every time I look at her, I could swear I hear her say "duh".

[Jackie1992]

11:38 AM on 03/22/2012

lol

[Bwaymike]

06:59 AM on 03/22/2012

How brave of you Gwynnie to admit you wrote that book all by yourself for that awful food that's about as bad as the movies you've made for the past ten years since winning your Oscar.

[gemini68]

01:56 PM on 03/21/2012

The food itself, and the story that surrounds it, usually comes from the chef in varying stages of page-readiness.

Hmmm....I'm a writer and that sounds like writing to me. And then the draft goes to the Editor to be polished. That's how book-writing often works.

[emilyanne12]

01:50 PM on 03/21/2012

Paltrow should have done a grammar and spelling check on her tweet before posting about "writing every word herself." I'm sorry, but the irony just made me laugh!

[gemini68]

01:55 PM on 03/21/2012

I'm a writer and often leave out punctuation when texting. It's not unheard of.

[emilyanne12]

02:00 PM on 03/21/2012

I'm a writer and editor, and I do that from time to time, as well. However, when you are publicly defending your writing skills and ability, wouldn't you use correct grammar and spelling? I would. That's what I was pointing out. Rey sounds more legitimate in her tweets, causing me to believe her more than I do Paltrow.

[Nora Bahr]

12:18 PM on 03/21/2012

Like hell you did Paltrow. I refuse to believe that you have the skills to turn out a book like that all by yourself.

[yorky36]

10:23 AM on 03/22/2012

What is wrong with you people? Why do you think Paltrow is stupid? She is a beautiful, well bred woman. Give credit where it is due.

[cdakodiak]

12:53 PM on 03/22/2012

Paltrow burned her bridges on her very public "I hate America tour" a few years back. She denounced her own Country in favor of England, moved there, and now wonders why her movies Tank and people think she's shallow.

[Nora Bahr]

04:08 PM on 03/22/2012

Oh, becuase you've met her?

[arthurb3]

11:43 AM on 03/21/2012

The line between a "Writer" and an "Editor" can be fuzzy. If they are just cleaning it up and testing I would say they are an editor. If they are creating the recipe for the person's who's name will be on the book I would say that it ghostwriting.

[kinderprintables]

11:36 AM on 03/21/2012

NY Times needs to learn what ghost writing really is. The explanation given in this article is more like what an editor does. Ghost Writing is when a person(s) is hired to do the actual writing of the book in an anon. manner. The practice came about when the "author" had a great idea for a book/publication but lacked the writing ability. Usually behind the scenes. Thus the name. Though it is likely that people like Rachel Ray have a whole team of editors, stylists, and critics at their disposal unlike everyday authors that do most of the work themselves.

[dyslexialogistics]

11:23 AM on 03/21/2012

You know, I've been "over" Paltrow for a long time. Actress, face of a major cosmetic brand, singer, wife of rock star, mother of two, cookbook author. I think she is a vegitarian, which is fine, but come on...enough. It's like she has to prove something, and I am sick of celebrities who, just because they are celebrities, are doing it all. No doubt writing the cookbook was collaberative.

[chicgogo]

01:15 AM on 03/22/2012

Couldn't it be that she's just an accomplished, well rounded person with varied interests and hobbies? I do know she's a foodie, really loves food and enjoys cooking at home like any other ordinary person might. I actually happened upon a recipe from her book in Food and Wine and make it all the time now. Her father was a gourmet home cook and she said in the magazine article she used to love to watch and help him cook and many of these recipes came from him. She's at creative person and that's what writing is too, so how is it not possible she wrote this herself?

[playsindirt]

08:59 AM on 03/21/2012

I've read and cooked from Paltrow's cookbook and tend to believe her. Her food is really straightforward, simplistic, and there's nothing original happening. It's also a very slim book with relatively few recipes. As to Ray - her food is contrived and often just plain awful. I have a hard time believing anyone with a real culinary education helped her write it.

[Crisdean Wulver]

05:49 AM on 03/21/2012

Even if they were ghost written. Who cares? It wouldn't bother me. We're talking about cookbooks not scientific papers, ferchrissakes.

I can't imagine a bigger non-issue. I think Julia Moskin, the author of the article, maybe wishes was an investigative journalist. Instead she writes for the Food Section. So she's trying to make a name for herself by blowing the lid off of the "great cookbook conspiracy."

What a silly, self-important woman. I think anyone who had their cookbook ghost written would be several rungs above her on the ladder of journalistic ethics.