Rachael Ray Is Most Media-Covered Food Personality Of The Year, Says Research Firm

Who's the food personality with the most media buzz of 2011? It's Rachael Ray, according to calculations by news archive company HighBeam Research.

Paula Deen, Wolfgang Puck, Mario Batali and Bobby Flay round out the top five media-loved personalities in descending order.

But take a closer look -- none of these names appear on Restaurant magazine's recently released list, The World’s 50 Best Restaurants of 2012. HighBeam decided to investigate, analyzing data for the top five U.S. chefs detailed in the list -- Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, Grant Achatz, Eric Ripert, Daniel Humm -- and comparing their numbers to the top media performers.

The results, detailed in a release, weren't flattering to the former:

The celebrity chefs came out on top, all getting more media attention than any of the best chefs from the Restaurant list. As a matter of fact, Rachael Ray received more media attention than all of the “Best Chefs” combined.

Ouch.

Comments

[WTFman]

04:26 AM on 09/19/2012

She is cute, lovely, personable, and we need more TV like this, with warm and caring personalities. But a chef, me thinks not!!

[yeahbabyok]

05:42 PM on 09/03/2012

Rachel is great and a wonderful cook....but what happened to her face in that picture above....did she have surgery?

[Stephen Thorpe]

05:18 AM on 08/12/2012

I liked her before she became mega-Rachael.

[You go girl]

02:02 AM on 08/11/2012

She is my least favorite! Her show comes on and... I flip the channel!
Her raspy voice is irritating!

[bmwracer]

09:38 AM on 05/10/2012

"Rachael Ray Is Most Media-Covered Food Personality Of The Year"

In other words, "Most Overexposed Food Personality Of The Year."

[spenkils]

02:18 PM on 05/09/2012

If any of you would do a little bit of research you would find that Rachael Ray is the very first person to point out that she is not a 'chef,' especially not one of the 'best chefs.' She does not own any restaurants and is not claiming her food to be James Beard worthy. She is a former waitress whose mission is to get people to understand that it is easier to make a quick and easy meal for your family than it is to schlep through the drive thru every night. She has media attention because she is relatable to the average American, not snobby food elitists.

[Amy Mehl]

03:36 PM on 05/09/2012

i agree with you completely.

[Francois G]

06:59 AM on 05/09/2012

Okay... Who is Rachel Ray?

[yeahbabyok]

05:42 PM on 09/03/2012

wow...read a book

[French Toast]

03:37 AM on 05/09/2012

Not hard to see why. They're populists entertainers whereas the chefs are artists and somewhat exclusive. Also one set has publicists and a bit of payola on their side.

[plasmaorb]

09:03 PM on 05/08/2012

She doesnt deserve any attention... she is a complete a.nnoying h.ack.. anyone who likes or respects her is a m.or.on

[Sara Lira]

08:51 PM on 05/08/2012

I don't like Rachel Ray! If I was starving in the desert and this lady cooked for me I'd eat the food and I still wouldn't like her! I'd love for her to participate in iron chef or chopped.

[yeahbabyok]

05:44 PM on 09/03/2012

She did Iron Chef against Bobby Flay and WON !!!!!!

[hflguru4u]

08:03 PM on 05/08/2012

Even the writer says, "the celebrity chefs... [are] getting more media attention than any of the best chefs..." I would LOVE to see Rachael "tee hee" Ray or Paula "hypocrite" Dean try to churn out 100 covers on a Friday night! Celebrity = talent? Let's ask Kim Kardashian.

[mikeg0477]

05:54 PM on 05/08/2012

Celebrity obsessed media covers celebrity "chefs" more than talented chefs? That IS a surprise!

[plantbasedpunk]

04:39 PM on 05/08/2012

Really? I didn't see or hear a peep from Rachel Ray last year. Which I'm totally OK with because she makes my head hurt. And have a grudge against her for making me say EVOO.

[ontariogirl]

03:30 PM on 05/08/2012

Really!

[baxtron]

01:55 PM on 05/08/2012

Thanks Oprah.