Tweet

Simply Success: How a Down to Earth Cook Rose to the Top

Article Overview: Proudly on display in the front of Rachael Ray’s home is a sign that reads: “Martha Stewart doesn’t live here.” She may not be Martha Stewart, but Ray has found her own equally successful style of cooking and presenting herself on the road to success. How did this young woman who never stepped foot inside a culinary training institute become on of the industry’s most popular and well-known cooks?

Simply Success: How a Down to Earth Cook Rose to the Top

Proudly on display in the front of Rachael Ray’s home is a sign that reads: “Martha Stewart doesn’t live here.” She may not be Martha Stewart, but Ray has found her own equally successful style of cooking and presenting herself on the road to success. How did this young woman who never stepped foot inside a culinary training institute become on of the industry’s most popular and well-known cooks?

Fun: The name Rachael Ray has become synonymous with the word fun, because whether it is on her television shows or in her magazine, that is exactly what she likes to do: have fun. And that is why people keep tuning in to watch her. If she is cooking a hamburger or spaghetti and meatballs, people know they are going to have a laugh.

Accessible: The pitch for Ray’s show suggests that it will help viewers “realize that life just doesn’t have to be that hard.” By focusing on simple techniques and simple recipes, Ray has kept herself on the same level as her audience. She gives them real recipes they can use in the every day lives and that is what they love her for.

Practice: Ray grew up in a big Italian family and, for her that was all she needed to become a great cook. With a mother and a grandfather there to teach her their age old tips and tricks, Ray grew up with cooking in her blood. She may not have been educated at the world’s most renowned cooking school, but she proved that success could be obtained on her own terms. After all, it was only practice that made perfect.

Optimism: Many people have called Ray an overnight success since they knew little of her before her Oprah Winfrey Show appearance. In fact, Ray’s career was the result of a long and often hard process that saw her encounter numerous challenges along the way. But Ray met those problems with optimism and solutions instead of fear and doubt. That is what got her through.

Flexibility: “I’m very specific about what I want to put my name on and how I want it to look,” says Ray. She may be strict when it comes to her name brand, but in most other respects Ray has demonstrated that flexibility is one of the key success factors for any entrepreneur. From the jobs she chooses to the schedule she keeps, Ray keeps herself open to new and changing opportunities. It is those very opportunities that have opened for Ray the doors to success.

Of all the cooks with television shows on the Food Network, Ray probably has more than her fair share of critics against her. Whether it is her bubbly personality or her lack of professional qualifications, Ray is an easy target for criticism. But, Ray does not let it get to her, saying, “It’s all true and I can’t do much about it at this point.” Instead, she will continue to let her growing popularity speak for itself.

Related Articles
  Finding Your Right Course
  Earth Day and Social Media
  The Commericialization of Earth Day
  Making Time for Your Creative Self
  Finding SelfWorth

Article Tags: cooking school, cooks, culinary training, encounter, flexibility, industrys, italian family, laugh, martha stewart, oprah winfrey, oprah winfrey show, optimism, overnight success, pitch, rachael ray, simple recipes, spaghetti, television shows, tips and tricks, young woman



Related Forum Posts
Re: October 2011 Top 48 Home Based Business Experts to Follow on - Thanks for posting the list, Evan. I see SFIupdate is in 8th place... How did the compiler work out the rankings, I wonder... If it's on number of followers, Kevin Rose is doing quite well with over a million, but Martha Stewart has a million more than that!
Re: Will Politics Help Or Harm Your Business? - [quote="OmnivoreInk":c6d55zsv] I'm listening to Rush Limbaugh even as I type, and he's aired some soundbytes from last night, a couple of people on the Charlie Rose show, talking about how little is known about Obama, how he's a "personality cult' , for example apparently when he gave his acceptance speech he was on stage all alone - no Joe Biden (locked in a bar somewhere, Rose speculated) no family. First time that had ever happened. I can't remember all of what they said, but they were talking about a man who has just been elected President and they "don't know anything about him." They don't know what books he's read, they don't know his plans... all they know are his speeches where he talks about "Change" and "Yes we can." without giving specifics. [/quote:c6d55zsv] I've been saying for months that the American people don't know squat about Obama - how do people elect someone to have that kind of power without knowing anything of substance about them? Sure he gives pretty speeches - but when he doesn't have a teleprompter - his words are bizarre and frightening. Fascinating how that substance has been squashed and hidden for almost two years while he was in the public eye - with rose colored glasses, but all over the news. His first press conference is about to start - would love to hear his real thoughts without a prepared speech. At least this TV appearance won't cost his supporters millions - well, not for the air time anyway. Shri
Re: Are you having plans for Earth Day? - Hi Anelly Can't say that I have thought of doing any special for Earth Day but I do try to do something each and every day that will help to save the planet, even if it is only something small like using less plastic bags and saving paper for recycling etc. MichelleJ
Are you having plans for Earth Day? - This year we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day. Have you thought to a plan on how could you and your company contribute to saving the planet? Have you any ideas on how your business can "go green"?
Re: THE SECRET TO SUCCESS IS ALL IN YOUR HEAD...RIGHT NOW!!! - Success = Thinking (Head) + Heart (Feeling / Interest) + Hand (doing/ action). Success - H3 Robert


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

The Importance of Master Data Management (MDM)

Resistance to Change and How to Deal With It

In the Year 2020 . . . Process

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.