13 Iconic Moments From The Rachael Ray Show

With her signature smile and bold personality, Rachael Ray has had some exciting and unexpected moments on her show. The celebrity chef began early in life watching her family members cook and learning the ins and outs of the restaurant biz. She later moved to New York City, where she worked at the Macy's candy counter and later as a manager and buyer at gourmet food shop Agata & Valentina. She eventually became a chef and cookbook author with a spot on a local news affiliate in New York. That success grew into her own show, the Rachael Ray Show, and even a cooking and lifestyle magazine.

Throughout its 17 years on the air, "The Rachael Ray Show" hosted plenty of celebrity guests, completed fun challenges, and whipped up some delicious dishes in the kitchen. Some fan favorites include cooking masterpieces and culinary mishaps, all accompanied by Ray's infectious laugh and smile. She never hesitated to get guests and her studio audience laughing with silly games and challenges. But it was the tasty cooking and easy-to-replicate recipes that made Ray into a household kitchen name. Here are some of the most iconic moments brought to the small screen on "The Rachael Ray Show."

Rachael loves Lucy, too! She recreated the iconic moment from another show alongside guest Susan Lucci on the "We Love Lucci" episode. The two stood behind a conveyor belt and tried to keep up with the rapid chocolate distribution, just like Lucy and Ethel in the original 1952 episode, "Job Switching." Things got out of hand quickly as they struggled to keep up with the sheer number of sweets coming down the line. But both were up for the challenge and fully embraced the silliness.

Rachael's version had a lot of laughter, followed by a conversation with the soap opera star. They weren't cooking in the kitchen, but this sweet segment showcased Ray's playful side. In many of the show's best moments over the years, she played games and challenges with celebrities, fellow chefs, and even audience members.

Not only was this a special moment for fans of the show, but it also made Rachael's list of favorite moments from 17 seasons. If you're an "I Love Lucy" fan, it's easy to see why the iconic moment from the beloved sitcom also became an iconic moment on the Rachael Ray Show.

Rachael Ray embraces Halloween, with fun costumes and even elaborate sets each year. She's dressed up as everything from a cavewoman to a 1920s flapper. One year, the crew put a prop spider in her studio pantry. When Rachael went to get ingredients, the spooky guy "jumped" out at her.

Halloween is a big event on the show. Each year, Ray hosts an audience costume contest with prizes for the best costumes. This is just another way that the show lets audience members become part of the Rachael Ray magic themselves. These moments highlight the unique combination of cooking, fun, and audience participation that Ray's show is known for. You can try it at home by making your own jack-o-lantern, dressing up in costume, and whipping up something tasty in the kitchen.

This fun spider moment wasn't the first or last time Ray invited viewers into her pantry. She made many dishes in her studio kitchen, but she also let people get a glimpse of her home kitchen in upstate New York as well. She took viewers through her much smaller NYC apartment kitchen, too.

It's not easy being green, but Rachael Ray and Kermit the Frog made a dynamic duo when he was a guest on her show. You may be wondering exactly how this muppet managed to be such a dynamic co-host (we definitely were) and the secret to the logistics lies in his spot behind the studio kitchen island.

The two bantered back and forth as Ray whipped up some food. Ray made green bean casserole for Kermit, who gave her a sweet song serenade. He was on the show to promote the "Muppets Most Wanted" movie. The two dished like any other guest and host combo on a daytime talk show as they sat in Ray's kitchen.

Later in the episode, Ray made spaghetti with chickpeas and roasted cauliflower. She did this round of cooking without the muppet helping out and lets viewers see how she made this tasty dish.

What's better than one celebrity chef? Two celebrity chefs, both known for their amazing flavor combinations and culinary expertise. Rachael Ray hosted Emeril Lagasse on her show, and things got kicked up a notch when the two joined forces.

Lagasse made burgers stuffed with blue cheese, an elevated twist on a classic dish that added plenty of savory flavor. Ray ended the episode by making chicken fingers parmesan. 

Ray and Lagasse haven't always enjoyed an enthusiastic friendship, even though he's been a co-host on her show multiple times through its 17-season run. They still maintained a professional respect for each other, translating into a fun time for viewers watching the two cook together. Lagasse has formal culinary training and education, while Ray is a more casual, self-taught chef. The result is a deliciously classic approach to food that you can replicate at home in your kitchen.

When he was a guest and cooking with Rachael Ray in the kitchen, Regis Philbin whipped up some fun dishes and was responsible for lots of laughs. He worked in the studio kitchen alongside Ray and other co-hosts, including chefs, celebrities, and other special guests.

Ray also taught Philbin to make dishes like bacon and eggs, slice a watermelon, and mix refreshing cocktails. But one of the most memorable moments occurred when he unexpectedly caught something on fire. He had a piece of paper too close to a pan of hot oil. When he realized that it had caught fire, Philbin quickly grabbed it and put out the small flames. It didn't do any damage and probably got a few chuckles from the audience, once everyone was sure that the fire was fully out.

In another segment, he purposefully brought some fire to the kitchen, making a flambeed dish on the stove. Philbin, a TV veteran, ended up taking a monthly guest spot on the Rachael Ray show. He matched the bubbly host smile for smile as he hosted alongside her.

The Cake Boss, Buddy Valastro, showed Rachael his vanilla cake and how to frost it. The colorful creations included pink, blue, and yellow icing in a decorative abstract pattern.

But he didn't stop there. Valastro ventured into the studio audience who were each equipped with a cake station and all of the required tools and ingredients to help them frost cases. He went from station to station, helping aspiring cake decorators add frosting to the sides of their creations and pipe icing on the top. If you want to follow Valastro's top tip for carving cakes at home, you can end up with a similar masterpiece.

In other guest appearances, Valastro whipped up an Italian ricotta cheesecake and a colorful swirl cake. All his recipes focused on sweet desserts, his specialty as a baker.

Ray has also been a guest on Valastro's show on TLC. She ordered a custom cake of a Tuscan castle that Valastro created. When he dropped the masterpiece off at the Rachael Ray studio, the moment was captured and broadcast for viewers to enjoy.

The chef joined the First Lady at the White House and invited her into the studio over the years. One of the most memorable times they shared was when Ray interviewed the Obamas on the campaign trail before they even made it to the White House.

Ray interviewed the former First Lady numerous times and they bonded over a shared love of food. Both women were up for a laugh, which happened often whether they were cooking, playing games, or just chatting.

When the Rachael Ray Show ended after 17 seasons, Obama was one of the many figures who sent her a special message celebrating all the host achieved and how much joy she brought to the small screen. "What an incredible run," she said in a recorded message. Obama also reminisced about picking veggies in the White House garden together and running races in the studio. The pair whipped up broccoli and cheddar cheeseburgers in the studio kitchen. Ray has the perfect hack for seasoning burgers correctly every time and we're guessing she shared it with the First Lady.

In her first season, Rachael Ray was able to whip up a few dishes for NASA astronauts when she visited them. But she stayed on planet Earth, stopping by the Houston facility where the astronauts train.

Ray provided six recipe options and NASA selected three for her to make and send to space with the team of astronauts. She made Swedish meatballs with pasta, spicy Thai chicken, and winter vegetable curry. Because they were blasting off to go to the space station, they needed to be freeze-dried for easier transport. Ray wasn't in charge of that portion, however, just whipping up the dishes ahead of time. She was interested to see how the astronauts would enjoy her food and expressed relief that she was given the heads up before seeing the freeze-dried results.

Ray got a personal tour from a couple of astronauts with NASA and was able to see how they cook in space. They use an oven where they're able to heat things, but don't have access to a fridge. Her tour also included a stop by the pool where astronauts train for zero gravity environments and a shot at flying the shuttle herself in a simulator. She even donned a space suit, complete with her own name badge.

Unfortunately, there have been some somber moments on the Rachael Ray Show. In August 2020, her house in New York caught fire, beginning in a chimney. The blaze consumed the entire structure, and Rachael Ray lost her home in the devastating fire. 

She showed the aftermath to viewers on her show. The kitchen where she cooked so many meals, including those filmed during the global pandemic, was completely destroyed. Ray compared footage from before the fire with shots of the home afterward. Many rooms were taken down to the studs, and the large kitchen island and long table were gone.

After the fire, Ray continued filming from the guesthouse nearby and was able to rebuild her home. It took around a year, but when the rebuild was complete, Ray and her husband, John, invited cameras again. Viewers saw the house before the fire, after the damage, and the beautiful rebuild. Ray kept things very similar, including a huge workspace in her kitchen.

Rachael Ray has had some impressive co-hosts and special guests during her talk show's 17 years. But to celebrate her 2,000th episode, 50 Cent (also known as Curtis James Jackson III) surprised her by joining the show. This was a significant moment for Ray not just because it was a complete surprise, but also because she admitted the rapper was her celebrity crush.

Jackson started with a special recorded message to the chef and host, which she reacted to just like he probably hoped. She got very excited to hear his kind words celebrating her show, then started jumping up and down when the man himself walked out from behind a screen carrying a large bouquet.

Ray introduced Jackson to her mom who was in the audience. But this wasn't the first time 50 Cent surprised Ray on her show. Around a year earlier in 2016, he was the "Guess the Guest" answer and Ray guessed it was him after four clues. 

In another "I Love Lucy" homage, Rachael stomped grapes with actor Debra Messing. She didn't use it to make wine, but she did have some on the show. Modern winemaking typically includes machinery to crush the grapes. Some vintners still use the traditional method of stomping by foot, also called foot treading, to get the best results with certain types of wine. On the Rachael Ray Show, the focus was on the experience rather than actual wine production.

Ray joined forces with Messing again as the two smashed piñatas to celebrate their birthdays. But instead of candy, the piñatas contained jewelry gift cards for the studio audience. Most of Ray's show centers around conversations with her guests, and when Messing came by, that was no different. Ray invites guests to sit and chat at her kitchen table — the heart of not just her show.

Another memorable guest on the Rachael Ray show was none other than Cookie Monster, who came all the way from Sesame Street to hang out with the talk show host. Ray and Cookie Monster made cookies, of course. Then they ate them with all the enthusiasm in the world.

They stuck with basic chocolate chip cookies, which Ray made in a stand mixer while Cookie Monster directed. They stayed behind the studio workspace, just like Kermit the Frog did when he visited. Ray mixed up the wet ingredients, poured in the dry ingredients, and added plenty of chocolate chips. Cookie Monster wanted to nibble on a few while they were cooking but was happy enough when the finished cookies came out on a plate.

Ray took care of the baking, but Cookie Monster showed her a thing or two about eating cookies. He grabbed all the cookies off of his plate, and then Ray followed suit. She grabbed a large cookie of her own and tore into it.

Rachael Ray loves a good home tour, so when she relocated to Tuscany, she brought cameras through her new home to let people see the new place where she now lives and cooks. She had a lifelong dream to become a local in Italy after hearing stories from her grandfather about it. She described moving there as a dream come true.

The chef moved to Italy toward the end of her show's run. But she took viewers on a tour of what she loves about the food and culture in her new home. She shared how the property used to be just a stable, but now includes a main house and a piano area for her husband. The home includes an area complete with coffee and tea-making supplies, local wines, and water for weary travelers.

The tour included the kitchen, of course, but with a twist. When Ray and her husband stay there by themselves, they open up a smaller section of the house. Ray showed how she cooks for just the two of them at her kitchen island with views of the surrounding countryside.