RACHAEL Ray made a rare public appearance at a New York food festival after sparking health concerns and admitting to recent “bad falls.”
In video and photos exclusively obtained by The U.S. Sun, Rachael, 56, was seen at the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival in Brooklyn on Friday night.
The beloved celebrity chef was seen mingling with friends at the booth for her gin company, Staple Gin, and taking the stage to announce winners of the evening’s burger contest.
The chef wore a satin dress with a multi-patterned jacket and sneakers and had her hair straight.
Rachael gleefully told the crowd, “All of these years and see every single chef that’s a former award winner here. These guys are seriously proud of their trophies and their belts, right? They take this seriously.
“I’m glad all of you are here, and I just want to say thank you to everyone here.
“They’ve become a family to me over all these years, decades now… I love being here, and it’s just wonderful to be with all of you and thank you for coming out for us, we appreciate you and your appetite. Have fun. Have a beer and a burger!”
After taking the stage at the start of the night, Rachael made her way to her gin booth where she mingled for a bit.
At the end of the night, Rachel once again took to the stage to announce the winner of the burger bash, adding that she’d been coming to the festival for 17 years.
The winner of the Judge’s Choice Award was Mel from Mel’s Butcher Box in Tenafly, New Jersey, while the winner from the crowd’s votes was Josh Capon from Capon’s Burgers in Las Vegas.
The judges included famed butcher Pat LaFrieda, chefs Marc Murphy, Tiffany Derry, Scot Louie, Tess Sinatro and finally Randy Peers from the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.
The proceeds for the event go to God’s Love We Deliver.
Rachael Ray’s fans are concerned as TV chef appears to slur her words in cooking clip from Tuscany show
On Tuesday, Rachael dropped her first podcast and admitted to having some recent bad falls- after fans had expressed concerns about her appearance on social media in recent weeks.
“BAD FALLS”
The celebrity chef dropped the first episode of her podcast I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead on October 2.
Rachael opened up about being a homemaker while living with her husband John Cusimano, in Upstate New York.
She told her guest, actress Jenny Mollen, “I am a homemaker. I love chores, I love being in the kitchen… I really like chores.”
The TV chef continued to say that some people consider making dinners and carrying wood physical work, but she finds enjoyment in the chores.
She told her guest, “I like to help carry in the wood.
“I had a couple of bad falls in the last couple of weeks so I haven’t been doing that in a while.”
She went on to say that she makes carrying wood into a game for herself, adding that she asks herself how many pieces of wood her husband carries.
“Can I carry more? I don’t say that to John, I just say that to myself,” she added.
‘SLURRING’
Rachael admitted to falling after sparking concern on her television show Rachael Ray in Tuscany.
Fans expressed their worries after she appeared to be slurring her speech in a clip from her show which she posted on Instagram.
Several people commented on the iconic chef’s social media post pressing her by asking “What happened?,” and “I love you but are you ok? I’m seriously concerned.”
The 56-year-old chef has not commented on the concerns and has instead filtered the comments on her videos.
Rachael Ray Television Shows
Rachael Ray has been on TV since 2001, cooking up recipes and working with other celebrity chefs. Here are the TV programs that she has hosted
30 Minutes Meals – 2001 to 2012, Food Network
Rachael Ray – talk show, 2006 to 2023, ABC Network
Rachael’s Vacation – 2008, Food Network, five-part mini-series
Rachael Ray’s Week in a Day – reality TV cooking show, 2010, Food Network
Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off – co-hosted with Guy Fieri, 2012, Food Network
Rachael Ray in Tuscany – 2024 to present, USA Network
A rep for Rachael declined to comment to The U.S. Sun last month.
The chef has continued to post on her Instagram since.
THE PODCAST
The prolific television personality announced her first podcast earlier this month.
She told audiences during the first episode, “This is a podcast about drive, what fuels people who love hard work and what we can learn from one another.”
Rachael explained she is at her best “when I am pressed.”
That’s when “I am being my most productive. That is why I have always said, I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”
She then invited her fans to join her for “conversations with people I know and people I want to know better.
“Welcome to I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead.”
