Saturday, July 28, 2007

At long last, my thoughts on Rachael Ray's new set

Kinda hatin' it. I get that she's mega-famous now -- Gawker detests her so she must be -- but the revamped 30-Minute Meals is simply a little too orange. It's not just the cabinets. It's the orange-handled Rachael Ray cookware and the orange-handled Rachael Ray knives that, for me, put it over the top. Also: good-bye video, hello production values.

The thing that has always been engaging about Ray is that she's quirky and unpolished. This is the show that launched her. So to supply 30-Minute Meals with new cabinets, better camera work or any kind of obvious sophistication seems to miss the point. O! She's not our funny little FHM girl any more!

And yeah. I know. Anthony Bourdain hates her too. Why can't all my little TV chef friends get along?

4 comments:

James-H said...

Those FHM pictures seem entirely off-brand. She's clearly trusting the wrong people.

But I'd buy the hell out of one of those orange-handled Wustoff Knockoffs. No matter how fat she might be.

Irene Done said...

The woman really did create a market for those big Japanese-style knives. When her show first aired, I believe she used the Wustoff Granton Santoku Knife because everyone (ok -- me) had to rush out and get one exactly like it. It makes total sense that she'd start her own product line. I just want a little less orange. And I want the old kooky, unmanicured Rachael back.

James-H said...

I believe I made a similar Wustoff run. Damn I love that knife.

I just like orange.

Agreed on kookier Rachael - I think she's starting to lose the appeal that got her the gig in the first place. Although maybe that's what you do to successfully go mainstream. Look what kooky did for Rosie O'Donnell.

julie said...

I actually am liking the orange, even her pantry/cabinet that pulls out, anyone know where she got that from?