Fans of Rachael Ray are expressing deep concern after the celebrity chef appeared to slur her words in a recent cooking video. The New York native paid homage to the late Tony Bennett by preparing one of his favorite dishes, ossobuco. In the video, Ray reminisces about the care she took in cleaning her house before hosting Bennett and his wife, Susan Crow, for dinner.
Ray described how she polished her kitchen floors in anticipation of the visit, emphasizing the need for everything to be perfect. However, she recounted a mishap during the dinner when Bennett’s chair slid out, causing him to hit his head on the marble counter. Despite her fears that he might be seriously injured, Bennett was fine and ended up enjoying extra helpings of the meal.
Following the video’s release, viewers began voicing concerns about Ray’s wellbeing. Comments on social media included worries about her health, with one user asking, “I love you but are you ok? I’m seriously concerned.” Others echoed similar sentiments, noting a noticeable unevenness in her speech, leading one commenter to speculate about potential health issues.
However, many fans defended Ray, suggesting that her speech patterns might simply be a result of emotional stress from reminiscing about her friend. They pointed out that aging and possible medication could also contribute to the change in her speech.
Reportedly, Ray has not disclosed any health problems publicly. She underwent a minor surgery in 2008 to remove a benign cyst on her vocal cord, but her representative had stated at the time that it would not impact her work on daytime television or Food Network shows.
At 56, Ray has had a successful career, hosting the syndicated “Rachael” show from 2006 to 2023 and currently producing content through her studio, Free Food Studios. She remains active in the culinary world with ongoing projects, including her show “Rachael Ray in Tuscany” and various cookbooks and magazine publications.