Rachael Ray (TV Series) - Show Format

Show Format

The concept behind this program showcases much more than Rachael Ray's culinary skills. She brings lots of big-name celebrities on screen to discuss their new accomplishments in the entertainment, sports, and media industries, she asks for helpful tips and strategies for staying healthy and safe from various health and lifestyle experts, she includes the average American in make-over segments, and she even features exciting musical performances by popular artists, all of which are features along the same lines of The Oprah Winfrey Show. She does, however, keep cooking in the forefront by including at least one cooking segment at the end of each episode, and sometimes inviting her celebrity guests to join her in the kitchen. According to Ray, "People know me for my love of food, but I have so much more I want to share." The set has the audience seated on a large turntable that rotates so that the audience can always see the "action" on the circular stage that surrounds them. At the end of each show, with the exception of a few more guests after Ray's cooking segments, Ray's tagline is, "We'll see you when we see you."

On March 9, 2007, Entertainment Tonight revealed that the show's theme music was written and recorded by Rachael's husband, John Cusimano. The original theme song to the show was performed by R&B, Soul and Jazz group The Neville Brothers. Their song has the same rhythm as their classic hit "Yellow Moon", but with different lyrics. Aaron Neville sings the song. Starting with the fifth season the original theme was retired.With the start of the seventh season the show will be shot in a new studio. The new studio is in New York City in the Chelsea neighborhood, and shares the new studio building with Wendy William's talk show. Audience members can be seen lined up outside the studios Monday-Friday from the early morning hours through the afternoon. Anywhere between two and three shows are taped during one day of filming.