There are few individuals out there that when presented with the name Rachel Ray have absolutely no opinion one way or another about her. Many people find her upbeat personality somewhat annoying while others find it makes her accessible and endearing. There are several distinct qualities that she possesses that set her apart from her network comrades and many of those characteristics are the very thing that bring her close to the hearts of some and repel others. The general public is always looking for someone to fashion their lives after, someone that they believe embodies the American way, and many believe that Rachel Ray is a good example of the American dream.
One of the main reasons that her career has caused so much uproar is her lack of traditional culinary training. Cooks and food critics alike join one another in criticizing her lack of professional training stating that due to the fact she hasn’t been through all the proper channels, she isn’t a proper cook. Still others find her climb to the top despite classic training inspirational and motivating, proving that you don’t have to have a fancy education to be successful. The public has basically latched onto her success story and have applauded her ability to succeed against the odds.
I for one believe that she deserves everything that she has acquired and that even though she hasn’t had proper training she has done well for herself when it comes to making a mark on society. However, I think that it is important to mention that her climb to the top was not without struggle and is incredibly rare in this day and age. It isn’t every day that someone can take nothing and make a profitable career out of it. It is highly unrealistic for people to use her as a role model for life due to the fact that it is completely insane to believe that everyone can be as successful as she has been without any formal training.
The food industry is highly competitive and I think that much of her success stems from luck and an ability to charm people. Love her or hate her, it is impossible to deny the fact that there is a certain something about her that sets her apart. Some of us are marked for success while others can do everything in their power and still not succeed. The American public is a powerful entity and without the idea of the American dream etched deeply into our psyche I doubt that Rachel Ray would ever have been able to climb to the zenith of success the way that she has. In summation, the root of her popularity stems mainly, in my opinion, from the collective desire of the people to have a true success story to strive toward.
Lauren Shain-Raque - I am a college student majoring in history who loves to write and is seeking out freelance opportunities to help finance the rest of my ...
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