Martha Stewart filmed an interview for an upcoming episode of Nightline to talk about rebuilding her brand. Martha had some pretty harsh things to say about Rachael Ray. She goes after Ray’s inability to bake and also makes a dig about Rachael’s new cookbook.
“Well, to me, she professed that she could — cannot bake,” Stewart says of Ray in the interview, airing Thursday. “She — just did a new cookbook which is just a re-edit of a lot of her old recipes. She — and that’s not good enough for me.”
Ouch. She goes on to pretty much say that hers will be superior:
Stewart says she want to publish something that “is a unique and lasting thing. Something that will really fulfill a need in someone’s library.” Ray, she says, “is different.”
Martha then says that Rachael is more entertainment than teaching:
“more of an entertainer … with her bubbly personality, than she is a teacher, like me. That’s not what she’s professing to be.”
Rachael took the high road and had this to say about Martha’s digs:
“Why would it make me mad?” Ray asks. “Her skill set is far beyond mine. That’s simply the reality of it.”
“that doesn’t mean that what I do isn’t important too… I don’t consider it needling. I really just think she’s being honest. She does have a better skill set than I do when it comes to producing a beautiful, perfect, high-quality meal.” Says Ray, “I’d rather eat Martha’s than mine, too.”
I give Rachael credit for not slinging any mud back at her. Do you think you understand what Martha is trying to convey, but think it’s coming out a bit wrong? Or do you think she’s just being snarky?
Photos by WENN
Go Martha! She is so right! I detest Rachel Ray.
Martha is a control freak and an egomaniac. Although Rachel irritates me, I like how she graciously handled Martha’s insults.
What Martha said is true but she didn’t have to say it in such a mean and tacky way. Rachel never said she was a professional chef. She just wanted to do a show with simple recipes for real people.
Martha is pretty anal. I can’t handle any more than a few minutes of listening to her talk.
Hate Martha..Love Rachael.
This is the reason I LOVE Martha!!
Martha needs to get over herself. Just rude for someone supposed to have all that fancy learning! Kudos to Rachel for taking the high road…she has way more class.
Nicely said!
I think it is hilarious that Martha Stewart thinks she is this superwoman. I have a few of her cookbooks and I’ve had bad results with some of the recipes. Also, she thinks that she can slap her face and name on the cover and everybody thinks she is the mastermind behind all of it. Of course this is not true. She has a staff of cooks and artists who do most of the work.
I think it is hilarious that Martha Stewart thinks she is this superwoman. I have a few of her cookbooks and I’ve had bad results with some of the recipes. Also, she thinks that she can slap her face and name on the cover and everybody thinks she is the mastermind behind all of it. Of course this is not true. She has a staff of cooks and artists who do most of the work.
Good for Rachel for appreciating the difference between her cooking and Marha Stewart’s style of cooking. Don’t care for either.
Really, why does Martha have to attack Rachael Ray? There has never been any comparison between the two. Rachael has her own style and Martha has hers, so why the bitterness and backbiting? Martha really should work on her manners, something that I would have thought would be important to her. Rachael took it really well, that shows a lot of grace.
I think Martha may be a little jealous of Rachel’s ratings. Certainly if I had to watch either, I’d watch Rachel’s. Out with the old in with the new I say. No need for Martha to get all uppity.
Uh, Rachael herself said that she can’t bake. So what? And we all know that Martha is very honest. At least they can get along for the most part. Their styles are very different
Seems Martha was saying that she expected more out of Rachel. Or out of a cookbook in general. I agree with her there.
Martha is so right. Rachael Ray is unbearable to watch, and to listen to. Her voice is so irritating that we want to slap her fat face! Why would someone like her get a TV show???? Aren’t there any better and more pleasant cooks in America? Hello???
yep yep
what else could Rachel Ray say? she’s just a lucky sloppy cook that has Oprah to thank for her fame and fortune. who wouldn’t rather eat a meal cooked by Martha? RR’s food is as awful as her annoying personality.
You did it!! *claps wildly*
and it’s all because of you my dear
martha stewart recipes never turn out right for me…
Martha is a stone cold B. Yikes.
I understand what Martha was trying to convey but if it was completely innocent, she didn’t have to add the ‘mine is better’ comment.
I’m no fan of Rachel’s, but Martha needs to be bitch slapped.
agreed!
that was a little mean on martha’s side. rachel did a good job by not saying anything mean.
I’m not fan of either of two but, that was mean.
But true.
Martha is snarky. I use Rachael’s cookbooks frequently…as a busy mom, I need real food, fixed quickly. I couldn’t care less about presentation when I’m trying to feed my family.
We have to talk about the REAL audiece that follows Rachel Ray, and that is women who pretend and think they can cook when they really can’t. Cooking is an art…now a days women have become SO LAZY that programs like Rachel Ray or Semi homemade have become very popular. Although Martha might not have the best personality, she is true to 1 and only thing..the art and love for cooking. It is a lie that her recipes require expensive ingredients, they might require more time and preparation but in reality making chicken broth from scratch for example is way cheaper and healthier that opening a can of stock…I am tired of women saying “I cook” when they are just opening a can and serving it…and the “i don’t have time excuse” gime me a break…these are the same women that would go out for “girl time” for hours but they don’t have time to prepare a wholesome , healthy and delicious loving food like martha would…
At least Rachel never had to practice her skills while in prison.
hi5
And if ever someone didn’t deserve to go to jail it’s Martha. do you know how many men have done the same thing and nothing happens to them? it’s not like she stole other people’s pensions.
Martha may be snooty but she doesn’t annoy me the way RaRay does, and I don’t see anything wrong with calling out your competition.
Having said that, I think they’re going after two totally different groups with their styles. Rachael is laid-back and fun and Martha is elegant and polished. Both have their merits, and both are pretty fantastic for what they are.
completely agree! i like martha way better, but i think rachel handled this amazingly.
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
I like both of these ladies for different reasons, but am disappointed in martha’s comments which were mean-spirited.
I’ve been in the food service industry for 36 years. I even posted on myspace that I could cook circles around Martha.
Every celebrity has a gimmick. RR has a lot of tips that are good. for instance throwing some mustard and chicken base in her white/cheese sauce. Martha, on the other hand is a perfectionist, wanting to slow-cook and get all the details according to perfection.
She obviously has more experience, but I’m not saying she is beyond all flaws. Some of her recipes are flawed and lacking “key ingredients” that no chef wants to let you know about. RR, same thing, do u really think that those professional chefs are going to give you all their COMPLETE recipes? It’s like comparing apples to oranges,
how far do you want to go with fussing over entertaining?
If you gave the same recipe to 4 different cooks, I bet, they will all taste differently. It’s just a matter of choice and preference.
Excellent comment. Everyone who keeps bringing up her jail-bird days are just using the ONLY “ammo” they have on her, nothing more than that. Martha was only being honest. I have always seen her as a teacher and a teacher should know how to do whatever it is they teach and do it well. Rachel is completely different from Martha so it’s not fair to compare. Can’t believe all of the debate over this when it’s truly no big deal.