Rachael Ray’s Opened Up About Her Health Struggles in the Past: Updates on How She’s Doing Now

Over her years in the spotlight as a cooking show icon, Rachael Ray has opened up about her health scare and surgery.

Inside Rachael Ray’s Private Health Battle

Rachael shot to fame in the early 2000s, when she took her 30 Minute Meals concept to Food Network. She became known for her raspy voice while sharing easy and convenient recipes on the program.

“I lose my voice a lot,” she told People in 2006. “I had a lot of croup as a kid so I don’t have the strongest vocal cords to begin with. I went to a voice doctor [who] taught me exercises for my throat and to cut back a little on the caffeine.”

In October 2008, Rachael’s rep shot down rumors that she had throat cancer. However, it was confirmed that she was having surgery on her vocal cords.

“Rachael is the picture of health. She is having very minor surgery to remove a benign cyst on her vocal cord,” Charlie Dougiello, a spokesperson for the TV personality, told People in a statement. “It’s a common in-and-out procedure that she will have in early December and it will not adversely affect any of her daytime show or Food Network tapings.”

She opened up about it in a post on her website, saying that doctors “suggested I get the thing lobbed off and rest my voice for about two weeks while I am on holiday break this December (I admit, this will be the hardest part).”

In September 2009, ABC confirmed that Rachael had the surgery to remove the cyst after trying vocal therapy.

“Her doctors felt that with some vocal coaching and therapy, they could reduce the size of the cyst and have it eventually disappear,” Dougiello said, per the outlet. “She went to vocal therapy and learned techniques on how to use her voice differently.”

At the time, Rachael was working on a number of TV projects, including Rachael’s Vacation.

“When you’re at the level where you use your voice all the time, there’s a high voice demand that requires a high level of precision,” Dr. Milan Amin, director of the New York University Voice Center, told ABC. “You can rest your voice and things will get better. But as soon as you go back to what you were doing, within short order, you’ll go back to what you were.”

After the surgery, Rachael turned to jogging as an outlet to help pass the time amid her recovery.

“I used to say I would never run unless I was being chased by someone with a gun,” she said, per Good Housekeeping. “But now I’m a little obsessed with it.”

“I feel more fit, and I have a little more energy — which is ridiculous,” she said.

What Happened to Rachael Ray?

In March 2023, it was announced that Rachael Ray was ending after 17 seasons on the air.

“In my more than 20-plus years in television, I have had 17 wonderful seasons working in daytime television with Rachael,” she said in a statement to Deadline at the time. “However I’ve made the decision that’s it’s time for me to move on to the next exciting chapter in my broadcast career.”

She marked an emotional farewell to the series in May 2023. “We’ll see ya when we see ya, everybody,” she told her viewers. Rachael, who is married to John M. Cusimano, wasn’t gone from TV for long, as she made a deal to develop six shows with Free Food Studios soon after.

“I think that all programming, if it’s inside your house, if it’s food, or if it’s about music or if it’s about coming into your private space, I want everyone to always feel empowered,” the New York native told USA TODAY in April 2024. “I want you to know you can do anything we share with you, whether that’s travel or how to make dinner.”