It is not until a couple of years ago that I started growing an interest for the art of cooking and celebrity chefs I saw on television. Giada DeLaurentis was the first celebrity chef I watched on the food network, and then came Rachael Ray. Although my purpose for watching these cooking shows was simply for leisure, I seem to remember always having a critical eye for the way each celebrity chef presented themselves, their choice of kitchens, their styles of food, the way they talked, and similar details. It is not until I became a student/ blogger in the rhetoric of eating that I finally found some use for my criticisms and judgments towards these celebrity chefs.
Well, since my forte lies with Giada and Rachael I will stick to these to explain my observations. Ms. DeLaurentis always stood out in my mind for her soft, sensual voice, and constant smiles. Always beginning her shows with an introduction of her meals to come, she made sure that I knew what the final product would look like. Giada is probably one of the most technical celebrity chefs I have come across. I have noticed throughout my journey with her that her cooking shows are silent most of the time and the camera seems to concentrate on her hands and the techniques she is applying to her foods. In addition, her kitchen contains subtle colors and simply adds to her soft and sensual presentation of her food.
Anybody who has experienced cooking with Rachael will agree that the situation in her kitchen and her presentation of arguments is much different than Giada’s. Let me just begin by saying that Ms. Ray does NOT have a soft and sensual voice and does not smile much, but instead has a much louder and vigorous voice with a lot of laughs in the mix. Although this was a bit much in my first few times watching her, she grew on me. With her style of coining unique terms such as “EVOO” and others, she presents herself as an outgoing and down-to-earth woman. Her kitchen, as opposed to Giada’s, seems to contain louder colors, such as red and green which contribute to her personality. The camera angel in Rachael’s kitchen always seems to be of the entire kitchen and of Rachael, as opposed to just her hand techniques. There is never a silent moment with Rachael.
Both of these celebrity chefs are Italian but each of them has a distinct personality that they have chosen to present as their celebrity personality. By using easy to follow language that is simple to be heard by an audience across a screen and using their kitchens as visuals to complement their personalities, and at the same time establishing particular methods unique to themselves, these two celebrity chefs are able to present their desired character to their audience.
