Rachael Ray and her husband, John Cusimano, had a loving relationship that endured a few rumors. Despite the odds, their relationship only grew stronger over the years.
Rachael Ray is over 50 years old but still growing and glowing in her life and career. A few years ago, the cookbook author published a cookbook that doubled as a memoir of her life.
In her book, Ray admitted to being an awkward celebrity but still working hard to pursue the American dream, which she believes is still alive in the country.
(L) Rachael Ray and John Cusimano during Time's 100 most influential people in the world gala at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center on May 4, 2010 in New York City. (R) Rachael Ray and John Cusimano during a Q&A session in her vlog. | Source: YouTube/RachaelRayShow| Source: Getty Images
Ray hopes that her career story could inspire others to work hard to reach greater heights. Beyond her job, Ray is married to John M. Cusimano but without any children.
Although she likes being around and cooking with kids, she and her husband still have no plans of raising some of their own, in part, because of her demanding work schedule and commitment.
"I think that I'm 40 years old, and I have an enormous amount of hours that have to be dedicated to work," she said. "For me personally, I would need more time to feel like I'd be a good mom to my own child."
Unlike other women who want children to feel fulfilled, Ray doesn't feel like she is missing out on anything without offspring.
Ray likes to maintain a positive outlook on life, despite the challenges that she and her husband have endured. Speaking in an interview, the American cook said that "you have to be" grateful when faced with challenges, which for her came in recent years.
Some of the hardships she faced included a house fire in her New York home and flood damage in her New York apartment during Hurricane Ida. "Leaks became bigger, and the roof became worse," she said. However, Ray has since renovated the property.
Amidst the pandemic, Ray endured a painful loss when her dog, Isaboo, passed away in the star's arms. She said:
“When I lost my dog, I was so grateful that I could be with her the last several months of her life. [...] I felt guilty and grateful at the same time. People suffered actual human loss from COVID or because they couldn't get care [...].”
RAY MEETS THE LOVE OF HER LIFE
Ray and Cusimano met through a mutual friend who set them up at a party. As Cusimano likes to phrase it, they met "among a sea of knees" because most of the guests in the event were tall. Their love story began with a peculiar first date that lasted until four in the morning. Ray recalled:
“He told me what he had made himself for dinner the night before, and I assumed that if you're not a chef, and you made what he told me he made, then he was gay.”
After Ray tried to set him up with a handsome Italian friend of hers, Cusimano revealed that he was not gay. "So, we stayed out till four in the morning; that really was our first date," she continued.
However, their first date in a restaurant happened in a small joint called Philip Marie, which sadly closed down amidst the pandemic. In a Q&A video, the couple shared that they ordered the same dish, pheasant under glass.
According to Ray, she believes that the way to a person's heart is through their stomach, particularly cooking food for a loved one rather than spending money in a restaurant.
"You're appealing to all of their senses, and you're showing them that you cared to think about them before they came into the room," she said. It doesn't even matter if the dish isn't perfect because the gesture speaks for itself.
In 2015, as they celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary, the couple renewed their vows in the same place they tied the knot.
RACHEL RAY'S WEDDING
It wasn't long before Ray and Cusimano decided to tie the knot, and unlike other couples whose relationship ended as quickly as it started, theirs lasted years. They exchanged wedding vows in 2005 in Tuscany.
Although Ray had an engagement and wedding ring, she chose not to wear them while cooking as it could burn her hand. Instead, she replaced her platinum ring with gold and went for matching black diamonds with her husband.
The couple has shown each other how much they treasure their relationship in many ways. For Ray, it was through keeping their first few text message exchanges.
"I have our entire relationship saved on my phone. Sixteen messages between meeting and getting married. I resave them every 21 days," she shared. In fact, she still has the same message her husband said when he confessed his love. She recalled:
“He was very angry with me, telling me, 'I'm a very independent man, and I'm not used to not feeling good when I'm not with another person. It's just that other girls; they're just inert. They're not interesting. And you're so ert! I love you.”
Since then, Ray has replaced her "I love you" with “I ert you" when speaking to her husband. Although it's unique, the meaning behind it is sweet.
SETTLING TROUBLE IN PARADISE
However, like any other couple, Ray and Cusimano had their fair share of problems, including rumored infidelity over a year after their marriage.
According to Jeaninne Waltz, she and Cusimano had an affair before and during his relationship with the television personality.
She also alleged that he paid her to break up, along with other claims of degrading acts. Meanwhile, Ray and Cusimano addressed the issue by denying it all happened.
Another round of gossip came in 2013 when Cusimano was reportedly spotted in a Manhattan swingers club several times. A source claimed that Cusimano was with a different escort every visit.
However, Ray and Cusimano's relationship only grew stronger through time. In 2015, as they celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary, the couple renewed their vows in the same place they tied the knot.
"It basically said, 'Under any circumstance, I would still choose you, and I would still be with you, and I love you more than all the whiskey in heaven,'" Ray said of the poem she included in her vows.
Ray made sure that her vows were fitting for her husband, who loved Scotch. Following their exchanges, there wasn't a single guest with dry eyes.
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