Rachael Ray's Vocal Cords on the Mend

[Food Network Fan]

Rachael Ray's Vocal Cords on the Mend

Celeb Chef Ray Keeps Cooking After Voice Surgery

By RADHA CHITALE
ABC News Medical Unit

Sept. 17, 2009 —

"Everybody loves buffalo chicken!" Rachael Ray hollered as she dished up chicken wings, lasagna and pizza on Tuesday's episode of "Good Morning America."
The celebrity chef and talk show host seems to have lost none of her trademark vocal vigor despite minor surgery in July to remove a benign cyst growing on one of her vocal cords.
Ray's voice had been weakening to the point where, according to her publicist, Charlie Dougiello, she would end the work week barely able to speak.
Ray was scheduled to have the cyst removed last December but opted to try vocal therapy, hoping the cyst would disappear without surgery.

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[Food Network Fan]

I am glad they were able to help her.

[Pluff Mudder]

Wonder if she's still smoking?

[Food Network Fan]

Her publicist keeps saying she doesn't. But they said that even when she was photographed with a cigarette in her hand. Paula smokes and admits it, but I don't think I have ever seen a photo of her with a cigarette in her hand.

I always find it fascinating how the smokers on Hell's kitchen do in the taste test. Sometimes they aren't even close.

[Pluff Mudder]

Yea... I've heard that smoking really kills the taste buds and that's why some people use it as a "diet aid." Chemo does a number on the ol' taste buds too, for it kills off fast growing white blood cells which your tongue and mouth has loads of. That can screw up your taste something bad.

[Food Network Fan]

My husband has a friend at work that quit smoking a while back and he says he is amazed how different things taste now. I guess that's why a lot of people put on weight when they quit, they realize how much they were missing.

[Pluff Mudder]

One of my employees at work was the same way. She got pneumonia, was put into the hospital and wasn't allowed to smoke. So, she went "cold turkey" and didn't start smoking again after she left the hospital. She talked about how food tasted so much better and that she didn't realized how much smoking smelled things up. I guess giving up smoking not only improves your taste, but your sense of smell too.

[Food Network Fan]

It's probably that the smell it's self masks the flavor. Remember Alton has told us the way food smells helps us taste different things.