Rachael Ray Coming To Port Washington Theater Monday

PORT WASHINGTON, NY — Rachael Ray, the celebrity TV chef, author and talk show host who shot to fame with her signature "30 Minute Meals" classes, is coming to Port Washington.

Ray, 50, will be in town Monday as part of a book tour for her latest cookbook, "Rachael Ray 50." The event at The Jeanne Rimsky Theatre on Main Street starts at 7:30 p.m.

Additionally, North Shore Animal League America will host an adoption event with Ray, who will be on site to discuss her new book and her pet food brand Nutrish. An adoption vehicle will be on site for attendees and the public.

In her new memoir-inspired cookbook, Ray, a native of Glen Falls in upstate New York, talks about her most memorable moments. The book includes 25 personal essays and 125 new recipes.

"No matter the recipe, each of us changes a dish by our own preparation of it," Ray said in promotional materials. "It's the same with stories — once you put them out there, readers get to interpret them and be affected by them as they will. Ultimately, it's my hope that this book leaves the reader with that quiet smile we all get after we eat a favorite comfort food. Basically, I'm going for the afterglow of a big bowl of spaghetti."

Leading up to her 50th birthday, Ray reflected on how her passion for food and feeding people had changed over the years. She writes about moments and dishes most important to her: Eating sardine sandwiches with her grandfather; Sicilian dishes with her mother, and cooking brown-butter balsamic ravioli with her husband.

Joining Ray on Monday will be longtime Newsday food critic Erica Marcus.

Editor's note: This article has been corrected to reflect that Ray's book tour event begins at 7:30 p.m.