A far cry from Julia Child and her ilk, this perky chef was born into a food-industry family. After a few years in the New York City rat race, she moved upstate to become the buyer and chef for a gourmet market in Albany. As a bonus for shoppers, Ray began teaching in-store, 30-minute meal classes. They were so popular, they spawned the subsequent TV series and launched Ray's hosting career. In addition to her on-air Food Network duties, this sexy star has posed for men's magazines and published numerous cookbooks.