In her kitchen

Forget all of the silly Internet rumors that Oprah Winfrey and her King World Syndication unit have pulled the plug on Rachael Ray's daily talk show.

"The Rachael Ray Show" is under contract to air through 2010 and the show is once again looking for a few good cooks who want to pit their skills against one another for the chance to cook alongside daytime host Ray in her studio kitchen! The winner also will receive a cook's dream -- an extensive kitchen makeover with professional Viking appliances and Silestone counter-tops, plus the opportunity to participate in a culinary training program at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France.

The show is launching a call for submissions for its second "Hey, Can You Cook?!" competition. The producers are accepting video resumes of budding cooks demonstrating why they think they should be one of the five cooks chosen to come to New York for a series of culinary competitions.

This is for nonprofessional cooks only.

Beginning on April 28, the show will air the various challenges contestants face, with the top cooks moving on to the next round and one cook having to hang up their apron after each competition.

At the end of the competition, one cook will be left standing and will have the opportunity to demonstrate his or her own original recipe on air with Ray as his or her sous chef. The recipe also will be published in her Every Day With Rachael Ray magazine.The winning cook also will receive an incredible culinary experience -- the opportunity to participate in a training program at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in France, including round-trip airfare and accommodations at the Millennium Hotel Paris Opera.

Cooks should go to www.rachaelrayshow.com for official rules and entry forms. All submissions must be postmarked by March 21 and received by March 28.

Sara Lee is helping the show sponsor the search and competition.

Ray's show is seen in more than 194 markets representing 99 percent of the country.

It is taped in front of a live studio audience in New York City and distributed and produced by CBS Television Distribution in association with Harpo Productions, Scripps Networks and Watch Entertainment. Janet Annino is executive producer.

Cooking healthy

On the subject of cooking . . .

Join me at 11 a.m. today at Navy Pier for the 2008 Chicago NBC-5 Healthy Lifestyle Expo. I'll be showcasing recipes from my second cookbook "More From the Farm: Family Recipes and Memories of a Lifetime" (2007 Pediment Press $29.95).

In addition to the cooking demo stage area, you'll also have a chance to browse a variety of booths and meet all your favorite NBC-5 television personalities, like weekly contributors Dr. Sandy Goldberg, Dr. Mary Ann Malloy and health reporter Nesita Kwan, in addition to the NBC 5 Fitness Team of personal trainers Saran Dunmore, Sergio Rojas and Andrea Metcalf. And in past years, you can usually count on some of your favorite faces from the news desk, like Art Norman, Dick Johnson and Rob Elgas to also be meeting guests and mingling. This year, you can also look for weather gal and fellow Valparaiso University grad Ginger Zee, Zoraida Sambolin there today, with special guests Chicago Bears Hall of Famer Gale Sayers and Chicago Bears All-Pro Kicker Robbie Gouldie and NFL star turned pro-wrestler Mike Adamie and actor Jason Gray-Stanford, who plays Lt. Disher on USA's "Monk."

Joining the fun on Sunday, will also be NBC-5 news names Warner Saunders and Allison Rosati.

For more information, visit www.nbc5.com/healthandfitnessexpo/index.html

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at potempa@nwitimes.com or 219.852.4327.

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