Who Is Rachael Ray's Sister, Maria?

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Long before Rachael Ray made her stunning transformation into a TV star, she was hanging out at her parents' restaurants. Her family was entrepreneurial and had a lot of different job responsibilities. "My first vivid memory is watching my mom in a restaurant kitchen," Ray recalled to the Food Network. Her other siblings became food enthusiasts, too. Ray's sister, Maria Betar, is renowned for her baking prowess. While their younger brother, Manny Ray, enjoys cooking off-screen, he hasn't embraced being on camera like his sisters. 

Betar was born on March 15, 1960, and she's the oldest of the siblings. Ray was born over eight years later, on August 25, 1968. In 2022, when Betar turned 62, Ray playfully celebrated her birthday by transposing the number candles. "62 is the new 26! Happy birthday to my dear sister, Maria," Ray declared on Instagram, along with a pic of a festive cake decked out in nuts, flowers, and big dollops of frosting.

Long before Ray became a celebrity, Betar believed there was something special about her little sister. "We knew that she was just going somewhere and doing something. She's always risen to the top," Betar informed Vanity Fair in 2007. Along the way, Betar's been a supportive presence. She's an ideal TV guest, creating desserts to complete Ray's meals and game to laugh and have fun with her sister on camera. Here's what else we know about her.   

Over the years, Rachael Ray has enjoyed sharing the spotlight with Maria Betar. Ray's sister has been a fan-favorite guest on her show. "Love when they're together," one person commented on Facebook. "Maria is super amazing!" enthused another.

Ray's fame is built on the concept of making homemade meals accessible to viewers. "Cooking used to be hours and hours in the kitchen, " Brooke Johnson, then-president of the Food Network, informed Vanity Fair in 2007. "With the number of working women in this country, they don't have time to do it." Betar continues this mindset by sharing recipes with time-saving shortcuts. For instance, Betar simplified the classic Italian tiramisu, creating an egg-free preparation that can be completed and stowed in the fridge in just 10 minutes. When she was making a pie, Betar encouraged the audience to use a frozen, ready-made crust as a shortcut. However, in her case, the homemade crust was easier. "I'm just too lazy to go to the store," she laughingly admitted. Betar also promotes using whatever fruit is on hand as a practical approach to avoid wasting produce, which, as a bonus, also cuts back on extra grocery trips.

In another instance, as a sweet homage to her sister, Betar even incorporated rosemary, one of Ray's favorite herbs, into a zesty gingersnap cookie recipe. Ray eagerly watched as Maria prepared the dough and happily savored the finished cookies.

Although Rachael Ray remained off camera while Maria Betar demonstrated her recipe for an olive oil cake, she couldn't resist some sisterly banter once the cake was ready to eat. "She really means to sound a little more excited about it," Ray quipped on the "Rachael Ray Show" as she entered the kitchen set, playfully critiquing Betar's speaking style. The two sisters erupted into waves of giggles. Betar explained she was being more serious because she had gone outside of her comfort zone and used a chef's knife — she usually uses a paring knife, even for chopping. "I was trying to make you proud of me, but I was so nervous."

Another time, Ray teased her sister for not using her special "Bubble and Brown" bakeware when she was making a carrot cake recipe. The dishes feature convenient handles and a decorative look, so they can be served in the pan. "I created them because you like to bake," Ray commented on Instagram, jokingly laying on the guilt. Betar apologized and informed the audience that she does use Ray's dishes in her own home. Luckily, in another episode of Ray's show, Betar did spotlight the bakeware in a different carrot cake variation.

Ray posted the clip to her account in April 2025, writing, "Happy National Siblings Day to the ones who keep you grounded and still take your crap." She also included a sweet throwback pic. In the photo, Ray looked over Betar's shoulder while she opened a Christmas present.

Rachael Ray may bust on Maria Betar's kitchen gear, but she's also equally ready to praise her big sister for making a heartfelt contribution to her kitchen. Like many TV pros, Ray shot her TV show at home amid the COVID-19 pandemic. "The prospect of this made me feel like an anxious child again, frightened to let someone into my room," Ray confessed in her book "This Must Be the Place." This tough year had its share of tragedy for Ray, particularly when her home/set was destroyed by fire in August 2020.

Ray and her husband, John Cusimano, moved into the property's guest house. Betar gifted her sister a wheeled set of kitchen shelves. "The thing that matters most to me is my sister for being loving enough to give me that, because she knew I was having a crunch space here," Ray explained to her audience during an April 2021 episode of the "Rachael Ray Show."

Betar also helped Ray out by being a guest via Zoom. For a December 2020 episode, she baked multiple boxes of holiday cookies, and she and Ray reminisced remotely. After Betar admitted that she was drawn to baking due to butter being a prominent ingredient, Ray couldn't resist sharing a silly anecdote. "Maria loved butter so much that Mommy used to keep the butter in the freezer," Ray divulged. "Maria would take it out like a popsicle and literally suck on a stick of butter."