Ever wish you could ask Rachael just about anything? A few lucky audience members got to, and Rach’s answers might surprise you!

Q: Other than your own cookbook, what other recipes from other chefs do you cook from? -- Veronica Siringano, South Amboy, NJ

A: Rach says her mother is her favorite cook, but her favorite cookbook author is Marcella Hazan.

“Marcella I love because she said that cooks should never measure anything -- it’s like putting a bird in a cage,” says Rach.

WATCH: Q & Ray: How does Rachael come up with her recipes?

Q: Since you get your makeup done before every show, what is the number one beauty tip you’ve learned? -- Jamie Devergillo, Springfield, NJ

A: Rach says she isn’t a beauty tip kind of person, but there is one thing she does do, and that’s moisturize.

“I just get myself clean and go about life, I don’t look in the mirror a lot,” says Rach. “I find it boring.”


Q: What’s in your mug? -- Larissa Polchinski, Oceanside, NY

A: Rach says she usually drinks ginger tea in the morning and will sometimes switch to rooibos tea. She discovered rooibos tea on her honeymoon in South Africa (and it’s caffeine-free!).

When the studio gets hot (and with all that cooking, it sure does!) she’ll drink some soda water which she calls “soda time” with a little citrus.

WATCH: Q & Ray: Which knife is best to cut tomatoes?

Q: Are the drawers and cabinets in the kitchen all real, and what do you keep in them? -- Laurie Suarez, Parsippany, NJ

A: Rach says that they are of course real and she keeps utensils in them!

“It’s a working kitchen, absolutely -- I don’t like fake anything!” says Rach. “I like people to feel like they’re coming here to visit at a neighbor’s house, so we keep it legit.”

WATCH: Q & Ray: How do you know which wine to cook with?