TV host and chef Rachael Ray

Question: You've got more than 18 books under your belt. What gave you the idea to set your sights on the burger?

Answer: Well, the burger is something I've been obsessed with for years. The reason I love burgers, in general, is that they say a lot of the same things that I try to say with my brands — that everyone's included. That's why I wanted to do an invitational with the world's greatest chefs. I wanted to show that even the world's greatest chefs can make their food accessible and inclusive rather than exclusive. I make burgers out of anything and everything; seafood, veggies and grains, rice, chicken, pork, lamb.

Burgers are a really fun format to play around with. You can also make a burger very dressed up. You can take then uptown or downtown. Plus, I've never really done a single-topic title before, and I've done them (burgers) so much over the years, there's just one or two in each of the books. I actually have a burger file on my computer and I thought, “This is ridiculous; I have 600 to 700 recipes on my computer.” The hardest part was allowing the editors to edit it down from 600 to 700 to 200.

Q: You recently got into a food fight with The New York Times after they ran an article implying that celebrity chefs cannot possibly have the time to put into writing their books, relying on ghostwriters to get the job done. What went through your mind when you read that?

A: I took it hard, but tried not to take it personally. I'm a huge fan of The New York Times and a devoted Diner's Journal junkie. In the end, I felt that I got fair coverage out of it and got to show everyone my own handwritten notes I've kept for 18 years and running. Thankfully, I've kept my handwritten proof and every computer file for 20 years.

Q: You've got “The Rachael Ray Show,” are editor-in-chief of lifestyles magazine Everyday With Rachael Ray, created a non-profit and are a best-selling author. Between work and everyday life, how do you find the time for a new book?

A: I write every single day. I have my notebook on me every single day. My notebook is pretty heavy. I just sit every morning when I'm getting my hair blown out or if I have to do TV that day or when I get back from the gym. I just sit and write for a while in the morning, and I love to write before I go to bed, so I keep my notebook next to me on bed.

Q: Compiling a cookbook is something that would be very easy for you to delegate, to slap your name on it and call it a day. Why don't you?

A: I think that what I do is so specific; I grew up working in restaurants and developed my own style of cooking and whether you love or hate it, the public always senses if they're getting what they paid for. I can promise that people can get dinner done in a reasonable amount of time and have the self-esteem and great food feelings that come from making food for yourself or your loved ones. That's part of my job ­— I don't want to put my name on it if I didn't write it. And quite frankly, part of my food is the storytelling about it. I have to be able to tell you the story about it. I have to be able to tell the story of that for 180 episodes a year.

Q: You tape three shows a day?

A: I cook for 12 hours straight, and they boil it down to an hour. So I cook my way through the day, and then go home and cook dinner.

Q: Wow! So you actually cook for twelve hours straight and then want to go home and cook dinner?

A: On those days, I want nothing to do with sitting in public and having to watch my language. I just want to go home, listen to the Foo Fighters, see my husband and be home. I have to be home. I don't feel satisfied if I get take out. I don't like food out of a box. I prefer to go home and make dinner.

Q: If you had to switch careers to one that in no way, shape or form involved food, what would you do?

A: I'd have to be dead, I guess. With the exception of dish-machine operator, I've loved everything I've done in food, from being a fountain girl at HoJo's to working in food markets. Somebody's always hungry. Back in my dating days, you could always get a date if you knew how to cook someone dinner. I love being on TV, too. Every day is so different. I guess I could live without the TV part of it, although its super fun and I love it, but I would always want to work in food. You get addicted to it. You work yourself really hard if you grow up in food. And you learn how to really like that. It teaches you a great work ethic. I love the peace of mind it gives you.

Q: So you're coming to Pittsburgh this Friday for your book tour; have you ever been her before?

A: I have! For sure we've been there on book tour before, and I'm excited to come. It's one of the few cities we're doing the Burger Truck. We're going to be handing out sliders. And we're only doing it in a few cities.

Kate Benz is the social columnist for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at kbenz@tribweb.com or 412-380-8515.