Rachael Ray

From The Q to the Grand Tasting, the South Beach Wine and Food Festival has many flagship events, but none is more sought-after than the Burger Bash hosted by Rachael Ray. Every star chef from Masaharu Morimoto to Guy Fieri has vied for top prize at the twice-yearly event (which is also held every Fall at the New York City Wine and Food Festival).

We sat down with Rachael Ray just before she took the stage to announce the coveted People's Choice Award. She shared her thoughts on South Beach versus Miami, patty purists, and how she manages to taste all those burgers.

PopSugar: So how many Burger Bashes has this been for you?
Rachael Ray: Seven.

PS: What's different and what's new this year?
RR: Nothing's new about our event, except it gets bigger every year. What I love about our event is that I think it really embodies what I love about food: everybody's welcome, and it's for everyone. Whatever your skill level, whether you're rich or poor, young or old, good food should be for everybody. That's why you see the world's greatest chefs coming out and putting their souls between the buns.

PS: How many burgers are in the running at this year's event?
RR: 34.

PS: Is that the most you've ever had?
RR: It's the largest number of entries, yeah. It's the biggest we've ever had — it grows every year.

Find out if she's really eating 34 burgers when you keep reading.

Talk about starting off with a bang: last night, the 2012 New York City Wine & Food Festival kicked off with a comedic roast of Anthony Bourdain by celebrity chefs and comedians, and it seemed like just about every star chef who's seen a camera was there to sling mud at the food personality who made his name slinging mud. As pal Sarah Silverman told Bourdain in a prerecorded video message: "There's gonna be a lot of great lines tonight, and you can't snort any of them."

Great lines indeed. It was a rare opportunity to see another side of the stars of Food Network, who puts on the yearly festival; everyone from the bubbly Rachael Ray to the modest Eric Ripert cracked a dirty sex joke (or 10). Although Bourdain was the subject of the roast, there were plenty of other subjects of interest, primarily Guy Fieri's douchiness, Mario Batali fat jokes, and Ray's inability to cook. Catch up with the best lines you missed from last night's shockingly irreverent, profanity-filled comedy roast of Anthony Bourdain.

Change things up this holiday with a Thanksgiving dish from the queen of easy, delicious, and quick meals, Rachael Ray! On a recent episode of the Rachael Ray Show, Rachael unveiled her new favorite recipe, bacon and butternut squash risotto.

Risotto is an inexpensive and delicious meal for entertaining. It's sounds fancy and everyone loves it — including kids! — but it's just rice. This quick recipe only takes 20 to 25 minutes to prepare and works well as an entrée or main dish, so consider adding it to your Thanksgiving menu. Keep reading for the delicious, kid-friendly Thanksgiving recipe!

Classic shrimp cocktail is one of the world's greatest appetizers. The traditional recipe involves boiled shrimp, but during the Summer, why not use the grill to impart a smoky flavor on the shellfish? That's what this incredible recipe does! The shrimp are seasoned lightly with smoked Spanish paprika before being charred on the grill. Chili sauce and horseradish are combined with seasonings and finely chopped celery for a quick and easy but super flavorful and almost spicy cocktail sauce. When I served these plump, succulent shrimp, they were gone in five minutes. I recommend making a double batch! Get the uncomplicated recipe now.