What does Ree Drummond do when the cameras stop rolling on the Pioneer Woman? How about
managing an empire of products ranging from slow cookers to pajamas to luxury hotels?
Did you know that Ree Drummond, one of television's biggest cooking stars, did not start
out on TV? That's right, the Food Network star was a cookbook author and blogger first! Her first
cookbook, "The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl," published in 2009,
is chock-full of down-home delicious recipes and colorful photos. And Drummond has since
admitted she was a little unsure about writing it, describing these feelings on her blog:
"I had no idea what I was doing when I wrote that sucker,
and I didn't care. I embraced it and ran with it and I'll always be so glad I did."
Drummond's books are extremely popular, with Goodreads naming "The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food
from My Frontier" and "Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl," as 'must-read' cookbooks, placing
them alongside classics such as "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" by Julia Child, and "The Joy of
Cooking" by Irma S. Rombauer. Drummond has since gone on to write many more best-selling cookbooks.
"So what's the new book you got here Ree?"
"Well this is my sixth cookbook, the new frontier…"
Of course, her blog's been a massive success too. Launched in 2006, The Pioneer Woman blog
has been a source of folksy recipes, stories, and photos, all detailing life at her Oklahoma ranch.
"I could blog about that."
By 2010, an article in the New Yorker reported that The Pioneer Woman blog was
generating over one million dollars a year, and it remains super-popular to this day.
In addition to cookbooks, Ree Drummond has also found success writing a different kind
of title – kid's books, penning both the "Charlie the Ranch Dog" collection
and the "Little Ree" collection. Drummond credited her move to rural Oklahoma as an
adult as providing the inspiration for her "Little Ree" series. And of course,
her beloved basset hound Charlie inspired her "Charlie" books. She also named Laura
Ingalls Wilder, author of the "Little House on the Prairie" series, as a major inspiration.
Since its launch in the early '90s, the Food Network has become an American
cultural institution. Some of today's most famous chefs have come from the network,
as have some of the most popular food-centric shows. And Ree Drummond is, without a doubt,
one of the channel's biggest stars. Ranked number seven on the list of the best Food
Network chefs by Variety, Drummond is one of the most popular chefs on the network,
with over 300 episodes of her signature series under her belt.
But that's not all – Drummond also stars in a variety of other programs on the network,
appearing as a judge, guest, or host on programs that include "Beat Bobby Flay," "The Christmas
Cookie Challenge," "Food Network Star," and "The Kitchen." More recently, Drummond has even worked
as an actor, debuting her acting skills in "Candy Coated Christmas," the Food Network's first film!
"I want my Oscar."
"Oh ok!"
"Just kidding, I'm going to stay in my lane."
Why stop at one successful business when you can have two — or three, four, or five? Of course,
Ree Drummond and her husband Ladd own their Oklahoma cattle ranch. But they also own the
successful Pioneer Woman blog, plus a handful of shops in Pawhuska, Oklahoma,
including the Pioneer Woman Mercantile. The mercantile draws tourists from around the world,
all eager to buy souvenirs. Luckily, The Mercantile offers a wide variety of gifts,
from stuffed toys to Christmas ornaments, from gift wrap to mints, and from coffee to
cookbooks. And it should go without saying that the Mercantile also boasts a large restaurant and
bakery where you can taste Drummond's original creations for yourself, including her famous
cinnamon rolls. Opening The Mercantile was a labor of love, as Drummond described on her blog:
"It took a lot to get here, but now it brings me so much joy."
Other Drummond-owned shops in Pawhuska include an ice cream shop
and a pizza spot, and in addition to these businesses,
the Drummonds also own a bed and breakfast called "The Pioneer Woman Boarding House."
"I like to stay at the Boarding House. There's no chores!"
Operating as a store back in the 1920s, the boarding house has been completely
remodeled and modernized, offering eight guest rooms, each with a different theme,
including the Emerald Room, the Butterfly Room, the Prairie Room, and the Ranch Room.
Walk into any bookstore, and you'll probably find a few Food Network chefs' cookbooks for sale,
including some from the Pioneer Woman herself. And if you walk into any department store,
you'll most likely see some merch with a Food Network chef's name on it,
from Emeril Lagasse's spices to Trisha Yearwood's dinnerware. And
Ree Drummond is no exception – she's got her very own line of cookware!
Available at Wal-Mart, Drummond's popular line of kitchen essentials includes everything
from dishes and bakeware sets to small appliances like crockpots,
can openers, even air fryers. Many of her products are rated very well by customers,
and, according to Consumer Reports, the products tend to be of excellent quality,
comparable to items that cost much more. One exception is the nonstick coating on her pans,
which some reviews have noted have a tendency to chip. With vintage-inspired floral patterns
and bright colors, Drummond's cheerful dishes stand out from the rest. And she told Delish why:
"I can't do anything plain. I love bright, happy colors and things that make you feel good."
"I'm in love, I'm in love, and I don't care who knows it!"
And the Pioneer Woman didn't stop at the kitchen! Her brand has expanded to include storage, bedding
and bath, decor, and even apparel, all featuring her signature bright colors and floral patterns.
Part of Ree Drummond's charm is that she films where she lives,
showing her family life in the process. In many episodes, she's seen bringing food to her husband
and ranch hands out in the fields or feeding her children. For a long time, Drummond and her
family have lived in the house her husband grew up in, further adding to the appeal.
However in December 2021, that all changed, because Drummond and her rancher husband,
Ladd, built a smaller house near their original home. She
told People Magazine why they made the decision:
"It wasn't a charming 50-year-old house. We loved raising our kids in the house,
but it had foundation problems and had developed a
few problems that were going to be pretty overwhelming to fix."
Now, if you're worried about how this move might affect the filming
of "The Pioneer Woman," don't be! That's because Drummond doesn't
actually film her cooking show at her house – and she actually never has.
"Hi friends, I'm here at the Lodge...I'm here on the ranch, I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."
Yes, Drummond films her show at a location on the property she
calls 'The Lodge.' Originally a guest house, The Lodge is the main location
for filming and holding events on the property, and it's even open for tours!
With the economy going through a bit of a rough patch, the Food Network has responded
with a fast-paced and fun show about cooking on a budget, starring the Pioneer Woman herself. Yes,
Ree Drummond's newest venture is "Big Bad Budget Battle," a competition series where home cooks
produce a tasty dish on a strict budget. The winning prize? A year's worth of groceries.
"Each week the most talented home cooks in the country will face real life challenges."
Describing the show to Variety, Drummond said:
"I can't wait for viewers to see these awesome home cooks in action, both with their creativity
in the kitchen and their budget shopping skills – they are truly something to behold!"
"Big Bad Budget Battle" is produced by another Food Network icon, Guy Fieri,
the man behind the ultra-popular "Diners,
Drive-Ins and Dives." And because the show involves just about as much shopping and
budgeting as it does cooking, you just might learn something. As Drummond told Mashed:
"Watching what [contestants] chose to put back was sometimes just as instructive as
watching the things that they bought. It was almost always something that
I would have chosen to put back, but their decisions were usually right on the money."
Now if you want to watch "Big Bad Budget Battle," which began airing in August,
take note: the show won't be on Food Network – but
it will be on its parent company's streaming service, Discovery Plus.
Although Ree Drummond is, of course, a mega-famous television personality,
she's always prided herself on being a down-to-earth wife and mother, who, despite
all of her professional success, has remained dedicated to her family. And in June 2021,
when her husband Ladd Drummond was seriously hurt in a ranching accident, actually breaking
his neck, the Pioneer Woman was always by his side, despite her considerable work demands.
Yes, Drummond has also always been dedicated to taking care of her family. And she made
sure to bestow some cooking wisdom on her daughter Alex before dropping her off at
college. Drummond actually dedicated an episode of "The Pioneer Woman" to dorm room cooking to
share this knowledge with the world, including recipes for things like dorm room pizza and
mug cake. And Drummond made sure Alex packed the kitchen essentials to make these recipes happen,
bringing along things like a waffle iron, a microwave, and an electric tea kettle.
Drummond is close to her extended family as well. Her nephew, Stuart Smith, worked
on the set of "The Pioneer Woman."
"Yeah, I'm getting kinda hungry."
"I guess we'll get started."
“So get on with it.”
Until May of this year, Smith was a member of the show's crew, eventually
leaving to pursue an internship in Chicago. Drummond wrote about him on her Instagram:
"I love this kid so much, and we've had the greatest laughs. So proud of you Stu,
and Aunt Ree will miss you so much."
Helming a popular cooking show, running a blog and writing best-selling cookbooks have turned
Ree Drummond into a seriously wealthy woman – she's now worth an estimated $50 million,
putting her on par with Guy Fieri, and not far behind Bobby Flay and Ina Garten. And even though
Ree Drummond is independently wealthy, her husband, Ladd, has even more money,
with an estimated net worth of $200 million dollars. According to a report in the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution, the Drummond family has a lucrative government land use contract,
and they are the 23rd largest landowner in the United States, with 433,000 acres to their name.
And the savvy Drummonds keep delving into new businesses, including P-Town Pizza,
a pizza shop in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, as well as an ice cream parlor, Charlie's Sweet Shop.
With her daughter's 2021 wedding on the horizon,
the Pioneer Woman wanted to lose weight. As for how the weight gain happened,
Ree Drummond blamed her busy work life for taking time away from physical activity.
"I'm getting hungry, can you tell?"
In 2022, Drummond revealed that after re-dedicating herself to a healthy lifestyle,
including cutting out alcohol, weighing her food, and exercising, she had lost about 50 pounds.
"I basically hit rock bottom." "I lost 50 pounds!"
As part of her new lifestyle, Drummond focused on consuming fewer calories and
eating smaller portions. She also incorporated more physical activity, including walking and
weight lifting into her daily routine. Of course, being a famous cooking show host,
Drummond was sure to emphasize that she hasn't omitted any foods from her diet,
including cake! The difference? Now, she enjoyed her favorites in more reasonable portions and
served them alongside foods with higher protein levels to satisfy a more complete nutritional
goal. The Pioneer Woman has shared that although her new approach to health and fitness has been
a significant change, it hasn't necessarily transformed her life. As she wrote on her blog:
"Maybe it would be better to say perspective change
instead of lifestyle change. I experienced a seismic shift in my perspective of everything."