"I thought it might be fun to learn to be a zookeeper - an animal keeper for the day. So we are here at Philly zoo because of course this is the first zoo and if you want the best, you go to the best!"
Rach really got hands-on by weighing and measuring the tortoises and then treating them to a little snack. She also used her personal passion for food to make friends with some feathered friends.
"It's easy to cook for them! they just like all bran and apples."
This season on her show, she's exploring some of the other things she'd be doing if she weren't a TV host. On her list?
"I always wanted to be a cop or a spy. I put on rock and roll drummer," Rachael said.
She says her honeymoon in South Africa inspired her zookeeper curiosity
"Everyone that we have worked with today has been here from 10 to 20 years, and you don't get career longevity like that unless people are really happy."
You can catch Rachael Ray's adventures at the Philadelphia Zoo
