Launched in 1996 and spanning nine seasons on CBS, Patricia Heaton’s star status on “Everybody Loves Raymond” was earned from her portrayal of mom and wife character Debra, who assured that every day was Father’s Day in their Long Island home.
Not an easy task, especially when living next door to her Italian mother-in-law kitchen rival Marie, played by the late great Doris Roberts.
I interviewed Roberts back in 2001 when she was in Gary as one of the celebrity judges for the telecast of the 50th anniversary Miss USA pageant, which was telecast live from the Genesis Convention Center downtown.
Roberts, who died at age 90 in 2016, had wonderful things to say about working with Heaton, as well as the series’ title name star Ray Romano.
Last week, I enjoyed chatting some with Heaton, 67, at a dinner Thursday in downtown Chicago hosted by The Simon Wiesenthal Center, a leading global Jewish human rights organization that honored Heaton and business leader Todd Stern, among others, at its 2025 Humanitarian Award Dinner. (By no coincidence, June 12 also marked the birthday of Anne Frank, who died at age 15 in 1945.)
Heaton was one of two honorees to receive the organization’s Medal of Valor.
Heaton has become just as famous for her devout Catholic faith, never afraid to stand by her beliefs despite the many behind-the-scene forces in her industry and other career decision-makers with opinions that do not always agree with all who surround her.
On Thursday, she was honored for her defense of Israel and the Jewish community. On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups launched a large-scale attack on Israel, resulting in the deaths of at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the abduction of 250 people. In response, Heaton created a new non-profit group called O7C, or October 7 Coalition, to fight against antisemitism.
During the awards presentation, Heaton shared the stage with Stern, who was recognized for his support in establishing the first Mobile Museum of Tolerance in the U.S., an educational initiative of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, which has since rolled out 10 mobile museum units which travel from California to Illinois, Florida and other states to teach lessons of tolerance to more than 200,000 students a year around the country. The Mobile Museum of Tolerance is a self-contained classroom on wheels where staff can lead workshops that confront modern issues like bias, bigotry, and discrimination, with more details at www.wiesenthal.org.
Also honored Thursday was Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, presented with the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Government Leadership Award. Chicago Bulls CEO Michael Reinsdorf and his wife Nancy bestowed Kareem K.W.O.E. Wells, known locally as the “King of Mitzvahs,” with the Center’s Medal of Valor.
On “Everybody Loves Raymond,” Heaton’s character was married to Ray Barone, a sportswriter for Newsday. Heaton’s youth was spent growing up in tiny Bay Village, Ohio, as the daughter of Chuck Heaton, a sportswriter for The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
The fourth of five children, her sister Sharon is a Dominican nun.
“It wasn’t until I was in college at Ohio State University that I first met Jewish people and it was an immediate connection that has remained ever since,” Heaton said Thursday.
“When Oct. 7 happened, and we began seeing all of this body cam footage being shared online, mostly by Hamas, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and hearing. I was so shocked about why weren’t people standing up and doing something about this?”
Heaton, a mother of four, attended the dinner with her husband David Hunt, and she said they now live full-time in Nashville.
During her time from 1996 until 2005 on “Everybody Loves Raymond,” Heaton’s character became a recurring kitchen punchline that she could only make one recipe the family really enjoyed: her lemon chicken.
This is until an episode that aired in 2000. To the surprise of her own family and her in-laws, her character Debra gleefully discovered she could also make a delicious variation of the Italian beef staple “Braciole di Manzo.” When scenes were shot around the dinner table, the cast dined on a true delicious dish, as insisted by producer Phil Rosenthal, rather than nibbling at disguised “pretend” prop food.
The slightly altered recipe for Debra’s Braciole di Manzo was inspired by a recipe in a Williams-Sonoma cookbook titled “Savoring Italy.”
Columnist Philip Potempa has published four cookbooks and is a radio host on WJOB 1230 AM. He can be reached at PhilPotempa@gmail.com or mail your questions: From the Farm, PO Box 68, San Pierre, Ind. 46374.
Debra’s Braciole di Manzo
Makes 4 servings
1 pound boneless beef, top round, fat trimmed, cut into 4 thick slices
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 thin slices prosciutto
1 thick slice provolone, cut into 4 equal pieces
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons currants
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 cup dry red wine
4 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3 fresh basil leaves torn into small pieces
Directions:
Place meat slices between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound with a meat mallet until they are 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper.
Place a slice of prosciutto and a piece of cheese on each one. Sprinkle with pine nuts, currants and garlic.
Roll up each of the layered slices, tucking in the ends. Tie the rolls at 1-inch intervals with string.
In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add beef rolls and cook, turning as needed, until browned on all sides, about 15 minutes.
Add onion and cook until onion is tender, about 5 minutes longer.
Add wine and cook until most of the liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes.
Add tomatoes and sprinkle with more salt and pepper and reduce heat, cover and simmer on low until the beef is tender, as much as 2 hours. If sauce is becoming too dry, add water as needed.
Uncover and scatter parsley and basil over the dish before serving with sauce spooned over top.
