Ina Garten is an American celebrity chef.

Ina Garten Shared Her 5 Most-Loved Soups for Lunch and Skipped These Fan Favorites

Mandi Kerr — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 22:25:00 +0000

Ina Garten’s most-loved soups for lunch don’t include some of her beloved classics. What Barefoot Contessa soups made the cookbook author’s list of lunchtime favorites and others she skipped.

1. Barefoot Contessa soup: Ina Garten loves Italian Wedding Soup for lunch, skips beef barley

Ina Garten | Amanda Edwards/WireImage

“I love soup for lunch because you can make a big batch and freeze it in quart containers,” Garten said in a Jan. 23 Instagram post. “It’s nutritious, comforting, and best of all, you can reheat it in a few minutes before lunch.”

Garten continued, sharing Italian Wedding Soup as the first of her five “favorite soups.” Meanwhile, another hearty Barefoot Contessa dish, her top-rated Rich Beef Barley Soup, didn’t get a shoutout (via Food Network).

2. Barefoot Contessa soup: Ina Garten loves tomato soup for lunch, skips French onion

Garten’s list of her most-loved soups for lunch continues with tomato soup. But not just any version. The Go-To Dinners author chose her Easy Tomato Soup for reasons she explained in a Jan. 24 Instagram post.

“My favorite old-fashioned lunch is tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich,” Garten wrote in the caption. “So I decided to combine the two in my Easy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons!

As for what fan-favorite soup Garten didn’t feature on her list, she made no mention of French onion, another one of her popular Barefoot Contessa dishes.

3. Barefoot Contessa soup: Ina Garten loves Chicken Ramen-Noodle Soup for lunch, skips chicken noodle

She might include chicken stock in every cookbook but her highly-rated chicken noodle soup isn’t one of Garten’s lunch soup picks. That’s right, it didn’t make her list of lunchtime soups.

Rather, Garten selected Chicken Ramen-Noodle Soup, calling it a “quick” version of the classic in a Jan. 25 Instagram post.

4. Barefoot Contessa soup: Ina Garten loves Winter Minestrone for lunch, skips pea soup

For all the fans of Parker’s Split Pea Soup out there (this writer included), the fact that it didn’t make Garten’s list of lunchtime soup picks might sting a bit. The love for this Barefoot Contessa dish runs deep.

Garten’s split pea soup averages 4.5 stars, with reviewers praising it for being both light and flavorful (via Food Network).

So what Barefoot Contessa soup did make Garten’s list of lunchtime soups? Her Winter Minestrone, which she described in a Jan. 26 Instagram post as “so delicious – and good for you, too!!”

5. Barefoot Contessa soup: Ina Garten loves Creamy Potato Fennel Soup for lunch, not potato leek

Fans of Garten’s Roasted Potato Leek Soup may be surprised to learn the dish didn’t make her soups-for-lunch list. After all, it boasts nearly a perfect score with an average of 4.5 stars (via Food Network).

Plus, reviewers have called it everything from “absolutely delicious!” and “definitely a keeper” to a “sophisticated potato soup that always gets rave reviews.”

Instead, what did make the cut is another creamy Barefoot Contessa soup. Garten opted for her Creamy Potato Fennel soup. It’s “full of flavor,” she captioned a Jan. 27 Instagram post before adding how she makes it less “boring” with cheese, croutons, and a drizzle of olive oil.

7 Ina Garten Salads That Just Make It Feel Like Spring

Perry Carpenter — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 13:35:07 +0000

Barefoot Contessa star Ina Garten is known for her love of delicious and fresh ingredients. And one of her all-time favorite things to prepare in the kitchen is salads. For Garten, salads are not just a side dish, but a delicious and healthy meal option that can be enjoyed any time of day.

In honor of Garten’s love for salads, we have curated a list of her best salad recipes that are perfect for spring meals.

Ina Garten with Stephen Colbert | Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images

‘Barefoot Contessa’ star’s Lobster Cobb Salad is a perfect spring lunch

Garten’s Lobster Cobb Salad is a beloved classic and is the perfect spring lunch option.

To make the vinaigrette, combine the mustard, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl.

For the salad, dice the avocados and toss them with lemon juice. Cut large arugula leaves in half crosswise.

Combine the lobster, tomatoes, salt, and pepper in a bowl, and dress with enough vinaigrette to coat. Add the diced avocados, crumbled bacon, blue cheese, and arugula, and toss gently. Serve at room temperature.

Ina Garten’s French Green Bean and Goat Cheese Spring Salad is one of her favorite meals

This French Green Bean and Goat Cheese salad might be Ina Garten’s favorite spring meal. In fact, Garten enjoys this recipe whenever she visits Paris.

First, score the goat cheese and cut it into slices using dental floss, then stack phyllo dough sheets with butter and bread crumbs to create 4 packages filled with goat cheese that are then chilled until ready to bake.

Boil and cool the string beans, then mix together a vinaigrette with olive oil, vinegar, mustard, shallots, salt, pepper, and dill. Finally, bake the goat cheese packages until golden brown, toss the string beans and mesclun with vinaigrette, top each salad with a warm goat cheese package and serve immediately.

Arugula and Warm Fig Salad is perfectly topped with yummy blue cheese

Indulge in the perfect combination of sweet and savory with this easy roasted fig and walnut salad, dressed in a tangy vinaigrette and topped with crumbled Roquefort cheese.

Create a vinaigrette by whisking together vinegar, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper, slowly adding olive oil as you whisk, and then setting the mixture aside. Prepare figs by removing the stems and cutting them in half or quarters before roasting them with the walnuts for 5-15 minutes.

Toss the arugula in a separate bowl with the vinaigrette and distribute the mixture onto six salad plates, topped with Roquefort cheese and the warm roasted figs and walnuts. Serve immediately.

‘Barefoot Contessa’ star’s Middle Eastern Vegetable Salad includes a zesty vinaigrette and crispy pita bread

Enjoy a burst of Mediterranean flavors with this delicious and healthy chickpea salad, featuring a vibrant mix of scallions, tomatoes, cucumber, fresh herbs, and tangy feta cheese, all dressed in a zesty lemon-garlic vinaigrette and served with crispy pita bread.

Combine scallions, tomatoes, cucumber, chickpeas, parsley, mint, and basil in a large bowl and mix well. In another bowl or measuring cup, whisk together lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper, and slowly add olive oil to create a dressing.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently. Add feta and sprinkle salt and pepper, tossing gently again. Toast pita bread and serve with the salad.

Ina Garten’s Roasted Balsamic Beet Salad is perfect at room temperature

Impress your guests with Ina Garten’s elegant warm roasted beet salad with arugula, almonds, and goat cheese, a perfect blend of earthy, tangy, and nutty flavors that will delight your taste buds.

This recipe begins by preheating the oven to 400 degrees and roasting the beets wrapped in foil for 50 minutes to 1 hour until tender, then cutting them into wedges and tossing them with vinaigrette, salt, and pepper.

The arugula is separately tossed with vinaigrette before being placed on a serving platter and topped with the beets, almonds, and goat cheese, and served warm or at room temperature.

Spring Corn Salad combines fresh kernels with basil

Celebrate the flavors of spring with this refreshing corn salad, featuring sweet and crunchy kernels tossed with tangy red onions, aromatic basil, and a zesty vinaigrette that will awaken your taste buds.

Boil corn in salted water for 3 minutes, then drain and submerge in ice water to cool and preserve color before cutting the kernels off the cob and placing them in a large bowl with red onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Add fresh basil just before serving, and taste to adjust the seasoning. This cold or room-temperature corn salad is perfect for spring gatherings.

A ‘Barefoot Contessa’ classic — Arugula with Parmesan Salad

Elevate your salad game with this simple yet sophisticated arugula and Parmesan salad, featuring crisp, peppery greens tossed in a tangy lemon dressing and topped with delicate shavings of salty, nutty Parmesan cheese.

Clean and dry arugula leaves before placing them in a bowl. Mix lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl and pour over the arugula.

Toss well and transfer to individual plates. Use a sharp knife or vegetable peeler to shave Parmesan cheese into large pieces and arrange them on top of the arugula. Enjoy a refreshing and easy-to-make salad!

Fans can catch Ina Garten mingling and cooking with celebrity guests on Be My Guest Sunday mornings on the Food Network.

I Made Ina Garten’s Winter Slaw and It Got Icy Reviews

Mandi Kerr — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 09:34:00 +0000

There’s nothing like a hearty meal in the depths of winter to lift the spirits amid what, for many, can be cold, gray days. Enter Ina Garten’s Winter Slaw. I served it to loved ones as part of a cozy meal at home. Rather than being a yummy, lightler addition to the rest of the food on the menu, it got decidedly negative reviews. Ahead, details on my experience making Garten’s Winter Slaw and why I may never make it again.

Getting certain ingredients for Ina Garten’s Winter Slaw proved difficult, along with the prep

Ina Garten | Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images

Garten, or the Barefoot Contessa, is known for creating simple dishes, and her Winter Slaw is no exception. Her official Barefoot Contessa website lists it as an “intermediate” dish with only three short steps.

It all sounded maybe deceptively easy when I first read through the instructions. When it came time to make the Winter Slaw it proved decidedly less easy with no “I-just-threw-this-together” air.

Instead, I found myself out of luck before getting in the kitchen. I couldn’t find radicchio at my local grocery store. Not Garten’s fault but a strike against the easiness of the dish all the same.

Later, after tracking down some rather lackluster-looking radicchio at a specialty food store, I got to work on prepping the Winter Slaw. Chopping up Brussels sprouts, radicchio, and kale should be simple enough or so I thought.

The sheer lack of countertop real estate had me wishing for a space like Garten’s East Hampton home and “barn.” Not to mention de-ribbing kale and coring Brussels sprouts and radicchio turned out to be time-consuming. The entire time I wished I’d bought pre-shredded Brussels sprouts and ready-to-eat kale.

Garten’s easy vinaigrette, a mainstay in many Barefoot Contessa salads, helped speed the process along. It took less than a minute to make in a liquid measuring cup. Finally, after tossing everything together in a big bowl — vinaigrette, cranberries, and Parmesan chunks included — the Winter Slaw was done.

Ina Garten’s Winter Slaw wasn’t a hit like other Barefoot Contessa dishes I’ve made at home

Unlike Garten’s Brownie Pudding and pea soup, the Be My Guest star’s Winter Slaw didn’t hit the spot for my family or me. As a fan of the cookbook author’s, I was surprised because the majority of Garten’s dishes I try go on to become favorites or even staples. But, alas, Winter Slaw is not one of them.

The feedback I got on the slaw was that it tasted “weird,” only to be left untouched on plates. Again, I was surprised because the ingredients were a collection of popular ingredients among myself and family members. Too much of a good thing, maybe?

Making Ina Garten’s Winter Slaw again would have to include changes to shorten the prep time

Hoda Kotb, Ina Garten, and Jenna Bush Hager | Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Garten and her fellow Food Network star, Tyler Florence, made preparing Winter Slaw look easy on Barefoot Contessa: Modern Comfort Food. But my experience didn’t include laughing in the kitchen while tossing greens into a bowl and whisking “good” olive oil to make a vinaigrette.

Overall, I was disappointed in the taste and admittedly perplexed I, nor my loved ones, really enjoyed it. Were I to make Garten’s Winter Slaw again, which I currently have no desire whatsoever to do, I’d make a few changes.

I’d buy pre-washed kale and shredded Brussels sprouts for a “storebought is fine” moment. Considering it’s a Make It Ahead dish (find the details on p. 77), I’d also give the salad more time in the fridge for the ingredients to have a chance to meld together.

Ina Garten Shares Her ‘Absolutely Delicious’ 2023 Valentine’s Day Menu

Mandi Kerr — Sat, 11 Feb 2023 12:55:00 +0000

Ina Garten’s continuing her holiday menus with a selection of Barefoot Contessa dishes for Valentine’s Day. Ahead, what the cookbook author plans on making come Feb. 14, from the main course and sides to cocktails and a “romantic playlist.”

Ina Garten 2023 Valentine’s Day menu: Panko-Crusted Rack of Lamb is the main course

The Barefoot Contessa’s 2023 Valentine’s Day menu starts with a show-stopping main course. Garten’s pick? Panko-Crusted Rack of Lamb from her 2018 Cook Like a Pro cookbook.

It might sound intimidating to kitchen newbies and even seasoned home cooks, but Garten swore in a Feb. 6 Instagram post it’s “absolutely delicious and so easy to prepare on a weeknight.”

It takes 90 minutes to make (via Food Network). But, as Garten said, there’s not much to preparing it. Four steps and 10 ingredients are all it takes.

Broccolini and pureed potatoes are sides on Ina Garten’s 2023 Valentine’s Day menu

Next up are the sides. Garten has created many Barefoot Contessa side dishes over the years, but for Valentine’s Day, she picked two classics; roasted vegetables and potatoes. Garten explained her reasoning for adding them to the menu in a Feb. 7 Instagram post.

“When I’m planning a menu, I always think about the flavors, colors, and textures of the dishes together,” Garten wrote in the caption. “For Valentine’s Day, with the Panko-Crusted Rack of Lamb, I love the creamy, lemony Pureed Potatoes with crunchy, fresh Roasted Broccolini. It’s a perfect menu and not at all hard to make!”

Ina Garten 2023 Valentine’s Day menu: Easy Chocolate Mousse

Among all her chocolate confections — truffles, chocolate cake, etc., — Garten added one of her new Barefoot Contessa desserts to the menu. She picked chocolate mousse from her latest cookbook, Go-To Dinners.

“For Valentine’s Day day, only a totally decadent chocolate dessert will do,” she wrote in a Feb. 8 Instagram post. “My Easy Chocolate Mousse can be made ahead so it’s ready whenever you are.”

“It’s a sweet way to end a very special dinner,” Garten concluded the post.

Similar to her other takes on chocolate mousse, Garten uses some of her “good” ingredients to amp up the flavor. Think “good” vanilla extract, coffee, and chocolate from suggested brands,

Ina Garten’s 2023 Valentine’s Day menu includes cocktails and a ‘romantic’ playlist to set ‘the mood’

Is it really a Barefoot Contessa menu without cocktails and a music selection from Garten? The Food Network star didn’t end her 2023 Valentine’s Day picks without including something to drink and a “romantic” playlist.

“Nothing sets the mood like a delicious bubbly cocktail and a romantic playlist!” she began a Feb. 9 Instagram video. “For a Kir Royale, pour a little crème de cassis in a Champagne flute, then fill the glass with Prosecco or Champagne. How easy is that??”

Her “Favorite Love Songs” playlist, featuring the likes of Frank Sinatra, Al Green, and Nat King Cole among others, makes it “even better,” she added. “Now you’re ready for a Happy Valentine’s Day! .”

4 Ina Garten Dishes for Valentine’s Day That Only Look Like They Took Hours

Mandi Kerr — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 09:35:00 +0000

Come Feb. 14, impress loved ones with Ina Garten’s Valentine’s Day dishes that look impressive but are more of a “How easy is that?” moment. Ahead, Barefoot Contessa dishes for any Valentine’s Day menu that only look like they took hours to make.

1. Ina Garten’s crème anglaise trick takes seconds for an easy Valentine’s Day treat

Ina Garten | Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

It’s French, sounds fancy, and might even strike up images of Iron Chef-level confidence in the kitchen. No one has to know it came together in seconds thanks to Garten’s “trick” for a quick crème anglaise.

“Vanilla ice cream is crème anglaise that’s been frozen,” she once said (via Food Network). “All you just have to do is defrost some ice cream and, voilà, you’ve got crème anglaise.”

Serve with bread pudding, like Garten’s been known to do, or drizzle crème anglaise over fresh berries. However it’s used, the creamy sauce is bound to impress. Just be sure to have some vanilla ice cream in the freezer. Garten prefers Häagen-Dazs.

2. Ina Garten’s ‘fastest weeknight pasta’ is special enough for Valentine’s Day

Garten’s lemon capellini, which she typically makes on New Year’s Eve for a quick meal before the ball drops, works just as well for Valentine’s Day. Not only is it fancy (hello, caviar!) but it’s simple to make.

Originally seen in her debut Barefoot Contessa cookbook, the dish features quick-cooking pasta, lots of butter, lemon juice, and caviar on top. The balance of ingredients makes it equal parts special and relaxed. Perfect for a cozy night at home on Valentine’s Day.

3. Ina Garten makes ice cream sandwiches easier with shortcuts

These may not be a traditional Valentine’s Day dessert, but with a few swaps, Garten’s take on the classic ice cream sandwich can be festive in practically no time at all.

The Go-To Dinners author uses store-bought ice cream and store-bought cookies to make ice cream sandwiches. Remember to select what Garten would refer to as “good” ice cream and “good” cookies.

Typically, Garten coats the outside of each sandwich with nuts. However, for Valentine’s Day, try swapping the nuts out for red, pink, and white sprinkles.

15 minutes of prep, according to Food Network, is all it takes to make Garten’s ice cream sandwiches.

4. Make a Valentine’s Day breakfast special (in seconds) with Ina Garten’s easy blender hollandaise

Wow loved ones on Valentine’s Day with a batch of Garten’s easy hollandaise. While it may not seem like an obvious choice for Valentine’s Day, trust us when we say it will impress, and no one has to know how easy it is to make.

Go all out with Barefoot Contessa eggs benedict and the Be My Guest star’s method for perfectly poached eggs. Or keep it simple and use the sauce to turn up the volume, as Garten would say, on breakfast classics such as omelets or scrambled eggs.

Just be sure to keep Garten’s “key” to making hollandaise sauce in mind: hot butter and room-temperature eggs.

4 Ina Garten Dishes That Deserve a Spot on Any Super Bowl Menu

Mandi Kerr — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 16:07:00 +0000

Watch Super Bowl 57 the Barefoot Contessa way with dishes from Ina Garten. Try one or two of the cookbook author’s creations or take it to the next level with an entire Barefoot Contessa football party menu. Without further ado, here are our picks for scrumptious — and snackable — eats from the Food Network star for Super Bowl Sunday.

1. Ina Garten Super Bowl menu additions: Hot Dogs in Puff Pastry

Ina Garten | Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Imes

Pigs in a blanket are a classic party snack whether it’s the Super Bowl or not. But, like many of her other Barefoot Contessa dishes, Garten has her own twist on the classic. Come Super Bowl Sunday, serve a slightly different version of the traditional appetizer with a simple swap.

First seen on Garten’s Instagram during coronavirus (COVID-19) quarantine, Garten wraps hot dogs in puff pastry, an ingredient she’s known to often use as a shortcut.

“It’s Week Whatever in quarantine and I needed dinner in a hurry so I wrapped some hot dogs in puff pastry and baked them,” she wrote before adding “they were so good!”

“Love the high/low thing plus they took five minutes to prep!” she ended the caption, noting “No one was disappointed.”

Find the instructions on Garten’s Barefoot Contessa website or on page 95 of her 2022 Go-To Dinners cookbook.

2. Ina Garten Super Bowl menu additions: Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

Probably the quickest Barefoot Contessa dish on this list to throw together for Super Bowl Sunday is Garten’s Sun-Dried Tomato Dip. Put the ingredients in a food processor, and the dip comes together in seconds.

At one time it was one of the most popular things served at Garten’s defunct Barefoot Contessa store. Filmmaker Nancy Meyers is a big fan, once revealing she doubles the “smooth,” “unexpected,” and “a little tangy” dip for parties “because it goes fast.”

3. Ina Garten Super Bowl menu additions: Fresh Crab Nachos

Another Barefoot Contessa dish that makes for a great addition to any Super Bowl menu is Garten’s Fresh Crab Nachos. Once again, they’re slightly different from the classic but just as delicious.

Get all the details on how to prepare Garten’s nachos in her 2020 Barefoot Contessa cookbook, Modern Comfort Food. Food Network also has step-by-step instructions.

Pro tip: Use jumbo lump crabmeat instead of shredded. Garten recommends it for better flavor.

4. Ina Garten Super Bowl menu additions: guacamole

Is it really the Super Bowl without guacamole? For those looking to add just one of Garten’s dishes to their menu for the big game, make it this one.

Not only is it easy to prepare, like most of the Food Network star’s creations, but it’s also a big hit among Garten’s fans, both celebrities and non-celebrities alike.

At the time of writing, Garten’s guacamole averages five stars on Food Network’s website with an impressive 301 reviews. If that’s not enough to add it to a Super Bowl menu, Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka took first place in a game night cook-off with Garten’s guac.

Whatever Barefoot Contessa dishes are on the Super Bowl menu, be sure to have them ready by kickoff. The game starts at 6:30 p.m. ET, or 3:30 p.m. PT, on Feb. 12, 2023, featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Ina Garten’s Most Popular Chocolate Cake Isn’t Her Original Creation

Mandi Kerr — Sun, 05 Feb 2023 11:02:00 +0000

TL;DR:

Beatty’s Chocolate Cake is a popular Barefoot Contessa dish.
However, Ina Garten didn’t come up with it herself.
She first tried the chocolate cake at a dinner party and loved it so much that she asked how to make it.

Ina Garten | Daytime Emmy Awards 2021 via Getty Images

Ina Garten just might be the unofficial queen of chocolate cake. She has different versions of the dessert, each one just as chocolatey as the next. Her fellow Food Network stars have even been known to make her chocolate cakes for their birthdays. However, one stands out above the rest. Ask any Barefoot Contessa fan and chances are they’ll say, Beatty’s Chocolate Cake. This particular cake is wildly popular. But Garten didn’t actually come up with the cake herself. How she discovered Beatty’s Chocolate Cake — and gave it her own Barefoot Contessa twist — ahead.

Beatty’s Chocolate Cake has nearly 3,000 five-star reviews on Food Network’s website

Right up there with Perfect Roast Chicken and Flag Cake as some of the most popular Barefoot Contessa dishes is Beatty’s Chocolate Cake. It’s downright beloved by fans of Garten’s.

At the time of writing the chocolate cake has wracked up nearly 3,000 reviews — 2,865 to be exact — on Food Network’s website. On top of that it averages five stars.

One look at reviewers’ comments and it’s easy to see why Beatty’s Chocolate Cake is so highly rated.

“I can’t even express how wonderful this cake is,” one person wrote, calling it life-changing. “Delicious doesn’t even begin to describe it,” added another.

“I have made this cake numerous times and it is ALWAYS a winner!” one reviewer wrote. “I have friends, family, and co-workers asking for it repeatedly! It is the best ‘from scratch’ cake I have ever made.”

A friend of Ina Garten’s served her Beatty’s Chocolate Cake when she came over for dinner

The cookbook author discussed the origin story behind Beatty’s Chocolate Cake in a 2022 interview with Goldbelly TV.

“Beatty’s chocolate cake came about because a very good friend invited us for dinner and he served us a chocolate cake,” Garten recalled.

She continued, remembering how she loved the cake. “I was like, ‘This is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had and where does it come from?’ And he said, ‘Well, my grandmother made it.’”

Garten’s friend gave her “the recipe for the chocolate cake and that became a really important thing.”

“It’s a classic American chocolate cake, but it just tastes better than you expect it to,” she added.

Inside the barn at her home in East Hampton, New York, Garten shared more about Beatty’s Chocolate cake.

“My friend Michael Grimm’s grandfather was a milkman in Pennsylvania Dutch country, and his grandmother’s name was Beatty,” she said. “She would take orders for chocolate cakes, and they would deliver them with the milk. How good does that sound?”

She went on to name coffee as the cake’s “secret ingredient.”

Ina Garten’s adapted the cake since it first appeared in her 2006 cookbook

Ina Garten | Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Food Network

Beatty’s Chocolate Cake is featured in Garten’s 2006 cookbook, Barefoot Contessa At Home. Over the years she’s made a few variations due to its popularity. She adapted Beatty’s Chocolate Cake into cupcakes for 2022’s Go-To Dinners. Garten also shared her instructions work for making the cake into a sheet cake as opposed to the original layered cake.

Ina Garten’s Manners While Cooking With Martha Stewart Got Her Noticed by Food Network

Mandi Kerr — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 00:25:00 +0000

Ditching table manners played a part in Ina Garten’s journey to hosting a cooking show. Ahead, what she said taping The Martha Stewart Show that made a Food Network executive take notice. Plus, why Garten believes Barefoot Contessa isn’t about “‘look at me.’”

A Food Network executive noticed Ina Garten in a ‘Martha Stewart Show’ outtake when she was told not to talk with her mouth full

Ina Garten | Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

When her career as a cookbook author started to take off, Garten appeared as a guest on Martha Stewart’s cooking show. It was 2001, the year her second cookbook, Barefoot Contessa Parties!, hit shelves.

Garten and Stewart had already known each other for years, having worked together after meeting in the Hamptons. Despite being familiar with Stewart, Garten was new to TV.

She talked with her mouth full in an outtake — a no-no on The Martha Stewart Show — and a Food Network executive noticed.

“She said that I was making something,” Garten recalled in a 2022 60 Minutes interview (via CBS News). “And I took a spoonful of it and tasted it and go, ‘This is really good.’”

The now-74-year-old continued: “And — and the Martha Stewart crew said, ‘Cut. You can’t talk with your mouth full.’ And I was like, ‘Why? It’s a cooking show.’”

Ina Garter later agreed to host a cooking show, her way

Garten finally agreed to host her own cooking show after turning down Food Network over and over again. But it had to be on her terms: filming in her kitchen with cameras up close to give the show more of a dinner party feel.

A grand gesture from the network also helped. When Food Network learned Garten liked the style of a certain cooking show, they hired the producer to work on Barefoot Contessa.

“I thought that was pretty impressive,” Garten once told Food & Wine. One long phone conversation with the producer later and she decided to try TV.

Garten’s cooking show premiered in November 2002 and she continues to film new episodes.

The ‘Barefoot Contessa’ host focuses on having fun

Sure, Garten gets stressed before dinner parties and nervous cooking for people. But her main focus is having fun.

“When you’re cooking, you’re not — it’s not about, ‘Look at me,’” Alfonsi said in Garten’s 60 Minutes interview. “Oh, it’s never about, ‘Look at me.’ I’m like, ‘Don’t look at me.’ I’m just the opposite,” the cookbook author replied.

“It’s funny, I have a friend who said, ‘Everybody else is, like, ‘Look at me. Look at me. You know, pay attention to me,’” Garten continued. “And I’m like, ‘Well, this is what I do. You can do whatever the f*** you want to do.’ And I’m just having fun here.”

“I just think,” Garten later added, “if you’re not having fun what’s the point, really?”

‘Barefoot Contessa’: Ina Garten’s Tips for Avoiding Burnout and Keeping Excitement Alive

Lucille Barilla — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 15:22:07 +0000

Ina Garten, star of Food Network’s The Barefoot Contessa, has been cooking and entertaining professionally for over 20 years. During that period, she wrote 13 cookbooks and filmed over 300 episodes and 27 seasons of her cooking series. Ina is a consummate multitasker, having picked up some skills in both cooking and life that have helped her deal with professional and personal burnout. She spilled some of her greatest tips to interviewer Chris Wallace.

Ina Garten, Food Network’s ‘The Barefoot Contessa’ | Mike Smith/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images

Ina Garten refused Food Network courting her for her series

In an interview with Who’s Talking With Chris Wallace, Ina said she declined an initial offer from Food Network to helm her series. She shared she put them off for an unbelievable amount of time.

Ina revealed it was a year and a half before she agreed to film her first episode of Barefoot Contessa in 2002. She told Chris, “I say lose my number. I didn’t think anybody would want to watch me on TV. I didn’t know what they saw. And I don’t know. I just couldn’t. I’ve never done TV. And I just didn’t, couldn’t imagine that.”

Before jumping into food television, Ina authored her first cookbook, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. She also ran the successful Hamptons food store Barefoot Contessa. This leap of faith has been a hallmark of Ina’s life for many years and a tip she loves to share about shaking life up once in a while.

Ina Garten’s tips for avoiding burnout and keeping excitement alive

How did the “Barefoot Contessa” become one of the most successful food shows on television? Chris Wallace talks to Ina Garten about her unexpected rise on a new Who’s Talking to #ChrisWallace, Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on CNN pic.twitter.com/0U3BDeH1tS
— CNN (@CNN) January 14, 2023

In her interview with the veteran newsman, Ina revealed that it might be time to shake things up again. After hitting the 20-year mark on Food Network, is the time right to make a change?

She admitted, “I would say every 20 years, I get incredibly bored. And I just go, okay, I have to change all of this. If I wake up in the morning, and I’m not a little scared about how this is going to work out, I’m not happy.”

Ina continued, “In that sense, I don’t have a grand plan. But every 20 years, I rethink what I’m doing. So that I feel like I’m totally invested and committed to something a little scary.”

She’s never had a ‘grand plan’

Ina Garten cooks in an episode of ABC’s ‘The Chew’ | Jeff Neira/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images

As many of Ina’s loyal fans know, she didn’t begin her career as a professional cook or even an author. For years, Ina worked as a nuclear budget analyst at the White House.

However, in 1981, she was looking through The New York Times business section when she came across an ad for a Hamptons specialty food shop named Barefoot Contessa. Despite not having any experience in the food business, Ina traveled to Long Island, looked at the property, and fell in love. With her husband Jeffrey’s support, she took the leap of faith and purchased the property.

She once told Katie Couric, “My philosophy of life is that you have to jump in the pond. You can stand on the side of the pond forever talking about what the pond is going to feel like, but you have to get in.”

Therefore, Ina sees challenges as a necessary part of living life to the fullest. She told Chris that she doesn’t have “a grand plan.” But, I really just do what I love to do.”

Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace airs on CNN on Sundays at 7 p.m. EST. The series also airs on HBO Max.

A new season of Be My Guest with Ina Garten debuts on the Food Network beginning Sunday, March 5.

Ina Garten Says It’s OK to Order Pizza for a Dinner Party

Mandi Kerr — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 00:34:00 +0000

TL;DR:

Ina Garten said on Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? it’s OK to order pizza for a dinner party because “the thing that makes a great party is that the host is having fun.”
The Barefoot Contessa previously shared her trick for elevating delivery pizza.
Ina Garten is a fan of other ready-made/store-bought foods besides pizza.

Ina Garten | Noam Galai/WireImage

Get ready to invite people over because ordering pizza for entertaining just got Ina Garten’s stamp of approval. What the Be My Guest host said about how delivery pizza can be part of a “great party.” Plus, what she does to take it up a notch.

Ina Garten says ‘having fun’ makes for a ‘great party’ so ‘order a pizza’

Delivery pizza is OK by the Barefoot Contessa. Yes, really. During a Jan. 2023 appearance on Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? Garten explained the key to hosting a party has nothing to do with the food.

“You say the most important thing is keep it simple. And when you’re entertaining, particularly, keep it relaxed,” host Chris Wallace said while discussing Garten’s approach to food.

“Because at the end of the day, the thing that makes a great party is that the host is having fun,” she replied. “And if the host, the host or hostess, is, like, crying and sweating and going crazy, nobody’s gonna have fun.”

“So, you know what,” Garten continued. “Order a pizza, make a fabulous Caesar salad, order an apple tart for dessert, and have a really good time.”

Previously, she’s admitted that even she gets stressed before dinner parties and nervous cooking for people. Ultimately, it comes down to what she told Wallace, that the host is having a good time.

Ina Garten doesn’t like to serve pizza in the box it came in

Ina Garten | Mike Smith/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

Now for the Barefoot Contessa way to spruce up delivery pizza. It’s not adding “good” Parmesan cheese. Although she probably wouldn’t object. Or even adding more toppings. Again, she probably wouldn’t be against it. Garten’s tip for elevating pizza is even easier.

When she invited friends over for a socially-distanced meal in 2020, she simply took the pizzas out of the box. “The pizzas didn’t go in cardboard, they went on platters,” she said.

The trick is similar to what Garten’s known to do with store-bought appetizers such as potato chips and nuts. She uses silver bowls for a special touch.

Ina Garten is a fan of all sorts of store-bought foods

Getting pizza delivered isn’t the only thing in Garten’s arsenal to make entertaining easier. She also likes store-bought foods, from Tate’s Bake Shop cookies to apple tarts.

While co-hosting Today in Dec. 2022, Garten shared she likes to get apple tarts from Trader Joe’s. “The other day, I had some friends over, and I got an apple tart from Trader Joe’s,” she said. “I put it in the oven — it was absolutely delicious.”

Other items she’d rather buy than make from scratch include vanilla ice cream (Garten is a fan of Häagen-Dazs), baguettes, and tomato sauce.