Ina Garten Biography
Barefoot Contessa host Ina Rosenberg Garten (/an/ EYE-n; born February 2, 1948) is an American author, former employee of the Office of Management and Budget, and host of the Food Network program. Perfect Roast Chicken, Weeknight Bolognese, French Apple Tart, and a streamlined beef bourguignon are a few of her recipes. Barefoot Contessa, the gourmet food shop where Garten first started her culinary career, was followed by numerous best-selling cookbooks, magazine columns, and a well-liked Food Network television program.
Ina Garten Early life
Ina Rosenberg was born in Brooklyn, New York City, to a Jewish family, and she was raised in Stamford, Connecticut. Garten was one of two children born to Florence (née Rich), a dietician, and her husband Charles H. Rosenberg, an otolaryngologist. She was pushed to do well in school and had a talent for science. She claims to apply her scientific approach when experimenting with dishes. Garten’s mother, an educated woman with a penchant for opera, forbade Ina from helping out in the kitchen and encouraged her to focus on her schooling. Garten says that she resembles her father more than her mother and characterized him as a socializer. David Torn, a musician, is her cousin.
On a vacation to see her brother at Dartmouth College when she was 15 years old, she met her future husband Jeffrey Garten. She attended Syracuse University after high school, where she majored in economics, and then transferred to the George Washington University School of Business.
Ina Garten Career
After getting hitched in Stamford on December 22, 1968, Jeffrey and Ina moved on to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. In an effort to pass the time, she started experimenting with cooking and entertaining; Jeffrey had a four-year military tour in the Vietnam War. Additionally, she obtained her pilot’s license. She developed a taste for French cuisine on a four-month camping trip through Europe the pair took after her husband finished his military service. This trip included time spent in France.
She became acquainted with outdoor markets, produce stands, and fresh cooking supplies during her vacation.[9] She started honing her culinary skills upon her return to the United States by studying the works of Simone Beck, Louisette Bertholle, and Julia Child’s renowned cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Weekly dinner parties became a routine during this period, and in 1972, she and her husband moved to Washington, D.C., where she continued to hone her home entertaining abilities.
Garten worked for the White House in Washington while Jeffrey completed his doctorate at the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies. Jeffrey worked for the State Department. Garten worked for the Federal Power Commission first before moving on to the White House Office of Management and Budget. After some time, she was given the job of budget analyst, which required producing the nuclear energy budget and policy papers on nuclear centrifuge plants for Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter.
Garten acquired her cooking and entertaining skills while working at OMB, and she also bought and renovated ancient homes in the Dupont Circle and Kalorama areas. She bought the Barefoot Contessa gourmet food store with the money she made from these sales.
Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa store
In 1978, Garten resigned from her position with the government after spotting an advertisement for the 400-square-foot (37 m2) Westhampton Beach, New York, Barefoot Contessa speciality food store. Four years later, she reflected, “My job in Washington was academically intriguing and engaging but it was not me at all.
She bought it and moved to New York after making the trip to the store. She frequently put in 12-hour days at the company. The original proprietor of the business gave the store the name of the 1954 Ava Gardner movie. Garten decided to keep the name because it fit with her conception of a “elegant but earthy” way of life. Ironically, she hadn’t seen the movie as of 2006.
In 1985, Garten transferred Barefoot Contessa to the recently-vacated space of gourmet grocer Dean & DeLuca in the Long Island community of East Hampton. Three years earlier, Garten had moved Barefoot Contessa across Main Street to a larger building. In contrast to the seasonal beach vibe of Westhampton, East Hampton is home to a year-round community, offering a bigger clientele. Garten increased the size of the store in East Hampton from its initial 400 square feet (37 m2) to more than 3,000 square feet (280 m2). The shop focused on gourmet foods like caviar, imported cheeses, lobster Cobb salad, and locally grown veggies in this new, larger location.
As the company expanded, Garten hired local bakers and cooks, notably Anna Pump (who eventually acquired the Bridgehampton Inn and Loaves & Fishes Specialty Food Store). Celebrity customers like Steven Spielberg gave the store positive press.
After running Barefoot Contessa for 20 years, Garten decided to sell the business to two employees, Amy Forst and Parker Hodges, in 1996. She still held title to the actual structure. She took a year off from the culinary world after selling the store because she wasn’t sure what direction her career should go. She also constructed an office for herself above the shop. She attempted to sketch out strategies for potential company enterprises while researching the stock market there. As she started selling her coffees and a few other goods on her website, Barefoot Contessa, at the time, it rose to prominence as a prominent business.
When filmmaker Nancy Meyers used the store as one of the settings for the Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton movie Something’s Gotta Give in 2003, Barefoot Contessa had already established itself as a significant gathering spot in East Hampton. The store was permanently shut down in 2003 after the property lease ran out and attempts to reach an agreement between Garten, who was still the building’s owner at the time, and the new owners failed. Garten decided not to reopen the store but maintained the property in case any other tenants wanted to rent it.
Barefoot Contessa cookbooks
Garten reappeared in 1999, this time focusing on publishing. In 1999, she published The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, a sleeper bestseller that continued the Barefoot Contessa moniker. Garten and publisher Clarkson Potter were both pleasantly surprised by the book, which included the recipes that helped her shop succeed. After the initial printing of 25,000 cookbooks was sold out, Garten eventually sold over 100,000 copies in the first year, instantly necessitating second and third print runs. She first published Barefoot Contessa Parties! in 2001, and Barefoot Contessa Family Style followed in 2002. Parties! received positive reviews and saw strong sales.
Parties! and The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook were finalists for 2000 and 2002 James Beard Awards in the area of Entertaining & Special Occasion Cookbooks. Parties! was a surprising nomination; Gunther was thought to be too inexperienced to fight against competitors like French chef Jacques Pépin and world-renowned wine authority Brian St. Pierre.
Many color images, including a full-page image accompanying each recipe, may be found in her cookbooks. Some detractors claim that this method of publishing wastes space that could be used to include recipes. Nevertheless, reviews of her publications have been favorable; in 2005, Giada De Laurentiis, a fellow chef, listed Garten as one of her favorite authors. By 2023, Garten had written thirteen cookbooks that had sold over 14 million copies combined.
Barefoot Contessa: How Easy Is That, Garten’s 2010 cookbook, received criticism from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. It was named one of “The Five Worst Cookbooks” of the year for its usage of meat and dairy products that are rich in fat, calories, and cholesterol. The Wall Street Journal’s Eric Felten responded by labeling the piece “an assault on cookbooks that dare to venture beyond lentils.”
Barefoot Contessa on Food Network
When Garten’s Food Network show debuted in 2002, she had already made a name for herself through her cookbooks and appearances on Martha Stewart’s program. In response to the popularity of The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook and Barefoot Contessa Parties!, Garten received a proposal from Food Network to host her own cooking program on television. Before the London-based production company behind Nigella Bites was allocated to the contract, she repeatedly rejected this proposal. She agreed to a 13-show season, and Barefoot Contessa made its debut in 2002 to favorable reviews.
She often only invites celebrities who are her friends to appear on her show, which features her husband and their pals. Each episode of Barefoot Contessa averages about one million viewers, making it one of the most popular shows on Food Network.
The program received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for Best Service Show in 2005. The program and Garten were once more nominated for Daytime Emmy Awards in 2009 in the categories of Best Culinary Program and Best Culinary Host, with the latter award giving Garten her first Emmy.
The same year, Garten revealed that she had signed a three-year deal with Food Network to continue her cooking show and that, in addition to Barefoot Contessa at Home, she will publish two more cookbooks. Garten reportedly received the highest-paying contract ever given to a cookbook author, agreeing to a multimillion-dollar deal for several books. She has also been approached numerous times to launch her own publication, furniture collection, set of cookware, and network of shops (similar to Stewart’s Omnimedia), but she has turned down these offers because she doesn’t want to make her life any more difficult. More over 800,000 copies of Barefoot Contessa, Go-To Dinners were sold in 2023, propelling it to the top of the New York Times bestseller list.
Garten introduced Be My Guest on Discovery+ and the Food Network in 2022.
Barefoot Contessa Pantry
The Barefoot Contessa Pantry brand of packaged cake mixes, marinades, sauces, and preserves was introduced in 2006 by Garten and her business partner Frank Newbold. In cooperation with Stonewall Kitchen, this was accomplished. Her most well-known from-scratch dishes, such as the coconut cupcakes, maple oatmeal scones, mango chutney, and lemon curd, served as the inspiration for the convenience foods. The prices for the goods were relatively high (for instance, a single box of brownie mix has a suggested retail price of $10). Only upmarket gourmet and cookware stores like Crate & Barrel, Sur La Table, and Chicago’s Fox & Obel Market Cafe offered them for sale.
Other Barefoot Contessa publications
After her first three cookbooks received positive reviews and had strong sales, she went on to publish Barefoot in Paris and a number of pieces for O, The Oprah Magazine. She also works as the magazine’s adviser on entertaining, food, and party planning. A Garten section called “Ask the Barefoot Contessa” appeared every month in the housing publication House Beautiful until 2011. In answer to reader emails, she provided cooking, entertaining, and lifestyle advice in this column.
In addition to writing the prefaces for Kathleen King’s Tate’s Bake Shop Cookbook and Rori Trovato’s Dishing With Style, she also developed a small line of note cards and diaries to go along with her books. Lemon Roast Chicken with Croutons, one of her dishes, was included in The Best American dishes 2005–2006. Another recipe from Garten was chosen for the Today’s Kitchen Cookbook, a collection of the most well-liked dishes from The Today Show, a daily news show. Google highlighted her recipes on their homepage for Thanksgiving in 2010. She launched a Facebook blog in June 2012, and three weeks later it had amassed over 100,000 followers. Sheryl Haft, a friend and author, requested her potato latke recipe in 2019 for the picture book Goodnight Bubbala.
Ina Garten Awards and honors
Garten was chosen for the first Forbes 50 Over 50 list, which honors innovators, leaders, scientists, and businesspeople over the age of 50.
Ina Garten Personal life
Jeffrey Garten, her husband, served as the Bill Clinton administration’s Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade from 1993 to 1995. Juan Trippe is a Yale professor who specializes in the practice of international trade, finance, and business. From 1995 to 2005, he served as the dean of the Yale School of Management. He frequently appears on her cooking show, helping his wife with little jobs or tasting the food she’s made. They split their time between East Hampton, Paris, and Manhattan.
The 16th Annual Hudson Peconic event for Planned Parenthood was hosted by Garten. Garten, a Democrat who is registered in New York, has made donations to the presidential campaigns of George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, John Kerry, and Barack Obama.
Garten also served on the East Hampton Design Review Board, a body that assesses the architectural and design features of the community and issues building permits. The board wants to preserve the historic area and improve the neighborhood’s general beauty.
Ina Garten Works
Books
- The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (1999), Clarkson Potter, ISBN 0-609-60219-5
- Barefoot Contessa Parties! Ideas and Recipes For Easy Parties That Are Really Fun (2001)
- Barefoot Contessa Family Style: Easy Ideas and Recipes That Make Everyone Feel Like Family (2002)
- Barefoot in Paris: Easy French Food You Can Make at Home (2004)
- Barefoot Contessa at Home: Everyday Recipes You’ll Make Over and Over Again (2006)
- Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients Clarkson Potter. 2008. ISBN 978-1400054350.
- Barefoot Contessa: How Easy Is That? Clarkson Potter. 2010. ISBN 978-0307238764.
- Barefoot Contessa: Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust. Clarkson Potter. 2012. ISBN 978-0307464873. OCLC 776519282.
- Make It Ahead: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. Clarkson Potter. 2014. ISBN 978-0-307464880. OCLC 875771003.
- Cooking for Jeffrey: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. Clarkson Potter. 2016. ISBN 978-0307464897.
- Cook Like a Pro: Recipes and Tips for Home Cooks. Clarkson Potter. 2018. ISBN 978-0804187046. OCLC 1044653154.
- Modern Comfort Food: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. Clarkson Potter. 2020. ISBN 978-0804187060.
- Go-To Dinners: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. Clarkson Potter. 2022. ISBN 978-1984822789.
Magazine columns
- “Entertaining is Fun!” (Martha Stewart Living 1999–present)
- “Entertaining.” (O, The Oprah Magazine 2003–present)
- “Ask the Barefoot Contessa.” (House Beautiful 2006–present)
Television
- From Martha’s Kitchen: Ina Garten’s Kitchen Clambake (2000)
- Barefoot Contessa (2002–2021)
- Chefography (2006-2010)
- 30 Rock (2010-2011)
- Be My Guest (2022-present)
Why did Ina Garten have children?
Ina Garten doesn’t intend to have kids and has never had any.
“I genuinely believed that I would never have been able to lead the life I have. So, it’s a decision, and I made that one.
Why is Ina Garten so famous?
The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, Ina’s debut book, was one of the year’s best-selling cookbooks and was published in 1999. The book gives readers a tour of her specialty grocery store and offers the recipes that helped it become so popular. Ina followed in 2001 with the highly successful Barefoot Contessa Parties!
Does Ina Garten have a degree?
She was up in Stamford, Connecticut, and attended Syracuse University in 1966 to study fashion design. She wed Jeffrey Garten in 1968, and after he joined the Army, the couple relocated to North Carolina. Later, in Washington, D.C., at Georgetown University, she received her degree.
How did Ina Garten get rich?
Having previously worked for the government as an employee of the Office of Management and Budget, Garten ultimately decided to leave her day job shortly after turning 30 in order to buy the Barefoot Contessa grocery shop in 1978. She owned and ran the business in the Hamptons until 1996.
Who is Ina Garten?
On February 2, 1948, Ina Garten was born in Brooklyn, New York. Charles H. Rosenberg, a surgeon, and his wife, nutritionist Florence Rosenberg, had two children in Stamford, Connecticut. She was encouraged to excel academically from a young age and showed a strong aptitude for science, which she claims she still uses when experimenting with food.
When she was 15 years old, she visited her brother at Dartmouth College and there she met the man who would become her husband, Jeffrey Garten. After high school, she had planned to enroll at Syracuse University, but she put off her education so she could wed Jeffrey in 1968.
How much does Ina Garten make per year?
The television star earns $5 million a year.
She made the decision to research a speciality food business for sale in the Hamptons after seeing an advertisement in the New York Times. She and her husband Jeffrey travelled to Long Island to visit the shop, where they immediately fell in love. Despite having no prior expertise in the field, Garten knew she wanted to work in the culinary industry. The owner contacted the following day to accept Garten’s offer after Garten made one to her. After purchasing the 400-square-foot store in 1978, she resigned from her position with the government, and the couple moved to New York City.
The original owner of the business named it after the 1954 Ava Gardner movie. The name was kept when Garten took over because it reflected her idea of a “elegant but earthy lifestyle.” Within a year, Garten relocated the Barefoot Contessa to a bigger location since it quickly outgrew the first one. In 1985, they relocated once more to East Hampton, a posh neighborhood on Long Island.
The store increased in size and began to focus on regional delicacies including fruit from regional farms, locally made cheeses, and lobster Cobb salad. While Garten did a lot of the cooking herself as her business grew, she eventually employed local chefs and bakers. Lauren Bacall and Steven Speilberg, two well-known clients, appreciated her.
How many Endorsement deals does Ina Garten have?
Garten, a.k.a. the Barefoot Contessa, steers clear of sponsorships. She claims that despite repeated requests, she has turned down offers to have her name appear on merchandise. Although she currently focuses on TV shows and cookbooks, Barefoot Contessa items were originally sold in shops.
How many Philanthropy works has Ina Garten supported?
The public is still not aware of Ina’s charitable and philanthropic endeavors. As soon as we learn more, we’ll keep you informed.
How many businesses does Ina Garten own?
Garten tried to create a cookbook while setting up shop above the Barefoot Contessa business. The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook turned out to be her most exciting professional endeavor yet, and reader reception was overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Barefoot Contessa Parties, her second book, was published in 2001.
She was contacted by Foot Network about hosting her own cooking show after Barefoot Contessa Family Style debuted in 2002. She repeatedly rejected their offer until the deal was given to the Nigella Bites production team based in London. She agreed to a 13-show season, and in 2002, “Barefoot Contessa” debuted to acclaim.
Her husband, their friends, and occasionally even celebrities are frequently included. The program gets some of the highest ratings on the Food Network and averages about one million viewers every episode. Daytime Emmy nominations for the program have been received, and Garten won her first award for Best Culinary Host in 2009.
