Ina Garten on Her Rise from Home Cook to Culinary Icon - Part 1

Summary

Summary of “Ina Garten on Her Rise from Home Cook to Culinary Icon - Part 1”

Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist
Episode: Ina Garten on Her Rise from Home Cook to Culinary Icon - Part 1
Release Date: June 1, 2025

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Introduction and Live Event Highlights

Host Willie Geist opens the episode with palpable excitement, expressing his enthusiasm for hosting a live conversation with renowned chef and author Ina Garten at City Winery in New York City. He shares anecdotes about the dedication of their listeners, many of whom traveled from across the country to attend the live event, bringing along Ina's signature mugs and engaging passionately with her work.

Willie Geist [01:06]: “I am, I would say, unusually, I would say, exceptionally excited to bring you my conversation this week with Ina Garten.”

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Ina Garten’s Journey and Career Beginnings

The conversation delves into Ina Garten's illustrious career, marked by her transformation from a home cook to a beloved culinary icon. Ina Garten reflects on her early days, mentioning her experience interviewing her on his show and her comfort with large audiences.

Ina Garten [03:14]: “I've interviewed very famous actors and rock stars in settings like this, and I never hear the reception like the one Ina Garten gets.”

Ina discusses her role as the Barefoot Contessa, highlighting her thirteen cookbooks and her latest memoir, "Be Ready When the Luck Happens," which provides an intimate look into her personal life, including her childhood and marriage.

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Transition from Government to Culinary Arts

Willie and Ina explore Ina's significant career shift from working in the White House's Office of Nuclear Energy Policy to opening a specialty food store in the Hamptons. Ina Garten shares the pivotal moment when she decided to pursue her passion for food, emphasizing the importance of following one's heart over a secure but unfulfilling career.

Ina Garten [14:37]: “I just thought, I need to be in a field that I love doing the work. It's something I really love to do.”

She recounts the challenges and rewards of starting her own business, working tirelessly to establish her store, which became a community hub known for its welcoming atmosphere and delicious offerings.

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Personal Life and Relationship with Jeffrey

A significant portion of the conversation touches upon Ina's personal life, particularly her enduring marriage to Jeffrey Garten. She candidly discusses the strains their careers initially placed on their relationship, including periods of physical separation and the necessity of personal space to nurture both their professional and personal lives.

Ina Garten [19:16]: “We took a little time apart. Figure I'd never lived on my own, and I just kind of needed to do that. And he was great.”

Their mutual support and understanding are highlighted as key factors in their 56-year marriage, showcasing a partnership built on admiration and flexibility.

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Book Publishing and Unexpected Success

Ina Garten narrates the unexpected success of her first cookbook, explaining how her dedication to quality and authenticity led to overwhelming demand. She shares a memorable incident at a Barnes and Noble store in California, where she discovered all fifty copies of her book had sold out the day before her planned signing event.

Ina Garten [24:56]: “We sold all 50 books. And I was like, oh, my God.”

This pivotal moment solidified her status as a national figure and paved the way for her partnership with the Food Network.

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Transition to Television and Authenticity

Reluctant at first, Ina Garten recounts how the Food Network persuaded her to host her own show. Despite initial reservations and media training advice to adopt a more flamboyant persona, she chose to remain true to herself, which resonated deeply with audiences.

Ina Garten [28:16]: “I just knew. I thought, no, I'm just gonna be myself. Trusted your gut again. And you were right again.”

Her authenticity became a cornerstone of her television success, fostering a loyal fan base that appreciated her down-to-earth approach to cooking and entertaining.

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Culinary Philosophy and Recipe Development

The discussion shifts to Ina's culinary philosophy, emphasizing simplicity, familiar flavors, and meticulous recipe testing. She explains her process of refining recipes through multiple iterations and feedback from her assistants to ensure clarity and ease for home cooks.

Ina Garten [30:05]: “I make it several, as many times as I need to, until I get exactly what's in my head.”

Ina underscores the importance of creating dishes that are both delicious and feasible for everyday cooking, avoiding unnecessary complexity.

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Hosting Tips and Entertaining Strategies

In a segment focused on hosting, Ina Garten offers invaluable advice on being a considerate dinner guest and an efficient host. She discourages bringing foods that disrupt the host's plans, such as jello salads or flowers not in a vase, and instead suggests gifts that can be enjoyed the next morning, like homemade granola or quality coffee.

Ina Garten [35:14]: “I bring things that they can have for breakfast the next day, like homemade granola or I'll bring coffee.”

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Conclusion and Teaser for Part 2

As the episode wraps up, Willie Geist expresses gratitude to Ina for her insightful and heartfelt conversation. He hints at the continuation of their discussion in Part 2, where they will delve deeper into hosting tips and address audience questions. Listeners are encouraged to follow the podcast for future episodes and tune into "Sunday TODAY" on NBC for the full live experience.

Willie Geist [43:09]: “Huge thanks to Ina for a great conversation to the audience in the room that night. It was so special. And of course to City Winery for hosting and sponsoring our Sunday Sit Down Live.”

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Notable Quotes

• Willie Geist [01:06]: “I am, I would say, unusually, I would say, exceptionally excited to bring you my conversation this week with Ina Garten.”

• Ina Garten [03:14]: “I've interviewed very famous actors and rock stars in settings like this, and I never hear the reception like the one Ina Garten gets.”

• Ina Garten [14:37]: “I need to be in a field that I love doing the work. It's something I really love to do.”

• Ina Garten [24:56]: “We sold all 50 books. And I was like, oh, my God.”

• Ina Garten [28:16]: “I just knew. I thought, no, I'm just gonna be myself. Trusted your gut again. And you were right again.”

• Ina Garten [35:14]: “I bring things that they can have for breakfast the next day, like homemade granola or I'll bring coffee.”

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Key Takeaways

• Ina Garten's Authenticity: Remaining true to herself has been pivotal in Ina's success, both in her cookbooks and television career.

• Passion Over Position: Ina’s decision to leave a stable government job to pursue her passion in the culinary world underscores the importance of following one's heart.

• Support Systems: Her enduring relationship with Jeffrey Garten highlights the significance of mutual support in personal and professional endeavors.

• Simplistic Elegance in Cooking: Ina's recipes focus on simple, flavorful dishes that are accessible to home cooks, emphasizing quality ingredients and straightforward techniques.

• Thoughtful Hosting: Ina offers practical advice on being a considerate guest and an efficient host, fostering enjoyable and stress-free gatherings.

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Tune in to Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist for the next part of this inspiring conversation with Ina Garten, where she will continue to share her wealth of knowledge on cooking, entertaining, and maintaining a balanced life.

Transcript

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[Willie Geist]

Hey guys, Willie Geist here with another episode of the Sunday Sit down podcast. My thanks as always for clicking and listening along. I am, I would say, unusually, I would say, exceptionally excited to bring you my conversation this week with Ina Garten. Not just because she is one of my favorite people currently walking the earth, but also because it is our latest Sunday Sit Down Live. That means the conversation took place in front of a a live audience at City Winery in New York City, the great spot right on the Hudson river that has been such a generous host and sponsor of our Sunday Sit Down Live series that began earlier this year with Nate Bargetze. So Ina and I got together. We've interviewed each other a million times. She on my show, me on hers, doing live events, including one recently around her number one best selling memoir, be Ready when the Luck Happens. So the deal is our viewers of Sunday Today, you who listen to the podcast flew in from all over the place, and I do mean all over the place, from Canada, from Las Vegas, from Atlanta, from la. Bought plane tickets, bought tickets to be in the room, got hotel rooms. I'm again so overwhelmed and humbled by the response. People bringing their mugs in the room, buying a mug at City Winery and sitting with me and Ina for this conversation. So just that live feel, the reaction from the audience, seeing, meeting, hearing from our viewers, bringing Ina's fans into the Room as well. It was such a special night and so glad we get to share it with you. I will spare you the long wind up. You know who Egarten is? She's the Barefoot Contessa. Right? She is 13 cookbooks into her career, then this new memoir, which opened up her personal life more than any other piece of work she's done before. Anything she said on a show or put into a cookbook, talking about her childhood and her marriage and her journey from home cook to culinary icon. So I will get out of the way here, sit back, relax, and let you enjoy right now. Ina Garten on the Sunday Sit down podcast, live from City Winery in New York.

[Ina Garten]

I've interviewed very famous actors and rock stars in settings like this, and I never hear the reception like the one Ina Garten gets.

Paige is being nice.

We did an event around her. Did you guys read her incredible memoir, be Ready when the Luck Happens? More on that in a moment. But I interviewed Ina up in Hartford in a theater with three or 4,000 people, and they introduced both of us, and we walked out on the stage, and I thought for a minute, this must be what it was like when the Beatles were on ed Sullivan in 64. Just leapt to their feet in the crowd, screaming, which makes her deeply uncomfortable. So I'll move on from it. But she is amazing. I'm so happy to see you. Thank you for doing this. So we have a bit of a. I don't know, like a Frost Nixon thing going. You come on my show, I go on your show. We do various events.

And the thing that amazes me for Be My Guest. You were my first guest.

Yes.

Which is. I mean, how crazy is that? You invite the best interviewer in the business to be your first guest? I'm like, I thought that was crazy.

Well, I'm glad you brought that up. You guys watch Be My Guest.

Of course.

Yeah. She's had incredible guests over her many seasons. And I remember sitting down with you in the barn and you said, this is my first interview. Here we go. And I was struck by how well prepared you were.

Oh, thank you.

And how much you. What great questions you asked and all of those. So what was the adjustment for you from doing, obviously, cooking shows to doing that kind of show?

It was a totally different thing. I mean, it's just when you're doing a cooking show, you're doing something. I always found I was doing something that I already know how to do again, to teach people how to do it. So it was really. I'm there by myself and talking to, as, you know, an inanimate object, a TV camera. But all of a sudden, I'm sitting and talking to somebody who's really interesting and learning things and having a conversation. It's not about checking the boxes. Ask this question, ask that question. It's about starting a conversation. And I always think of it as like, if you were at a dinner party and the people next to you are having a really interesting conversation, what would I want that to be? And that's. I kind of think of it that way.

And you've had Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci and Tina Fey. The list of people who sort of make the pilgrimage to your barn is amazing.

It's so sweet. And literally, last time in the spring, I had Yitzhak Perelman, the incredible violinist. And I thought, what am I gonna talk to Yitzhak Perlman about? I don't know anything about a violin. And we just had a ball. He's funny and he's smart, and he loves to cook. And I just love the range of, you know, authors like Ann Patchett and interviewers like Willie Geiss. And, I mean, it was just. It's just an incredible experience.

So a question I get all the time curious what you'd say about it, is, who's still on the dream list of people you want to have on the show who haven't been there yet?

Taylor Swift. That's easy. She's a little busy.

If anyone could get Taylor Swift on the show, I think it's Ina. She's a fan of Ina's as well.

And she's a great cook.

Is she a good cook?

Yeah, she actually came. Do you know this? That she came to the barn? Yes, that Miley Carpenter, who's the founder of Food Network magazine, did one issue where she asked rock stars who their favorite Food Network cooks were. And Taylor chose me, which was so sweet. So she came to the barn, and it was actually quite an. It was a long time ago. I think it was, like 10 years ago. And so we asked her very famous publicist, Tree. Tree Pain, what Taylor likes to eat. And so we were gonna cook something together. I didn't wanna just stand there and take pictures with her. I wanted to cook with her. So we asked what she likes to eat, and it turns out she likes my mustard roasted fish, roast beef, I think my filet beef and date nut bread. And a friend of mine said, that doesn't sound like Taylor Swift. That sounds like a Ukrainian grand. I was like, okay, we're not gonna make any of those things. And I decided we would make a pavlova. Cause I thought, that kind of looks like Taylor. It's meringue and whipped cream and berries. And we just had a ball. We had such a good time.

How do you grapple with the fact that Taylor Swift loves you, that Meghan Markle loves you, that you're on 30 Rock with Tina Fey, that they all. I mean, it's because you are. You're such a humble and unassuming. You just go out and cook the way you've always known how to cook. How do you deal with that side of you being this sort of icon?

It's very sweet. I don't know.

It's true, right?

Isn't it? Yeah, it's very sweet. I mean, I think in some way, I think that cooking creates a community around you. And when people bring me gifts, and in the beginning, I was like, why would people bring me gifts? And I thought it's because I've given them the tools to do something that makes them feel good about themselves. And when you cook, everybody shows up. So I think in that sense, I've connected with people through cooking. And it's not like giving them something. It's like giving you the tools to do something for yourself, which I think is. Which is wonderful.

So let's talk about this book that became an absolute sensation. Be Ready when the Luck Happens. Number one New York Times bestseller. It just went berserk.

Went berserk, Right. I thought, who would want to read my math book?

Well, there she goes again. She doesn't get it. She doesn't get it. But you've done a million cookbooks. They're all successful bestsellers. There's a lot in this book that you didn't have to tell the world. What was the decision to sit down and open up well, beyond the Kitchen and talk about your childhood and your marriage and all the things that you get into?

Well, I just think, you know, I did 60 Minutes, and Sharon Alfonsi said to me, everybody thinks you're just walking around with a big Cosmopolitan having a ball.

Which is true.

Of course I am.

Yeah.

That's the truth. But she said that. She said, but you worked really hard. And I thought, I don't know. I mean, I worked hard doing what I love to do. Didn't feel like hard work, but I started to think, actually I did work really hard. And I wanted people to know. It's not easy, but the effort that you put into it is really worthwhile. And, yes, I had A really tough childhood. A lot of people have tough childhoods, but I just wanted people to know that that doesn't have to define your life, that you can decide to do it differently. I remember when I was 15, I just made an absolute decision that if I was dating somebody who so much just raised his voice to me, I was gone. I was never gonna go out with that person again. And then I met Jeffrey at 15, by the way. I was like, yeah, I was, like, 16. I was just incredible. So I think I just wanted people to know that it takes real determination and real clarity to make your life what you want it to be. And I had a good support system with somebody who really believed in me, which makes all the difference in the world.

More on Jeffrey in just a moment. In the book, you describe your childhood as kind of dour, I think was.

The word you used, which was at least dour.

Right, right. To put it mildly. But just sort of. That for a young woman, you shouldn't have ambition. You shouldn't have all these thoughts in your head about dreams and the things that you wanted to do, that you should sort of know your role in some way.

I think it was more that they didn't believe in me, that they didn't think I had any talent. They didn't think I had any drive. They thought I was. I mean, I remember when I was probably 14, my father said to me, nobody will ever love you. Which is such a harsh thing to say to a child, especially a girl, I think. And so I don't think it's that they didn't have ambition for me. They didn't think I was capable of it. And then I met Jeffrey, and he thought I could do anything I wanted to do. So, I mean, find somebody that believes in you and hang out. Don't let them go.

The story is famous by now. It won't make you rehash the whole thing. But you go to Dartmouth. Jeffrey's there. You're still in high school. He says, who's that beautiful young woman walking across campus?

I was the only girl walking around Dartmouth. There was Boys College. That was a very low bar.

So when does it become something more between the two of you of a flirtation? When did you say, this is somebody I could see myself with, spend my life with?

Well, I was so young, I don't think. I think. And also, I just. I live in the moment. I don't ever look ahead that much. I just. And I did then, and I still do. I just. I think that I just had a wonderful time with him. I felt wonderful with him. And he was smart and funny and cared about me and took care of me. And I just, you know, I love being with him. So we just kind of followed that along. And then when I think I must have been 20, he just, I mean, literally, he never proposed to me. He just said, so, so we'll get married in December. I was like, what?

Already had the vendor still hasn't asked.

You still hasn't asked.

[Willie Geist]

Hey guys, thanks for listening to the Sunday Sit down podcast. Stick around to hear more from Ina.

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[Ina Garten]

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[Ina Garten]

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[Ina Garten]

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[Willie Geist]

Welcome back. Now more my conversation with Ina Garten.

[Ina Garten]

You guys. So you. Your career path is so interesting and you guys probably know a lot of it, but the fact that you worked in the White House, the office of on nuclear energy policy. Ina Garten, True story. So what gave you, besides Jeffrey's support, the guts to make this leap from a solid job in Washington, but not something you were passionate about, I think it's fair to say.

You know, I don't know how different it is now or if it is different, but I think at the time I worked in the White House for four years and I just remember thinking, no matter what happens, I'm Never gonna be the head of this organization. Some guy isn't gonna choose me to be the head of omb. And I thought, well, then I'm not in the right field. I need to be in a place. I mean, this was in the 70s, and women weren't the heads of organizations. And I just thought, I need to be in a field a. That I love doing the work. It's something I really love to do. But also that the only limit to my success is my own imagination. That I don't have a boss who is either telling me what to do or limiting my abilities. And so I always thought it was either going to be in real estate or in food. And I kind of kept my eye open. And I saw an ad for a business for sale, which was a specialty food store in the Hamptons in the New York Times. And I thought, well, maybe I'll just look at that.

Because the joy you were feeling and the passion you felt in Washington was more the dinner parties. Right. That you were throwing than it was the nuclear policy. It's fair to say.

I mean, when I think about it now, it seems so amazing. Because I did a lot of things that I love doing. I bought old houses and renovated them. I taught myself how to cook. I went to business school while I was at the White House. So when I look back now, I think, well, I was really searching for what I wanted to do.

I mean, but the move to see the business opportunities, I believe was the name of the section of the New York Times.

Opportunities. Yeah.

In 1978, you see this ad for a little shop in West Hampton Beach.

It was, like, the size of this table, guys. It was really small.

But I'm just thinking about, in that moment, the leap you made personally from a solid job in Washington to, I'm gonna just go out there and do this. What gave you the courage to make that leap?

Ultimately, I think I felt that I don't have a choice. Cause what's behind me is not an option. And I don't think I ever said, this is where my life is going. I just said, okay, I'm gonna jump off a cliff and see where. Where I land. And this is certainly an option. And Jeffrey said, do what you love. If you love it, you'll be really good at it. And I think that's such good advice. It's like, do what you want to do and get out of bed in the morning and think, what do I feel like doing today? And that's what your business should be.

And what were the early days, barefoot, consensus alike. Was it the dream?

If I had known, I never would have done it. I mean, in the beginning I would literally work. I'd go to work at 4 in the morning. I'd work all day, and then most of the night I'd go home at like midnight, sleep for a couple of hours, and come back at 4 in the morning. And it was intense, but I just was really happy doing it. And I'd go to. Some days I'd go, okay, you have to go home. You really have to go home. I'd go home at 10 o' clock and I'd go, okay, what do I want to do now? I want to test the chocolate cake. And I'd go back to the store.

So did you have moments during those early days where you thought, I don't know, this is not what I dreamed of.

This is the stupidest thing I've ever done in my life? Yeah.

And what kept you going through those moments?

I think it was a real challenge. First of all, we had invested. I mean, Jeffrey and I both had invested everything we had in this business. So I didn't have a choice. I had to make it a success. And I just. I think it was exhausting. But I love being in the store. It was like a big sandbox. There was always something interesting to do. Customers were great, the food was great, the employees were fantastic. It was a small store and you could. There was a great. I always wanted the store to feel like a party because it was fun to be there for us and for the customers. So when you walked in, the door would slam. It would be like a screen door. And there was always great music, old fashioned music. And there were samples out and you could help yourself to coffee or in the winter, hot apple cider. It smelled good, it looked good, there were great displays. It was just fun.

So when did ina did it become clear to you that this was working and this was something that you could do as a career, as a life, that you actually had made the right choice by leaving Washington and choosing this life?

I think probably after about a year, I realized that it was just really. Yeah, it was great. I mean, I was making a living and then I started expanding it and building it, and that's really fun for me. I love doing that.

One of the things took over a big space you write about in the book is some of the strain that it put on your relationship with Jeffrey. Right. That you were so dialed in on that and he was in Washington and you thought maybe, maybe I have to stay focused on this and not on our relationship. Difficult days?

Yeah, it was really difficult because I just. I mean, I think I don't have children, so I don't know, but I think it's like when you have a new baby, you just want to spend the time with the baby and want everybody else to leave you alone. And I. I just wanted to build the business. And Jeffrey was working at the State Department. He was in the Secretary of State's policy planning staff, and he would come on the weekends when I was really busy. And so I was like, I'm sorry, I just can't spend any time with you. So, I mean, he was great, but we took a little time apart. Figure I'd never lived on my own, and I just kind of needed to do that. And he was great.

He was really great in the book where you come to Washington and he meets you at the train station, and then you guys kind of sit on the steps. And what did he say to you? What was that conversation?

Well, it's interesting. One of the things about writing the book is I had to go back to Washington and stand in front of those steps and think, what was that conversation like? And I'd forgotten about it. It was really distressing. And he said, is there anything I can do to change your mind? And I said, yeah, you can, you know, go see a therapist, and, you know, we'll work through these things. And he was like, okay, I'll go after I come back from my trip around the world, which was what he was about to embark on. And I said, it's going to be too late. And he went the next day, which was incredible.

Wow.

So. And I think we both changed. I think we really. It was just very supportive. And I think it's just if you admire each other and you support each other and you're on different tracks, you just have to give each other space to figure it out and then figure it out together. Like, there was a time when Jeffrey had an offer to go to Tokyo for a year, and I was like, how's this gonna work? And he just said, look, we're not gonna decide between your career in the specialty food store and my career. How about if we just try it for a while and see how it works? And so I would go to Tokyo and for a week, a month, and he would come to New York for a week, a month. And, I mean, that was really hard, but we did it for a year. And at some point you just go, okay, that was fun. Let's try Something else.

And now 56 years of marriage in. Is that right? I think it worked out. I think it worked out. What is. I asked you about how you grapple with Taylor Swift loving you and all that. What does Jeffrey make of the fact that he is like, a sex symbol, this guy? I mean, people go, he's so much.

More popular than I am.

What does he make of all this?

I just think he loves watching me have a good time. So I think he's just very sweet about it.

Yeah, people love Jeffrey. They love that. They really do. They really do.

Everybody needs one.

So you've got this little shop in West Hampton. It grows out, you build it into something else. And then in. In 1999, you make a huge investment on your own to make your first cookbook. You spent your own money to get the stylist and the photographer and all the ingredients and the testing and all of that, and it just explodes.

It was, you know, I mean, the important thing at the time, the publisher would have paid for all of those things. The food stylist, the prop stylist, the photography. But I just decided I wanted to do it my way. And I didn't want them to say, I, this is the way cookbooks are done. If I was gonna do it, I wanted to do it differently. And fortunately, there was somebody at the publishing house that really supported me and just said to everybody else, let her do what she wants to do. And I thought, well, if I'm right, they'll think I'm a genius. If I'm wrong, they'll never have to see me again anyway. So I just wasn't willing to compromise. And it was really. Cause I wrote a very simple book. It only had 75 recipes. But I thought, how many recipes do people really need? I mean, like, 75. It's a lot of recipes. And they were like roast chicken and roast carrots, but they were simple. And I knew from having a specialty food store that's how people want to eat at home. They don't want, like, veal with truffles, and they want simple food at home that's easy to make. So I think I kind of keyed in on something that really worked.

You had to be shocked, though, by the response to it.

Stunned.

The fact that it was like they couldn't keep it on the tables at bookstores.

Well, the deal I made with the publishers was that they were going to print 10,000 books, of which 5,000 I had to buy. And so they really didn't risk anything. And what I never did is figure out. Figure out what those 5,000 books were going to cost. So when the. By the time the publication came, publication date came, they'd actually. I had hired a publicist who did an amazing amount of publicity, really great job. So they increased it to 25,000 books, but. But I still had to buy those 5,000 books. So when the publication day, they called me up and said, so we're gonna be sending you 5,000 books. And I didn't know what it even looked like, and we'll need a check for $85,000. And I was like, whoa. I'd never even thought about it. And three days later, they said, you know, those 5,000 books, we need them back. Because they'd sold out the first printing.

Wow.

So I was like, whew. Talk about by the seat of my pants.

But that's an amazing thing. Cause you' a known person at that point. I mean, right? I mean, outside you have a fabulous shop, but, like, you're not a national figure yet.

There was a moment when I was in. I had to go to California for a publicity event. And sweet Jeffrey, he was like an investment banker, but he decided he was going to take the week off and go with me so I wouldn't be alone. And we were driving around California, and he said, you know, there's a Barnes and Noble. Why don't you just go in and maybe sign some books? And I'm like, they don't know who I am in California. So I walked into this Barnes and Noble and I found the manager, and I said to them, would you like me to. I wrote a book. Would you like me to sign it? And he's like, yeah, what's your book? I mean, he couldn't have been more bored with the whole thing. And I said, it's the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. And he goes, oh, we have a table in the middle of the store with 50 books on it. He said, you want to sign them? Great. Come with me. And we walked over and the table was completely empty. He said, oh, I was gone yesterday. We sold all 50 books. And I was like, oh, my God. So the rest of the trip, Jeffrey.

And I were going, whoa, something's happening here.

Whoa. What happened there?

And how quickly did they ask you to write another cookbook after that?

Yeah, like a minute and a half.

Yeah, right. And then not long after, for obvious reasons, because of the success of your cookbook, Here Comes the Food Network.

Food Network, Yeah.

And you get your first show in 2002, I think is the year when.

They pitched, I kept saying no for, like, years. Oh, my God.

When they pitched you the idea of being a TV personality, just forget it.

Not interested.

And so how did they twist your arm? How'd they get you there?

You know, it was literally over, like, a year and a half. They kept coming back with a better offer. I'm like, I'm not negotiating. I just don't want to do it. And I think at some point, I had heard about a British show, and I. And I asked if they could. It was Nigella Lawson show, and I asked Food Network if they could get me a copy of it, and they did. And I thought, well, it's a really lovely show, but that's Nigella. It's not me. And Food Network knew the producer of Nigella's show and went to her and said, would you do a show for Ina? So she called and said, just talk to the producer. Just talk to her. And I thought, I'll just talk to her, but I'm not gonna do this. And they ended up saying. I ended up agreeing to do, I think, 13 shows. And I thought, okay, I'll do 13 shows. They'll know it's not gonna work out, and we'll be done with that. And that was, what, 25 years ago, I think.

Yeah. Yeah, just about.

Thank goodness they kept coming back.

The thing, the highest compliment I can pay somebody who's on television all the time is that they're the same on camera as they are off. And that is most certainly you. Thank you. So it's like you didn't. Thank you. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it feels like you didn't have to develop a Persona like, this is who I'll be in the kitchen. You were just you cooking the things you love to cook.

When I first, before I did the first 13 shows, I actually hired a media trainer to teach me how to be on T. I didn't know what I was doing, and I hated everything she said. She was like, you have to be big and you have to be bold. And I'm like, no, you don't.

Right.

I don't know why I knew that, but I just knew. I. I thought, no, I'm just gonna be myself.

Trusted your gut again. And you were right again.

Yeah.

I mean, you've had such success on tv. Is there your style? People always. I mean, there's been described a million ways that it's accessible, that you're a home cook, you're not a chef. All the things you've Never been professionally trained. How do you describe your style as a cook?

I think I like really familiar flavors, but things taste better than you expect them to. I think seasoning is really important that roast carrots that aren't seasoned properly can just be pretty boring. You have to start out with good carrots and season them properly with good olive oil. And roasting is a great way to cook them. I'm always looking for something that you might like to eat anyway, but how can I make it even better? And how can I make it easier to cook? So that's kind of what I'm. The sweet spot of what I'm looking for.

And the foundation is a nod is Julia Child, which goes back to your trips to Paris.

What a great teacher she was. I mean, if you just work through those books, you will learn everything you need to know about cooking. And yes, it's a French slant, but it's good for anything you've cooked your.

Way through all of her cookbooks over the years, and that's how you've effectively trained yourself without that formal training. Right.

And I love that she says, okay, here's how you make a hollandaise the traditional way, with a whisk and a. What's it called? A double boiler. But then once you know how to do it and once you understand how it works, here's how you can make it in a food processor. So, I mean, I love that she made it easier.

You do make it look easy. That's true, but it's not.

It's not.

It's not easy. Right. So when you're. Let's just. Just take a favorite recipe of yours. How long are you working that recipe before you're prepared to put it in a cookbook or put it on your show? Is it a long process?

It's a really long process. So one of my favorite recipes is the French apple tart, which is just very simple. You know, pastry, sliced apples, butter, sugar. Into the oven. I might make it five or ten times until I get the right balance of flavors. I'm looking for layers of flavor that support each other, that one isn't really strong and one isn't really mild, that they're all equal in flavor, and it's not complex. It's three flavors. Pastry, apples, butter, and sugar. That's four. And I'll make it several, as many times as I need to, until I get exactly what's in my head, and then I'll hand it to. I have two assistants. One's a better cook than the other. I'll hand it to both of them and say, make this. And I want to watch you make it because I want to see what people at home will do with a printed page without any instructions at all. And every single recipe, somebody who's working on it goes, okay, just stop. I want to know what's your question and what didn't you understand? And then I'll write that into the. Either in a side note or write it into the recipe. And then the last thing I'll very often do is make it for a dinner party. Because it's one thing to make it. If all I'm doing all day long is making an apple tart, okay, that's easy. But you can't just make an apple tart. You have to make appetizers and cocktails and dinner and side dishes and a salad and dessert. I mean, there's a lot to do for a dinner party. And so if it takes too long to make the dessert, I'm not gonna put it in a book. It has to be something I'm gonna make for dinner party myself. And, you know, cooking's hard, isn't it? It's really. And entertaining's even harder.

You've said many times, and even recently, despite who you are, you still have terrible anxiety before every dinner party. Right. It's still a nerve wracking experience like it is for all of us. People are coming over, Everything's gotta be ready at the right time.

Yeah, it's hard, it's complex. And I'm always sure I'm gonna overcook the meat, whatever it is. And I don't know why, but I'm always sure I'm gon. And jeffrey knows when he comes to try and help, I'm like, don't talk to me, just don't.

And by the way, the expectations are through the roof. We're going to dinner at ina garden's house. Yeah.

I mean, it is true, right? People always say, well, they don't want to invite me for dinner because they'd be nervous cooking for me. It's worse the other way because their expectations are really.

Are you ever tempted to just throw out some chicken tenders and honey mustard? Let me just say, didn't feel like it tonight, guys.

Do you know what I do if I feel like making something simple is I make breakfast for dinner. And everybody loves it. Like waffles and bacon and isn't that great?

[Willie Geist]

Yes.

[Ina Garten]

If you come over for dinner expecting, like a really nice dinner party and it turns out it's waffles and smoked salmon and mascarpone. It's great.

I love that.

Yeah.

[Willie Geist]

Stick around for more of my conversation with Ina Garten. Right after a quick break.

[Ina Garten]

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[Ina Garten]

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[Ina Garten]

Help yourself to a hangar neck. You're very kind.

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[Ina Garten]

If your small business is booming, you might say cha Ching.

But you should say, like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

And we'll help your growing business.

[Willie Geist]

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Welcome back now to the rest of my conversation with Ina Garten.

[Ina Garten]

One of the great pieces of wisdom I picked up from you somewhere in one of our conversations, which I think is helpful for this audience, is this. When you're going to a dinner party as a guest, do not bring a gift that messes with the plan of the evening. In other words, don't show up with chips and guac to a dinner party. So what do you suggest as an alternative? If people are arriving at a dinner.

Party, there are two things I don't think you should ever bring to a dinner party, and they're so common is something that the host feels like they should serve. I mean starting with like Jell o salad, I like a jello salad. What are you gonna do with that? And don't ever bring flowers that aren't in a vase.

That's the worst.

You're there, you're like, everybody's arriving and all of a sudden you've got these flowers and you have to figure out what to do. So what I do is I bring things that they can have for breakfast the next day, like homemade granola or I'll bring coffee or even, you know, store bought about granola. Just the things that are, you know, that you'd want to serve for breakfast the next day.

Isn't that good advice? Right.

Okay Good.

Also something I never thought. I have to stop bringing chips and guac for parties. I just rip open the bag of Tostitos.

You can bring chips and guac to my house anytime.

It goes with everything the we've had. I mentioned. We did a. A series of interviews and Ina, this is your third time on the Sunday show, is it?

[Willie Geist]

It is wonderful.

[Ina Garten]

Come to your house once. And then we had one during COVID where this tells you who Ina is. We were on a zoom and we spoke for a while and then Jeffrey slid into the frame and then my wife Christina slid into the frame and we kept talking and then the interview was over. And then we just had a drink for half an hour. Speaking over Zoom, which was like a dream come true. We were just having drinks with I. And then one of my other favorite experiences was last year we were in.

[Willie Geist]

Paris covering the Summer Olympics.

[Ina Garten]

Ina was there and we're out working and I get a text from Ina, let's have lunch today at her favorite little place. So you're going to Ina Garten's favorite little. Favorite little restaurant in Paris. Sitting in a corner booth with Kate.

Unlikely an Italian place, right?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

With my friend Kate Tyler.

Kate, who's here tonight and is wonderful. So that was like dream come true, true stuff. And I felt like I was a stand in for all of you, getting to have a beautiful lunch in Paris with Ina Garten. Do you have Ina a. I know this is like favorite child stuff, a favorite go to dish of yours. The Ina Garten dish that you might say is like the quintessential Ina Garten dish.

If I have people coming for dinner that I don't know, I have this like, getting to know you dinner that I just know I can nail every time and I'm not so anxious about. And it's in barefoot contestants of parties. It's mustard rack of lamb and orzo with roasted vegetables. And it's just, it's so great together. It's. I mean, it never fails. And so that's. And recently I've been doing panna cotta, which is like a custard Italian custard that you can do with salted caramel on top or with raspberry sauce and raspberries. And you can make it in advance and it's ready whenever you're ready to serve it. So that I just. I know I can do that. No stress.

We do the Christina, the chicken with the orzo. What's the one we have once a week? Yeah, the Chicken. Which one is it?

Crispy chicken.

Crispy chicken with the orzo.

Thank you, Christina.

[Willie Geist]

Yes.

[Ina Garten]

From the queen's balcony. Yes.

The other one that's really great is the Tuscan lemon chicken, which is a flattened chicken with onions. Do you guys make it? It's really. I love that. Yeah.

So do you have things Ina that you haven't done that you like? When you think about the scope of your career, you've done TV shows, you've done cookbooks. Are there other things out there that you'd like to do? A new kind of food to discover or something?

It's funny, I really don't have a long term plan. Cause if I had made a plan, it never would have been what happened.

Right.

So I literally kind of. I do the best job I can on what I have in front of me today. And before I go to sleep, I know what I'm gonna do tomorrow. So I don't worry about, like, what am I gonna do tomorrow. I know what I'm gonna do tomorrow and I'm gonna do the best job I can on that and just see what comes along. I literally don't even have a plan for more than like, I have a book due in December. That's the biggest plan I have.

We'll get a paperback of this, right? I assume.

I don't know.

Oh, there's gotta be. It's a huge bestseller. Yeah, we need a paperback.

Okay, Kate, let's get that out.

The other thing I love about you, which I find fascinating, is you have had endless offers to endorse products to create a lifestyle brand. And she's like, nope, core business. We're doing the crispy chicken with the orzo. That's what I do.

They want me to do things. That's why I don't know. And I mean the craziest. I mean, somebody wanted me to do a line of clothing. I'm like, I wear the same thing every day. It'd be very small line of clothing.

Thing, by the way.

[Willie Geist]

It would be a home run.

[Ina Garten]

Wasn't there a line of fertilizer?

Yeah, somebody wanted me to do a line of fertilizer. I'm like, let me put my name on your. I'm like, no, that's not happening. Yeah.

So aside, surely they've asked you to have pans and spatulas and spoons and all that. And you've just said, I just.

I don't want to do it. I want to get up in the morning. And I just love saying, what do I feel like doing today. And what I feel like doing is testing recipes and writing cookbooks and doing tv. And I just don't like the distraction of other things. And I also love that when I recommend Nielsen Massey Vanilla in a recipe, it's not because I'm paid to recommend it, it's cause I really like it.

[Willie Geist]

Right.

[Ina Garten]

And I think people know that about me that I'm not. You know, I just don't get paid for that. I mean, I've had some products on my own, like Gold Belly. We make coconut cake and Beedi's chocolate cake, and you can order it and have it shipped. But that's. That's my product. That I'm not putting my name on somebody else's case.

I was just remembering you're gonna see a video for our next segment. A little video we shot at Eli's on the Upper east side. We were shopping and a woman came up to Ina and said, I get your recipes on the New York Times app every day. And she says, great. And then she walks away. She says, my recipes are on the New York Times app. Should we talk to somebody about that? Just, you're everywhere.

You're everywhere. I had a woman sitting next to me once a while ago, sat next to me. She's going, oh, I just love your cookbooks. I go to Costco, I buy the book, I copy the whole thing, and then I return the book and get my money back. I think that's called plagiarism or something. I'm like, really? Oh, yeah.

So we're gonna get out of the way for just a moment and they're gonna set up a little display while they do that before. One question. I've always wondered, when you walk into a restaurant, do you sense the scramble behind the scenes that I.

No.

That Ina Garten is here?

No, I don't think so.

Get your together. Yeah, they do. You can't feel that.

What?

You can't feel that when you walk in.

Good.

Well, it's happening. It's happening. So we're gonna take a quick break. We're gonna come back in like 10 minutes, one of. Just to give you a little tease ahead, we're going to be making a Kir Royale, which is a beautiful, beautiful drink. And so they have Kier Royale at the bar for you guys for sale. So we're going to take about a 10 minute break. We're going to step off and we'll see you back here in about 10 minutes. More with Ina Garten in just a minute.

[Willie Geist]

My husband Huge thanks to Ina for a great conversation to the audience in the room that night. It was so special. And of course to City Winery for hosting and sponsoring our Sunday Sit Down Live. Stay tuned in episode two of this conversation for more hosting tips and audience questions with Ina. You also can get Ina's memoir Be Ready when the Luck Happens Wherever your buy your books. My thanks to all of you for listening again this week. If you want to hear more of these conversations with our guests every week, be sure to click follow so you never miss an episode. And don't forget to tune in to Sunday Today every weekend on NBC where you can see these conversations with your own two eyes. I'm Willie Geist. We'll see you right back here next week on the Sunday Sit down podcast.

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