History of Ina Garten in Timeline
Ina Garten is an American television cook, author, and host of Food Network's "Barefoot Contessa." Initially working in the Office of Management and Budget, she transitioned to the culinary world by opening a gourmet food store, Barefoot Contessa. This venture paved the way for her successful career, including best-selling cookbooks, magazine columns, and her popular television show. Garten is known for her approachable recipes and simple techniques, featuring dishes like Perfect Roast Chicken and Weeknight Bolognese. Her brand emphasizes accessible elegance in home cooking.
February 2, 1948: Ina Garten's Birth
On February 2, 1948, Ina Rosenberg Garten was born. She is known as an American television cook and author, as well as the host of the Food Network program Barefoot Contessa.
1954: Inspiration for 'Barefoot Contessa' Name
In 1954, the original owner of the store named it 'Barefoot Contessa' as a tribute to the 1954 film starring Ava Gardner. Ina Garten kept this name when she purchased the store.
December 22, 1968: Ina and Jeffrey Garten's Marriage
On December 22, 1968, Ina Rosenberg and Jeffrey Garten got married in Stamford and soon after, moved to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where Ina began exploring cooking and entertaining.
1972: Move to Washington, D.C.
In 1972, Ina and her husband moved to Washington, D.C., where she further refined her home entertaining skills, hosting weekly dinner parties.
1978: Purchase of Barefoot Contessa Store
In 1978, Ina Garten left her government job and purchased the Barefoot Contessa, a 400-square-foot specialty food store in Westhampton Beach, New York.
1985: Opening of Second Barefoot Contessa Location
In 1985, Ina Garten opened a second Barefoot Contessa store in East Hampton, Long Island, in the space previously occupied by Dean & DeLuca. This location was significantly larger and offered a wider range of delicacies.
1993: Jeffrey Garten's Appointment
From 1993 to 1995, Jeffrey Garten, Ina Garten's husband, was Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade in the Bill Clinton administration.
1995: Jeffrey Garten as Dean of Yale School of Management
From 1995 to 2005, Jeffrey Garten served as the dean of the Yale School of Management.
1996: Sale of Barefoot Contessa Store
In 1996, after two decades of running it, Ina Garten sold the Barefoot Contessa store to two employees, Amy Forst and Parker Hodges, while retaining ownership of the building. Following this, she took a one-year sabbatical.
1999: Publication of The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
In 1999, Ina Garten published her first cookbook, 'The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook,' which became a bestseller. It contained the recipes that made her store successful and exceeded expectations, selling over 100,000 copies in its first year.
2000: Nomination for James Beard Award
In 2000, 'The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook' was nominated for a James Beard Award in the Entertaining & Special Occasion Cookbooks category.
2000: Unsuccessful Early TV Effort
In 2000, Ina Garten's early effort to create a show with Martha Stewart's production company proved unsuccessful. This was because she struggled to adjust to the large television crew and highly structured environment.
2001: Release of Barefoot Contessa Parties!
In 2001, Ina Garten released 'Barefoot Contessa Parties!', which received praise and achieved high sales. The cookbook was nominated for a James Beard Award.
2002: Release of Barefoot Contessa Family Style
In 2002, Ina Garten released 'Barefoot Contessa Family Style', further contributing to her success as a cookbook author.
2002: Premiere of Barefoot Contessa on Food Network
In 2002, Ina Garten's Food Network program, 'Barefoot Contessa', premiered to a positive reception. This followed her initial success with cookbooks and appearances on Martha Stewart's show.
2003: Barefoot Contessa as Film Set and Store Closure
In 2003, the Barefoot Contessa store served as a set for the film 'Something's Gotta Give'. Also in 2003, the store permanently closed due to a lease expiration and failed negotiations between Ina Garten, who still owned the building, and the new store owners.
2004: Benefit for Planned Parenthood
In 2004, Ina Garten hosted a benefit for Planned Parenthood.
2005: Emmy Nomination for Best Service Show
In 2005, Ina Garten's 'Barefoot Contessa' show was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in the category of Best Service Show.
2005: End of Jeffrey Garten's Deanship
In 2005, Jeffrey Garten's tenure as the dean of the Yale School of Management came to an end. He was the dean since 1995.
2005: Giada De Laurentiis Praises Garten as Author
In 2005, fellow chef Giada De Laurentiis named Ina Garten as one of her favorite authors, highlighting the positive reception of Garten's cookbooks.
2005: Lemon Roast Chicken Recipe Featured
In 2005, one of Ina Garten's recipes, 'lemon roast chicken with croutons', was featured in 'The Best American Recipes 2005–2006'.
2006: Ina Garten Had Not Seen the Film
As of 2006, Ina Garten had not seen the 'Barefoot Contessa' film, which inspired the name of her store.
2006: Launch of Barefoot Contessa Pantry Line
In 2006, Ina Garten, with her business partner Frank Newbold, launched her own line of packaged cake mixes, marinades, sauces, and preserves branded as 'Barefoot Contessa Pantry' in conjunction with Stonewall Kitchen.
2006: Garten's Recipe in 'Today's Kitchen Cookbook'
In 2006, one of Ina Garten's dishes was selected for 'Today's Kitchen Cookbook', a compilation of popular recipes from The Today Show.
2009: Emmy Win for Best Culinary Host
In 2009, Ina Garten won her first Emmy Award for Best Culinary Host. Her show was also nominated for Best Culinary Program.
2010: Thanksgiving Recipes on Google Homepage
For Thanksgiving 2010, Ina Garten's recipes were featured by Google on their homepage.
2010: Criticism from Physicians Committee
In 2010, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine criticized Ina Garten's cookbook 'Barefoot Contessa: How Easy Is That?' for its high-fat, high-calorie, and high-cholesterol ingredients, naming it one of "The Five Worst Cookbooks" from a nutritional perspective.
2011: End of 'Ask the Barefoot Contessa' Column
In 2011, Ina Garten's monthly column "Ask the Barefoot Contessa" in House Beautiful magazine came to an end. The column provided cooking, entertaining, and lifestyle tips in response to readers' letters.
June 2012: Launch of Facebook Blog
In June 2012, Ina Garten launched a Facebook blog, quickly gaining over 100,000 followers within three weeks.
2019: Potato Latkes Recipe for Children's Book
In 2019, Ina Garten lent her recipe for potato latkes to author Sheryl Haft for the children's book 'Goodnight Bubbala'.
2021: Forbes "50 Over 50" List
In 2021, Ina Garten was selected for the inaugural Forbes "50 Over 50" list, which recognizes entrepreneurs, leaders, scientists, and creators over the age of 50.
2022: Launch of Be My Guest
In 2022, Ina Garten launched 'Be My Guest' on Discovery+ and the Food Network, a show where she hosts celebrities for visits.
2023: Cookbook Sales Update
As of 2023, Ina Garten has published thirteen cookbooks, with more than 14 million copies in print.
2023: Success of 'Barefoot Contessa, Go-To Dinners'
In 2023, Ina Garten's 'Barefoot Contessa, Go-To Dinners' sold more than 800,000 copies and reached number one on the New York Times bestseller list.
October 2024: Publication of Ina Garten's Memoir
In October 2024, Ina Garten's memoir, co-written with Deborah Davis and titled 'Be Ready When the Luck Happens', was published.
2024: Rag & Bone Location
As of 2024, the former Barefoot Contessa location now houses a Rag & Bone store.
2024: Garten's Stance on Politics
In 2024, Ina Garten told The New Yorker that she generally avoids speaking publicly about politics because she doesn't believe she would change people's minds.
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