Ina Garten

Of any celebrity chef, I probably like Ina Garten the best. Her recipes are approachable. She seems very down to earth and has certainly taken risks to pursue her passions. Her memoir shows her growth from a sheltered, abused young adult to a confident, charming leader in a competitive field. She is honest about her shortcomings and often underplays her strengths. But all along she trusts her instincts and admits when they steer her wrong. She is willing to listen to advice from a few show more trusted voices.

Jeffrey is the most trusted voice of all and at its heart, this is the story of their lives together. She describes the ups and downs of their marriage, although after a rocky start, it seems to be mostly ups. Like most women, she moved directly from her home to her marriage and that is where the issues arose. Obviously, they managed to work things out but I think she described the overall change that was happening at the time with working women pushing back against traditional roles.

We also get all the details of her life from the home in the Hamptons to the apartment in Paris. She veers a bit into name dropping and some whining about costs and delays on her renovations. And, that's where I find myself in a conundrum: I do like her and the memoir was very readable. But, she seems blissfully unaware of her privilege, able to use connections to find funding and recognition that is beyond others. After all, she bought a thriving business in the Hamptons rather than starting from scratch selling baked goods at the farmer's market.

Granted, she took it way beyond the original 400 square foot store. But even that came with a price. Her story of buying a store that would put her in direct competition with her former partner and friend shows that, under her impostor syndrome facade, she is a fierce entrepreneur. They did not speak for a year, and Ina points out that her friend didn't lose business because of her. But she didn't know that going in.

I also find it ironic that she hated the professional world and really did like to cook and bake, traditional feminine roles. She figured out how to make them into a darn good living although my sense was it was less about money and more about having something to do with herself.

I didn't mean this to sound so negative. It was a lovely book clearly written in her own voice with her catchphrases sprinkled here and there. show less

Such an interesting memoir! Ina’s life is shaped by hard work, risk-taking, and a deep belief in herself, especially when others tell her no. She paints vivid scenes of different decades, with a reminder of how much the world has changed. The book isn’t boring, just like Ina herself, every time she gets too comfortable, she shakes things up. This is a love letter to her husband, but it’s also a reflection on independence, doubt, and what feminism looks like both in society and at home. show more Ina doesn’t wait to be an expert before diving in. She does things scared, trusts her instincts, and makes things happen. It’s inspiring. Like so many audiobooks, this one is even better because Ina reads it. It feels intimate, reflective, and true. You don’t need to be a fan (or even familiar with her work) to appreciate her approach to life. Definitely worth a listen! show less

I really enjoyed this, and I have never read an Ina Garten cookbook or seen any of her shows. So I went into this memoir without knowing anything, and now I’m going to look for some of her cookbooks (Hoping to find treasure in my favorite thrift stores). Ina (yes, I’m now on a first name basis with her) started her story with her childhood, talking about her parents, meeting her husband Jeffrey, their early married life, The Barefoot Contessa shops, then the books, all the places she’s show more lived, the TV shows, her friends, living through Covid, the remodeling projects, etc.

What makes this book so good is Ina’s writing style – she is just so honest, funny, humble, and creative. Her bubbly personality and her willingness to take a chance come through on every page. For instance, I love how she describes her writing process: “Gradually, I developed my own writing process, and it’s always the same. I’m sure I have absolutely nothing to say, so I wait until the last second, then clean out my closet, then finally I force myself to sit at the computer, searching for the elusive opening sentence. When I have that, the rest just seems to fall into place.” Who can’t relate to that?

So if you’re looking for a true-life success story – with recipes and photos– to take your mind off the election results and what the future may look like, this is the book for you. show less

Once upon a time I collected cookbooks and actually used them. Now I pretty much cook from memory with occasional forays onto the Internet to find recipes. I now look at cookbooks as much for the pictures as for the recipes. I do watch TV food programs and enjoy Ina Garten's show. So I borrowed this for the chatty stuff about the couple and the food and for the pictures. The food photographer is Quentin Bacon (one of those wonderfully apt names) and his work does not disappoint. Garten is a show more fun cook who is not afraid to simplify and take shortcuts. Her recipes are easy to follow and there are a couple I might try. This Zucchini and Leek Frittata sounds good. show less