Ina Garten

I absolutely loved this book but then again, I love Ina.

It’s like I just asked her to keep talking to me. Even though it was a physical book. I heard/saw her the whole time I was reading it.

For some reason, I started crying towards the end (real men cry, deal with it). It just made me feel good.

Fun to know some of the history that made Ina/Barefoot Contessa a brand.

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 had been hearing good things about Ina Gartens's memoir and was pleased when the library had my copy available.

If I'd had that childhood and such awful parents I don't think I would have succeeded in much of anything. They were demeaning, cruel and honestly should never have had children. That said, she rose above the negativity despite the lack of support from her parents, obviously succeeding with most ventures she tackled.

The more negative reviews point out what a privileged upbringing show more she had with well-to-do parents in a Connecticut suburb. Money never being an issue doesn't mean you have a happy childhood nor does it mean you glide through life with without strife.

There were many things I never knew about the famous cookbook author and the narrative moves smoothly through childhood to present day. The fateful day she impulsively made an offer on the food shop Barefoot Contessa was interesting.

Ina was in a fairly impressive position working on nuclear energy policy at the White House yet walked away to pursue something which made her happy - cooking. Who would think someone with that gig would abandon it to work long exhausting hours preparing large quantities of baked goods and casseroles in a little shop? That isn't saying she didn't burn the candle at both ends working for the government. High stress there and all nighters for sure.

Ina is a type A personality and had the drive to make all of her endeavours succeed. Cooking, gardening, business ventures.....I got tired just reading about all the work she put in. Overall I found this to be an interesting memoir. The parts about her husband were quite interesting to me as well.
4 stars show less