Ina Garten Loves Cooking Dinner But “Hates” When People Expect This

published Nov 11, 2024
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If you’re a professional chef, restaurateur, food writer, or celebrity cook, you’ve probably encountered the assumption that you’re always the one expected to cook. Whether it’s for the holidays, a family gathering, or a special celebration, it can feel like there’s no way to escape this role that others assume you’ll take on.

And Ina Garten is flat-out tired of this narrative. Recently, the celebrity cook hosted an event in San Francisco to discuss her latest memoir, and her fans couldn’t get enough of all of the personal anecdotes she dropped about her life. One attendee, Jenn Yee, a pastry blogger, shared a clip from the event where the Barefoot Contessa host shared, “I love cooking dinner; I hate when somebody expects it.” To which the crowd immediately validated Garten with a roaring applause. 

With the release of her long-anticipated memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens, Garten has been opening up about her personal life through her writing and interviews. She recently shared that she experiences anxiety whenever she has to host a dinner party. This revelation has helped her connect more deeply with fans who can relate.

This recent Instagram clip, where Garten professes her dislike for people expecting her to always cook for them, has garnered more than 200K views. One person commented on the video, saying, “This applies to more than just cooking. I love doing things for others … until they expect or demand it.” While another user called out, “OMG THIS! I’ve been enjoying cooking so much lately, but the expectation that comes with it can take the joy and satisfaction right out of it.” 

As the Barefoot Contessa host continues to tour and share more tidbits about her personal life, not only is she continuing to fill her loyal fans with tons of cooking and hosting advice, but she’s also getting vulnerable by sharing her truths. This honesty about her journey makes her more relatable so that folks can understand that even someone as put-together and successful as Garten is not immune to annoyances and challenges.