10 Things You Didn't Know About Ina Garten
Most of us know that Ina Garten, a.k.a. The Barefoot Contessa, got her name from her very first store, a specialty food shop in the Hamptons. But did you know she named it after a 1954 movie starring Ava Gardner and Humphrey Bogart? Or that she earned the money to buy the shop by flipping houses? We wish HGTV had done a series on that! Ahead of a new season of Barefoot Contessa where Ina will teach you how to cook like a pro, here a few more fun things you need to know about this beloved foodie.
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She Used to Work in the White House
<p>Long before Ina was whipping up delicious dishes in the kitchen, she was working out bottom lines as a budget analyst for Presidents Ford and Carter. Talk about a career switch.</p> -
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She Was 15 When She Met Her Future Husband
<p>Ina and Jeffrey have been married for a whopping 48 years... and if you ask us they're just as cute as ever. Whatever magic formula they've found, we definitely want it.</p> -
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Ina and Jeffrey Chose Not to Have Children
<p>The couple doesn't have any kids, but that doesn't mean they don't have children in their lives. "I really appreciate that other people [have kids] and we will always have friends that have children that we are close to but it was a choice I made very early," Ina once told Katie Couric.</p> -
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She's a World Traveller
<p>When she's not filming, Ina is a big fan of heading abroad. Paris, most notably, is one of her favourite places – she and Jeffrey have an apartment there – and gives her lots of inspiration for her subsequent work in the kitchen.</p> -
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She May or May Not Be Part of T-Swift's Squad
<p>We can neither confirm nor deny whether Ina is officially in Taylor Swift's squad, but they are fans of each other. This super cute selfie of the two following a shared segment is proof.</p> -
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She's a Theatre Lover
<p>It seems like the entire world is trying to get in to see the Tony-winning smash musical <em>Hamilton</em>. It looks like Ina was one of the lucky ones who actually got tickets and she was also one of the theatre-goers singing its praises.</p> -
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She's a Dog Person
<p>Ina doesn't have dogs, but she seems to be over the moon with her assistant's pooch, Winkie. With a face like this, who wouldn't be?</p> -
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She's Has a Soft Spot for Cheese
<p>Ina loves a simple yet beloved appetizer that saves time. Her go-to? Cheddar and blue cheese with sliced baguette, pairing them with Shiraz for maximum flavour.</p> -
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She Prefers a Birthday Pie
<p>Not everyone is a cake fan; some people, like Ina, are all about the pie. Recently, she celebrated with a pretty banana toffee tart concoction her assistant Lidey Heuck whipped up – much to the Barefoot Contessa’s delight.</p> <p><em>Amber Dowling is a freelance lifestyle writer, TV critic and mom. She's a wine enthusiast, yoga lover and all-around player of sports with a penchant for travel, animals and stinky cheese</em>.</p>