Ina Garten's List Of James Beard Accolades Is Quite Impressive
It's no secret that Ina Garten has a few tricks up her sleeve in the kitchen. The celebrity chef and television personality has been letting fans in on the secret method for perfect hamburgers and fall-off-the-bone ribs for decades. From making a dreamy cup of coffee to taking staples like classic chicken soup or a slice of pie to the next level, Garten is a jack of many culinary trades — and her fans know it. Her Instagram account has a whopping 3.7 million followers.
Since publishing her debut, "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook" in 1999 (via Food Network), Garten has gone on to write 13 total cookbooks, which have collectively sold over 14 million copies (per Today). Her latest, "Go-To Dinners," was released in October 2022. In "Cooking for Jeffrey," Garten shares what makes cooking such a personal arena to her: "It doesn't really matter what the occasion is — big or small — but it's the connections that we have with people we love that nourish our souls. Entertaining isn't just about making dinner parties. It's about celebrating those connections and I think that's what makes life worth living." These types of connections have been drawing fans to Garten for 20 years. (The "Barefoot Contessa" is even filmed in the chef's own barn in East Hampton, NY). They've also made Garten the winner of an impressive lineup of accolades: including more than a few James Beard awards.
Garten won three awards and been nominated for eight
Garten is no stranger to good press. Per CBS News, "Barefoot Contessa" has won seven Emmys. But Garten is also the recipient of not one but three James Beard awards. She won the award for "Outstanding Personality/Host" two years in a row (2014-2015). Soon after, she won the award for "Television Program, In Studio or Fixed Location" in 2018.
In addition to these three wins, Garten has been nominated for other James Beard awards eight times. She was nominated for the "Entertaining and Special Occasions" award in 2000 and 2002. (It's worth noting that the 2000 nomination came two years before Garten's television debut as The Barefoot Contessa even aired.) In 2010, Garten was nominated for "Television Show, In Studio or Fixed Location," then nominated for "Media Personality/Host (Television or Video Webcast)" shortly after in 2012. In 2017 alone, Garten received three nominations: "General," "Special (TV or Web)," and "General Cooking." The next year, in 2018, Garten was nominated for "Outstanding Personality/Host." Garten's accomplishments are even more impressive, considering the James Beard Foundation has famously recognized male chefs/restaurateurs far more often than females, according to Eater. Only time will tell what's next for the 74-year-old chef with a career full of accolades in her wake.