20 Best Moments From Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa

Ina Garten's "Be My Guest" series on the Food Network is focused on the chef having down-to-earth chats with celebrity guest stars while preparing meals, but it was "Barefoot Contessa" where she first captured the attention of television viewers. Everyone needs to be reminded to take it easy every now and again, and "Barefoot Contessa" produced nearly 30 seasons giving viewers a guide to staying cool under the pressure of preparing meals for others. Running from 2002-2021, the series embraced the virtues of taking time and enjoying the process, not just the end result.

Garten's approach to cooking for others while not sacrificing quality time with friends made her something of a patron saint for casual and professional cooks alike. In the process, getting stomachs growling and kitchen creativity brewing became Garten's stock and trade. Here are some of the most unforgettable moments from "Barefoot Contessa," those that made her a household name.

Those who caught Garten's recent episode of "Be My Guest" with Emily Blunt may have found themselves wishing they could get more of their fun kitchen dynamic; this "Barefoot Contessa" episode can fill that need. Not only does the episode feature Blunt, but also actor/songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda and Blunt's fellow "Be My Guest" alum, director Rob Marshall and producer John DeLuca.

When it comes to star-studded episodes, this is a big one, but the sense of cooking camaraderie is what makes it so memorable. With Marshall and DeLuca retrieving table decorations, Miranda making gimlets, and Blunt roasting potatoes, seeing the group working in the kitchen and enjoying their labors as friends is a cooking show all-timer.

Before she changed culinary television forever, Garten worked at the White House's Office of Management and Budget. Taking a trip to D.C. for this episode, she notes that the city has gone from basic cuisine to being a bona fide food city. Garten illustrates this by visiting former Barefoot Contessa shop employee Bettina Stern's vegetarian taco restaurant Chaia, founded with Suzanne Simon.

This is another episode jam-packed with memorable moments, but sitting down with Michelle Obama is a pretty big deal. Garten inquires about the kitchen garden that Michelle started in 2009. Obama replies that she can't take all the credit, indicating the larger team that keeps it running smoothly. This blossoms into talk of Obama's work changing the national conversation around health.

Despite a tendency to prepare foods from scratch, "store-bought is fine" is a phrase for which the Barefoot Contessa is well known. Introducing this episode as one that will utilize ingredients off grocery store shelves, Garten immediately plays up the episode's title. 

"Yes, from time to time, store-bought is just fine," she says knowingly. Ina puts that assertion to the test by preparing Raspberry Baked Alaska, Roasted Eggplant Parmesan, Turkey Sandwiches with Brussels Sprout Slaw, and Sweet Red Pepper Hummus.

Garten explains the meaning behind "store-bought is fine," noting that it's not great to buy a cake and pass it off as your own, but that utilizing some store-bought ingredients can save time in the kitchen without compromising taste.

Fans of Ina Garten frequently cite the unflappable ease with which she seemingly cooks all these amazing dishes as a reason she is so beloved; this is why "Fearless Food" stands out. Intentionally choosing foods that seem too complicated or eccentric to pull off, Garten helps viewers face their kitchen fears while staring down a few of her own. Sharing her methods for making Salted Caramel Nuts, Souffle a L'orange, and Anna's Tomato Tart, the focus here is on figuring out how to pull off "scary" foods without breaking a sweat.

Fellow celebrity chef José Andrés makes an appearance to offer his own advice. He teaches Ina and the audience his trick for separating eggs. It's the sort of brilliant move that, once you figure it out, you'll wonder how you managed before.

This episode begins with a little backstory, as Ina explains that she was having breakfast with her friends Eli Zabar and David Ziff when they realized that the meal was so fun that they should keep the ball rolling and meet for dinner as well. Changing up the rules of the game, they each assign themselves one course to prepare, choosing a Mediterranean theme for inspiration. Together, they prepare a meal consisting of Grilled Eggplant with Sherry Vinegar Drizzle, Fried Baby Artichokes, Eli's Grilled Rib Eye Steak, and Italian Plum Tart.

The light-hearted connection between these friends is endlessly endearing, as is watching them each tackle their own individual dish, which adds a little excitement to what might have otherwise been a standard episode. The three cheer each other on, adding a great sense of camaraderie to the episode's meal preparations.

While many episodes of "Barefoot Contessa" are about creating good food and a nice atmosphere for family and friends, Garten has always been eager to offer her services to charitable events as well. "Training Day Dinner" follows her as she teams up with local chef Joe Realmuto from Townline BBQ to prepare a meal to feed East Hampton ambulance volunteers. Garten informs the viewers that there are over fifty volunteers, all dedicated to helping in emergencies.

Garten makes pear and cranberry crostata while Realmuto prepares BBQ ribs, but the best part is when volunteer Sandy walks Garten through a family recipe for potato salad. Discussing how much work goes into it makes the enormous meal seem particularly satisfying.

Looking back on her relationship with Jeffrey, which dates back to when they were in high school, Garten curates a selection of meals based on their many years together. First up, she shares a story about their early days, saying she used to send him boxes of brownies. "It's the culinary equivalent to a low-cut dress," she jokes. "I guess it worked; we've been married for over forty years."

Quite literally pulling out an old shoebox of photographs, Ina continues to reminisce about their early years together, well before the Barefoot Contessa was even an idea. Ina remembers she's still got brownies in the oven and moves onto the next part of the meal, wondering if Jeffrey will guess what she's up to. He does!

One of the great joys of watching "Barefoot Contessa" has always been Garten's willingness to learn from others. This episode has her bringing in three different talented chefs — Manhattan-based pastry chef Natasha Pickowicz, Brooklyn-based Italian restaurant owner Missy Robbins, and New York-based Parisian chef Marie-Aude Rose — and kicking off the episode by asking Natasha "Do you want to put me to work?"

That simple question acts as a jumping-off point, and from there the episode takes a laid-back approach to the simple concept of picking the brain of a trusted expert in their field. Ina's lightly self-deprecating humor is on full display, and every dish comes out looking nothing short of perfect. This one is worth watching all the way through, but seeing Garten learn the specifics of plating Fettuccine from Missy is a particularly delight.

Part of the "Cooking for Jeffrey" series, in this episode the Gartens invite their dear friend, photographer Miguel Florres-Vianna, to stay for the weekend. This allows Ina to break things down into meals for different times of day, preparing Hermit Bars for his arrival on Friday night, a Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tart for lunch on Saturday, and wrapping it up with an easy Tomato Carpaccio.

While Jeffrey and Miguel have fun taking photos for a "Barefoot Contessa" style book, Ina walks the viewer through recipes she's preparing. Jeffrey helps Miguel create photographic magic outdoors as their easy friendship is on display, and his excitement in discussing an art piece that Miguel then photographs makes for a fitting coda for the episode.

While writing an article on the importance of shopping local, Ina challenges herself to create a meal entirely from locally-sourced Hamptons ingredients. The menu consists of Eggplant Caponata (using produce from a nearby farm), catch-of-the-day Bass with a Caesar-inspired sauce, and fresh Peach Cake (with fruit from the farmers' market and local eggs). While it doesn't come as a huge surprise that Ina pulls off the challenge, it's a lot of fun to watch as she explains the process.

While cooking her fish, Garten explains that the bass was caught earlier by local fishermen. The show cuts to a video, where they explain who they are and how they caught the fish. That sense of community, even at a distance, is what makes this moment so special.