Ina Garten's Opinion Of Barefoot Contessa Is Something We Didn't Expect At All
Ina Garten is a Food Network mainstay with one of the longest-running careers on the cable cooking network. But what some may not know about Garten is that it almost didn't happen at all, and not because the network didn't want her. Ina Garten's first show, "The Barefoot Contessa," made her a household name, but it's worth noting that she initially didn't like the show's name. It originated from a gourmet food store she purchased, which was named after its original owner's nickname.
According to Business Insider, in 2021, Garten confessed to MSNBC's Willie Geist, "I actually thought it was a terrible name. Who calls a food store Barefoot Contessa?" Over time, the name grew on her, and eventually, Garten changed her tune. "I actually liked the name because it's about being elegant and earthy," she said after initially planning to change the name to something else. "It would've been a terrible thing to change it."
Ina Garten didn't want to be on TV
There's another reason that Ina Garten's famous Food Network show almost didn't happen, and that's because she didn't want to be on TV. While Garten has been shy about being on TV, she hasn't been shy about her reluctance to film. "The Barefoot Contessa" star's best moments wouldn't have happened if the Food Network hadn't been so persistent. They called several times before she finally gave in and filmed for them.
What she originally intended to be just a handful of episodes turned into an entire television career. Her original show ran for 20 seasons, from 2002 to 2022. While Garten admits that she never watches back her own episodes, she went on to make another show, "Be My Guest with Ina Garten," which ran for two years, plus a "Barefoot Contessa" spinoff. Garten has made dozens of appearances on talk shows and other news programs, she squared off against Bobby Flay in Beat Bobby Flay, and she played herself on "30 Rock."
Despite becoming a beloved television figure, Garten has said she doesn't understand why anyone would want to watch her on TV. Her loyal fans would likely disagree.