The Bougie NYC Pizza Ina Garten And Jeffrey Love

If you think celebrity chefs spend every waking moment with a whisk in their hands, you'd be wrong. They're just like us: they too want to be wined and dined, served in elegant dining rooms, and handed snacks from their favorite drive-thrus. The Barefoot Contessa herself, Ina Garten, even told Food Network that her preferred location for a night out with her husband, Jeffrey, is typically the bar at The Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges in New York, where they enjoy a very special pizza together. 

"We eat in the bar and have a glass of wine and a truffle pizza," Garten said of the New York establishment. "We love that." She concluded her summary of The Mark by adding that she doesn't "need a big menu, there's always something delicious."

We spoke to The Mark Restaurant's Executive Chef Michael Hursa, who tells us that Garten's favorite truffle pizza "originated when Chef [Jean-Georges Vongerichten] was developing dishes for the opening of Mercer Kitchen." First came the truffle emulsion, which is paired "with a non-traditional, non-French cheese — Italian fontina." Hursa explains that the Italian fontina is "produced along the border between France and Italy." However, he elaborates that all the restaurant's pizzas use handmade mozzarella that comes from a "100-year-old cheese shop in Little Italy, Di Palo's, where they have been producing cheese the same way for five generations." Those truffles for the emulsion are "wild-foraged in Italy," Hursa adds.

The Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges is located inside The Mark Hotel in New York City (one of the many hotel restaurants in the city worth visiting), the creation of master chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who also owns several other upscale restaurants including the Tin Building, Vongerichten's long-awaited food hall. "It is common knowledge that Jean-Georges is associated with fine dining at the highest level of cuisine," Hursa says, "however, Chef also strongly values embracing approachable and beloved classics like pizzas and pastas." Indeed, The Mark's menu is filled with everything from upscale options such as egg caviar and veal chop Milanese, to more simple entrees like cheesy pizzas and fresh-made fettuccine.

"We always aim to cater to our neighborhood regulars and friends, in addition to our sophisticated and global hotel clientele," Hursa adds, noting that "pizza is a timeless classic and a New York City dining staple, so it feels only right to offer a selection that is elevated to The Mark standard." In terms of Garten's appearance at The Mark, Hursa says that the celebrity chef has become something of a regular. "I always enjoy coming out to see Garten, chatting with her, and welcoming her guests," he recalls. "It's been such a pleasure to have her in the restaurant and get to know her more over time."

NYC may have its fair share of pizza options — here's how to order them without looking like a tourist — but The Mark's standard is unique. "Our kitchen works tirelessly to source the highest quality of exotic and familiar ingredients to create the bold and exciting flavors The Mark is known for," Hursa highlights, who points out that positive guest opinions, such as Garten's favorite, make an impact on the menu. "We're constantly putting our ear to the ground and discussing which creations resonate most with our guests," he finishes. On a more personal level, he loves "the sweet simplicity of the tomato mozzarella pizza."

Other than Garten's preferred truffle pizza, The Mark dabbles with seasonal flavors for its pizza menu, like the unique honeynut squash pizza. "Our kitchen, like any Jean-Georges institution, is highly focused on farm-fresh, organic produce," Hursa explains. "In the fall, it only makes sense to source the best of the season — in this case, being a variety of exceptional squashes from New York State, one of the finest being honeynut squash."

From here, as with the truffle pizza, the honeynut squash pizza pairs with a blend of parmesan, fontina, and mozzarella cheeses, along with hot salami, garlic, and pumpkin seeds. Hursa says that the mix "comes together in a way that feels both balanced and indulgent," much like the beloved truffle pizza. Don't miss out on visiting one of Ina Garten's favorite pizza spots.