Barefoot Contessa’s Ina Garten Details Her Extensive Career

Katie Couric takes us on a tour behind the career and life of Ina Garten is explored. Ina is the author of the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks, and has an acclaimed cooking show on the Food Network. But Ina’s career went in many different directions throughout her life.

She even worked in the White House, where served in a group that oversaw the budgets for the Department of Energy, looked over nuclear policy and was staffed under both Presidents Carter and Nixon. While this ultimately wasn’t for her, she got into cooking late in the game.

As a young girl, she was actually discouraged from cooking, instead being told by her mother to study. And while she lived in a time when women weren’t really encouraged to work, she was emboldened by her husband Jeffrey to do so.

Ina knew she wanted to have a business and a career, and also knew she loved cooking, so she took a chance one day at the age of 30 to purchase a specialty food store in the Hampdens that was for sale. She struggled at first at her new business, called Barefoot Contessa, but eventually made herself renowned through this career decision, learning valuable professional lessons along the way.

After running her store to great success for 20 years, Ina felt she needed a to move forward. She sold the business and eventually wrote a cookbook, which garnered her much acclaim and success, and eleven more cookbooks, and a TV show.

Her latest book, Cook Like a Pro, details much of the skills she has picked up in her career. Despite all her success, Ina says she still gets nervous when she cooks, which speaks to her down to earth nature that she gives off.

Ina cooks in a old school, southern style, and is known for roast chicken, cakes, and lots of other delicious recipes. Her advice to young women? Follow your passion, and don’t wait to jump in to what you love. If there was something that you enjoyed at eight years old, it might be your perfect career choice.