Ina Garten

Are we overthinking these details, you and I? I don't think so. I think it's really important. Right. And I think it's a skill. You get better and better at hosting people. And I think, I mean, you and I obviously find it's really worth doing because it's the glue between people.

Are we overthinking these details, you and I? I don't think so. I think it's really important. Right. And I think it's a skill. You get better and better at hosting people. And I think, I mean, you and I obviously find it's really worth doing because it's the glue between people.

Oh, you're going to come cook with me?

Oh, you're going to come cook with me?

We'll be right back.

We'll be right back.

So the first thing is baked Virginia ham. So what I do is I buy a fully cooked smoked ham, really good quality ham, that's pre-sliced. Wow. So you don't have to slice it at the party. And all I do is make a glaze with like five ingredients in it, goes in a food processor, put it on the ham, goes in the oven, and it bakes for an hour.

So the first thing is baked Virginia ham. So what I do is I buy a fully cooked smoked ham, really good quality ham, that's pre-sliced. Wow. So you don't have to slice it at the party. And all I do is make a glaze with like five ingredients in it, goes in a food processor, put it on the ham, goes in the oven, and it bakes for an hour.

Exactly.

Exactly.

One thing you need to know about me is I follow a recipe exactly. So, six cloves of garlic. Are you in charge of garlic? I would like to. Choose your weapon. I'll get the garlic. I'm ordering my clobber around.

One thing you need to know about me is I follow a recipe exactly. So, six cloves of garlic. Are you in charge of garlic? I would like to. Choose your weapon. I'll get the garlic. I'm ordering my clobber around.

There's no wrong way to do it, period. Okay, so we need eight and a half ounces of mango chutney, which is exactly what I have. Can you describe this chutney? Well, it's mango, but it's got raisins in it, and it's chutney, so it's both sweet and sour. Half a cup of Dijon mustard. I can do that. I'll just dump it in. One cup of light brown sugar. Now I need the zest of one orange.

There's no wrong way to do it, period. Okay, so we need eight and a half ounces of mango chutney, which is exactly what I have. Can you describe this chutney? Well, it's mango, but it's got raisins in it, and it's chutney, so it's both sweet and sour. Half a cup of Dijon mustard. I can do that. I'll just dump it in. One cup of light brown sugar. Now I need the zest of one orange.

It's called the pith, which is the lighter part. And you don't want any of it because it's bitter. So you just go absolutely, just the absolute surface where it's really dark orange or dark lemon. And then we need a quarter of a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice. I love a juicer.

It's called the pith, which is the lighter part. And you don't want any of it because it's bitter. So you just go absolutely, just the absolute surface where it's really dark orange or dark lemon. And then we need a quarter of a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice. I love a juicer.

Okay, we're ready to go. So, got a food processor, garlic in. Garlic in. Okay, so just turn the food processor on. Okay. Until it's all pureed. This is the best glaze, it's so good.

Okay, we're ready to go. So, got a food processor, garlic in. Garlic in. Okay, so just turn the food processor on. Okay. Until it's all pureed. This is the best glaze, it's so good.

Just to hold it all together. Mm-hmm, because it's pre-sliced. Because it's pre-sliced. And then we're gonna pour the glaze over it.

Just to hold it all together. Mm-hmm, because it's pre-sliced. Because it's pre-sliced. And then we're gonna pour the glaze over it.

Okay, so this is what I love about roasting. You put it in the oven, set a timer, and forget about it. Mm-hmm. So this is one hour, and in one hour, we're going to have a delicious ham. That was stunningly simple. And it feeds 20 people. I mean, it's really quite extraordinary. Yeah. No, it feeds more than that, like 20 to 30 people. Okay, ham is now in the oven.

Okay, so this is what I love about roasting. You put it in the oven, set a timer, and forget about it. Mm-hmm. So this is one hour, and in one hour, we're going to have a delicious ham. That was stunningly simple. And it feeds 20 people. I mean, it's really quite extraordinary. Yeah. No, it feeds more than that, like 20 to 30 people. Okay, ham is now in the oven.

So we need something to drink while the ham bakes, don't we?

So we need something to drink while the ham bakes, don't we?

Okay, how about a cranberry martini? So you want to make it with me? I would love to make it.

Okay, how about a cranberry martini? So you want to make it with me? I would love to make it.

It absolutely does. Would you like your martini in that glass? No. I have it right here.

It absolutely does. Would you like your martini in that glass? No. I have it right here.

This is like a... It's glass? It's like a birdbath. It was given to me as a joke, but I mean, I had to use it. And there's two of them. And there are two of them. They're like vases. Well, you don't want to drink that by yourself. So let's make that cranberry martini. You're gonna love this.

This is like a... It's glass? It's like a birdbath. It was given to me as a joke, but I mean, I had to use it. And there's two of them. And there are two of them. They're like vases. Well, you don't want to drink that by yourself. So let's make that cranberry martini. You're gonna love this.

So, first thing we need is three quarters of a cup of cranberry juice, and it's actually cranberry juice cocktail, so it's got a little sugar in it.

So, first thing we need is three quarters of a cup of cranberry juice, and it's actually cranberry juice cocktail, so it's got a little sugar in it.

Hi. Hello.

Hi. Hello.

Half a cup of good vodka. Ooh, this is from the freezer. It's from the freezer, yeah. Quarter of a cup of triple sec. Which is a sweet liqueur. Orange liqueur, exactly. Is that perfectly measured? And now we need a cup of ice. And this is the key to cocktails with ice, is you have to shake it for 30 seconds.

Half a cup of good vodka. Ooh, this is from the freezer. It's from the freezer, yeah. Quarter of a cup of triple sec. Which is a sweet liqueur. Orange liqueur, exactly. Is that perfectly measured? And now we need a cup of ice. And this is the key to cocktails with ice, is you have to shake it for 30 seconds.

Nice to see you. I hear you all the time. May I hug you? I insist. Oh, I'm so happy to see you, Michael. Thank you so much for coming.

Nice to see you. I hear you all the time. May I hug you? I insist. Oh, I'm so happy to see you, Michael. Thank you so much for coming.

And what it does is dilute the cocktail enough so that it's not like that, like really harsh. So it's absolutely delicious. So how about you do 30 seconds and I'll time it. Okay. Go. It's longer than you think. That's only five seconds.

And what it does is dilute the cocktail enough so that it's not like that, like really harsh. So it's absolutely delicious. So how about you do 30 seconds and I'll time it. Okay. Go. It's longer than you think. That's only five seconds.

Doesn't it seem like more than 30 seconds?

Doesn't it seem like more than 30 seconds?

Especially when you're thirsty. That's 30 seconds. Okay, I'm getting the glasses in the freezer.

Especially when you're thirsty. That's 30 seconds. Okay, I'm getting the glasses in the freezer.

This is a day to cheer. It's really nice. Isn't that good? Yeah. You know what I love? It has no bite. It has no bite, exactly. But also, the flavors are layered perfectly, and it doesn't have that hit of vodka, even though you and I know how much is in there. The orange and the cranberry kind of bubble up a little bit. It's not too sweet, not too tart.

This is a day to cheer. It's really nice. Isn't that good? Yeah. You know what I love? It has no bite. It has no bite, exactly. But also, the flavors are layered perfectly, and it doesn't have that hit of vodka, even though you and I know how much is in there. The orange and the cranberry kind of bubble up a little bit. It's not too sweet, not too tart.

That would be the ham. Ham's ready. Okay. Well, it smells pretty good, doesn't it? It does. That's the first test. How's that look?

That would be the ham. Ham's ready. Okay. Well, it smells pretty good, doesn't it? It does. That's the first test. How's that look?

Isn't it? And then, so what I like to do is I like to serve it like a slice of ham with a little bit of the glaze from the pan.

Isn't it? And then, so what I like to do is I like to serve it like a slice of ham with a little bit of the glaze from the pan.

Isn't that, it'll be our little secret. It's just something I whipped up in the few minutes before you got here, and I actually did. And you actually did, because you planned it out.

Isn't that, it'll be our little secret. It's just something I whipped up in the few minutes before you got here, and I actually did. And you actually did, because you planned it out.

Isn't that delicious?

Isn't that delicious?

But it doesn't overpower the smoked ham. I think it's really important that the intrinsic flavor of the thing that you're cooking shines through and the ingredients just make them taste better. Kind of layers of mustard and orange and chutney. Not bad, is it?

But it doesn't overpower the smoked ham. I think it's really important that the intrinsic flavor of the thing that you're cooking shines through and the ingredients just make them taste better. Kind of layers of mustard and orange and chutney. Not bad, is it?

Thank you. Thank you. Where's my martini? Excuse me, I need to get mine too. I can't have you drinking alone. What a great day. Cheers. We made that sauce. We did. We worked so hard too, didn't we? Look how gorgeous that is.

Thank you. Thank you. Where's my martini? Excuse me, I need to get mine too. I can't have you drinking alone. What a great day. Cheers. We made that sauce. We did. We worked so hard too, didn't we? Look how gorgeous that is.

Welcome to the barn.

Welcome to the barn.

Thank you. I'm so glad.

Thank you. I'm so glad.

Rosatrim cocktail.

Rosatrim cocktail.

Depends on the meal. If it's not a sandwich, bread on the table.

Depends on the meal. If it's not a sandwich, bread on the table.

Apple pie.

Apple pie.

I love stuffing, but I make it as bread pudding. A savory bread pudding.

I love stuffing, but I make it as bread pudding. A savory bread pudding.

Absolutely, except washing the dishes.

Absolutely, except washing the dishes.

I insist that they not.

I insist that they not.

I live next door, and my commute is on the grass. It's 90 feet.

I live next door, and my commute is on the grass. It's 90 feet.

I actually do one better than that. I actually make another Thanksgiving dinner. I'm sorry, what? When I make Thanksgiving dinner, I make a second one so that I can cut it up and give it to the guests to take home because everybody wants Thanksgiving dinner sandwiches the next day. They do. Turkey and cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes.

I actually do one better than that. I actually make another Thanksgiving dinner. I'm sorry, what? When I make Thanksgiving dinner, I make a second one so that I can cut it up and give it to the guests to take home because everybody wants Thanksgiving dinner sandwiches the next day. They do. Turkey and cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes.

And it's really terrible the next day when you've gone to somebody else's dinner and you don't have those things. So I make sure everybody has everything.

And it's really terrible the next day when you've gone to somebody else's dinner and you don't have those things. So I make sure everybody has everything.

It's a PhD in hosting.

It's a PhD in hosting.

He's at Yale teaching, and he's coming home tonight.

He's at Yale teaching, and he's coming home tonight.

Next time. No day is perfect.

Next time. No day is perfect.

I love burgundy. Oh, this is gorgeous. Thank you so much.

I love burgundy. Oh, this is gorgeous. Thank you so much.

That's not what I do.

That's not what I do.

Well, it's what I love to do because my whole goal in life is to connect with people I love. And it doesn't happen easily. When you have that connection, you feel like you're taking care of people and they're taking care of you. And God knows we need that.

Well, it's what I love to do because my whole goal in life is to connect with people I love. And it doesn't happen easily. When you have that connection, you feel like you're taking care of people and they're taking care of you. And God knows we need that.

Well, you know, in my memoir I tell the story that my mother was very cold. I think she just wasn't capable of being warm. So I think I never felt connected to her at all. At all? At all. At all.

Well, you know, in my memoir I tell the story that my mother was very cold. I think she just wasn't capable of being warm. So I think I never felt connected to her at all. At all? At all. At all.

I think I was really hungry for that in my life. And so that's what I try and do with my friends. I think entertaining for me is really about bringing people together and making them part of my family.

I think I was really hungry for that in my life. And so that's what I try and do with my friends. I think entertaining for me is really about bringing people together and making them part of my family.

I do. And it was a total disaster. Jeffrey and I had just gotten married. He was in the military. And I decided to have a party for 20 people. Bad idea.

I do. And it was a total disaster. Jeffrey and I had just gotten married. He was in the military. And I decided to have a party for 20 people. Bad idea.

20 people. And they didn't know each other. And for some reason, I decided I was going to make an omelet for everybody. Now, I barely know how to make an omelet now. I mean, I kind of do, but I certainly didn't know how to make an omelet then. And what I know now is you have to make them one at a time. Yeah. So I spent the entire time in the kitchen making omelets.

20 people. And they didn't know each other. And for some reason, I decided I was going to make an omelet for everybody. Now, I barely know how to make an omelet now. I mean, I kind of do, but I certainly didn't know how to make an omelet then. And what I know now is you have to make them one at a time. Yeah. So I spent the entire time in the kitchen making omelets.

So poor Jeffrey was in the living room with 20 people trying to keep the conversation going.

So poor Jeffrey was in the living room with 20 people trying to keep the conversation going.

It was like I was on a cruise ship. I was the chef. And we didn't have a table for 20 people, so there were chairs in the living room that were just in a big circle, and everybody had a plate and an omelet on their lap, but not at the same time.

It was like I was on a cruise ship. I was the chef. And we didn't have a table for 20 people, so there were chairs in the living room that were just in a big circle, and everybody had a plate and an omelet on their lap, but not at the same time.

I think I was so busy making omelets, I didn't even think about it until afterwards. And I knew it was a quiet party. And with 20 people, you can't connect with them. Mm-hmm.

I think I was so busy making omelets, I didn't even think about it until afterwards. And I knew it was a quiet party. And with 20 people, you can't connect with them. Mm-hmm.

I think by the time Jeffrey and I got to Washington, I had been to France, and I was really interested in the food. And I started working my way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. And so my first parties were very elaborate affairs. You know, they were fancy. It was fancy food. And so I picked the most complicated things. Which is how I taught myself how to cook.

I think by the time Jeffrey and I got to Washington, I had been to France, and I was really interested in the food. And I started working my way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. And so my first parties were very elaborate affairs. You know, they were fancy. It was fancy food. And so I picked the most complicated things. Which is how I taught myself how to cook.

So I'm glad I did. And then one day we were invited to somebody's house for dinner. It was a guy. And I said to Jeffrey, oh, this is going to be a disaster because no men cooked in the 70s. I mean, they just didn't. And we went there and he served a simple filet of beef that was roasted, simple vegetables. It was an absolutely simple, elegant meal. And I remember thinking to myself, this is it.

So I'm glad I did. And then one day we were invited to somebody's house for dinner. It was a guy. And I said to Jeffrey, oh, this is going to be a disaster because no men cooked in the 70s. I mean, they just didn't. And we went there and he served a simple filet of beef that was roasted, simple vegetables. It was an absolutely simple, elegant meal. And I remember thinking to myself, this is it.

Ina Garten.

Ina Garten.

Everybody had a wonderful time. His hair wasn't on fire. He wasn't cooking from Julia Child. He wasn't making some elaborate thing. And at that moment, I decided to change how I cook. And so the thing that I expected to be a disastrous dinner turned out to be a lesson I'll never forget.

Everybody had a wonderful time. His hair wasn't on fire. He wasn't cooking from Julia Child. He wasn't making some elaborate thing. And at that moment, I decided to change how I cook. And so the thing that I expected to be a disastrous dinner turned out to be a lesson I'll never forget.

And the simpler the meal is, the more fun everybody has. The irony is it's not about impressing your guests with a great dinner. It's about making a dinner that's perfectly delicious, that allows everybody to have a good time together.

And the simpler the meal is, the more fun everybody has. The irony is it's not about impressing your guests with a great dinner. It's about making a dinner that's perfectly delicious, that allows everybody to have a good time together.

So I was interviewing Frank Bruni, who I just adore, and I said to him, what's the key to a great restaurant? And he said, the most important detail is how you greet it at the door. And I thought, that's exactly true of parties. Because once you feel like you're welcome, you're always going to feel good.

So I was interviewing Frank Bruni, who I just adore, and I said to him, what's the key to a great restaurant? And he said, the most important detail is how you greet it at the door. And I thought, that's exactly true of parties. Because once you feel like you're welcome, you're always going to feel good.

Well, first I think about who I want to see, but I also think about who would like to see each other. So people who know each other that don't see each other or who would enjoy each other's company. Jeffrey and I pretty much choreograph each dinner party. You sit there and you talk about it. You think about it ahead of time. We totally think about it.

Well, first I think about who I want to see, but I also think about who would like to see each other. So people who know each other that don't see each other or who would enjoy each other's company. Jeffrey and I pretty much choreograph each dinner party. You sit there and you talk about it. You think about it ahead of time. We totally think about it.

And we think about how the party is seated, which is really important. So inevitably in a group of six people around a round table is my ideal dinner party. And inevitably some people are extroverts and some people are introverts. So some people are more talkative than others. So if you think about six people around a dinner table...

And we think about how the party is seated, which is really important. So inevitably in a group of six people around a round table is my ideal dinner party. And inevitably some people are extroverts and some people are introverts. So some people are more talkative than others. So if you think about six people around a dinner table...

I always put the most talkative people opposite each other and the least talkative people opposite each other in the other quadrant. So that if you put the talkative people next to each other, that's where the party's going to be. And then people can listen that want to listen and people can talk that want to talk.

I always put the most talkative people opposite each other and the least talkative people opposite each other in the other quadrant. So that if you put the talkative people next to each other, that's where the party's going to be. And then people can listen that want to listen and people can talk that want to talk.

And you'd be shocked how too big a table or two people on the same side of the table that are talking can just wreck a perfectly good dinner party.

And you'd be shocked how too big a table or two people on the same side of the table that are talking can just wreck a perfectly good dinner party.

So this is like a New York Times puzzle. There are a lot of layers to it. And the first one is I just remember these are my friends and I want them to be happy. So when I'm doing the menu, the first thing I do is find out, or if I know, figure out what everybody doesn't like or doesn't eat.

So this is like a New York Times puzzle. There are a lot of layers to it. And the first one is I just remember these are my friends and I want them to be happy. So when I'm doing the menu, the first thing I do is find out, or if I know, figure out what everybody doesn't like or doesn't eat.

And I want to make one menu that everybody can eat because you never want to be having the roast veal dinner and this person over there alone by themselves is having pasta. I want everybody to share the same meal. So that's the first thing. Then I'll write down a menu of what I'd like to make.

And I want to make one menu that everybody can eat because you never want to be having the roast veal dinner and this person over there alone by themselves is having pasta. I want everybody to share the same meal. So that's the first thing. Then I'll write down a menu of what I'd like to make.

And then I just start crossing things off and just go, well, do we really need four vegetables when two would be fine? Cross two off. Do I have to make that peach tart or can I get it from a bakery? Cross that off. Is it hard to make a first course while the meat is in the oven? Don't make a first course. Then I figure out how am I going to make this meal?

And then I just start crossing things off and just go, well, do we really need four vegetables when two would be fine? Cross two off. Do I have to make that peach tart or can I get it from a bakery? Cross that off. Is it hard to make a first course while the meat is in the oven? Don't make a first course. Then I figure out how am I going to make this meal?

Are there four things that need to go in one oven? Or is there one thing that's room temperature, one thing that I can cook on top of the stove, and one thing in the oven, so that I'm not trying to juggle things while it's happening? And then the last thing I do is make a timeline. How is this meal going to happen? I feel like I'm at NASA Command Center. It is like that.

Are there four things that need to go in one oven? Or is there one thing that's room temperature, one thing that I can cook on top of the stove, and one thing in the oven, so that I'm not trying to juggle things while it's happening? And then the last thing I do is make a timeline. How is this meal going to happen? I feel like I'm at NASA Command Center. It is like that.

And I think people are shocked that when I have six people for dinner, I do this. Because otherwise, all day I'm like, oh my God, should I start the dinner? And then I look at my schedule and I say, 5 o'clock, I have to turn the oven on. It's literally that detailed. 5.15, put the meat in the oven. 5.45, take it out. It's really detailed. But then I know that before 5 o'clock, I'm fine.

And I think people are shocked that when I have six people for dinner, I do this. Because otherwise, all day I'm like, oh my God, should I start the dinner? And then I look at my schedule and I say, 5 o'clock, I have to turn the oven on. It's literally that detailed. 5.15, put the meat in the oven. 5.45, take it out. It's really detailed. But then I know that before 5 o'clock, I'm fine.

I can relax. And it's hard. It's a complicated thing to get everything out on the table at the same time when it's perfectly cooked. And that's the only way I know how to do it is to make a schedule.

I can relax. And it's hard. It's a complicated thing to get everything out on the table at the same time when it's perfectly cooked. And that's the only way I know how to do it is to make a schedule.

And why does it even matter? Well, first I would say paper and plastic are nice for a picnic on a boat, but I'm not sure that they belong on a table. I knew it. So that should settle that. I think the table should be lovely, but I really like a modern table that's simple.

And why does it even matter? Well, first I would say paper and plastic are nice for a picnic on a boat, but I'm not sure that they belong on a table. I knew it. So that should settle that. I think the table should be lovely, but I really like a modern table that's simple.

I think there's nothing more horrifying than sitting down to a really fancy dinner table where there are like six glasses at each place setting. And you know you're going to be there forever because there are six courses, each with a different wine. Right. Or a different fork or a different knife. Oh, my God. It's just horrible. So modern simply means? As simple as possible.

I think there's nothing more horrifying than sitting down to a really fancy dinner table where there are like six glasses at each place setting. And you know you're going to be there forever because there are six courses, each with a different wine. Right. Or a different fork or a different knife. Oh, my God. It's just horrible. So modern simply means? As simple as possible.

As simple as possible, but it can still be beautiful. And I use the same things over and over again. I like really good napkins, good linen napkins. I have a wine glass, a water glass, a dinner plate, tableware, and that's the table setting. And then what I like to do is have garden flowers from the flower shop or from my garden.

As simple as possible, but it can still be beautiful. And I use the same things over and over again. I like really good napkins, good linen napkins. I have a wine glass, a water glass, a dinner plate, tableware, and that's the table setting. And then what I like to do is have garden flowers from the flower shop or from my garden.

If you do little vases filled with flowers in the same color palette as the napkin, then it all feels coordinated and you can move those vases around until they look great. I think things that are fancy are actually meant to impress rather than make people feel comfortable. And I feel that way about food, I feel that way about table settings.

If you do little vases filled with flowers in the same color palette as the napkin, then it all feels coordinated and you can move those vases around until they look great. I think things that are fancy are actually meant to impress rather than make people feel comfortable. And I feel that way about food, I feel that way about table settings.

If for the holidays you don't have enough chairs of one kind of chair, then who cares? It's fun. Just put chairs around the table. If you only have six white dishes in one pattern and you have six white dishes in another pattern, just mix them all up. And I think that makes something feel simple and elegant and fun, which is, at the end of the day, you just want your friends to be there.

If for the holidays you don't have enough chairs of one kind of chair, then who cares? It's fun. Just put chairs around the table. If you only have six white dishes in one pattern and you have six white dishes in another pattern, just mix them all up. And I think that makes something feel simple and elegant and fun, which is, at the end of the day, you just want your friends to be there.

We must have the same uncle, the disruptor.

We must have the same uncle, the disruptor.

Oh, the dominator. Yeah.

Oh, the dominator. Yeah.

That's pretty hard to think of what to do except to invite them to come join you in the kitchen and say, this isn't okay. But how do you do that? It's very hard to do. And probably everybody would like to do it. I mean, I try and change the subject. I try to change the subject. Yeah, I think that's the only thing you can do. And I think everybody's so grateful that you do.

That's pretty hard to think of what to do except to invite them to come join you in the kitchen and say, this isn't okay. But how do you do that? It's very hard to do. And probably everybody would like to do it. I mean, I try and change the subject. I try to change the subject. Yeah, I think that's the only thing you can do. And I think everybody's so grateful that you do.

You know, what's really great is roast pork loins because they're very small and you can marinate them and roast them really simply. Serve them with like a potato and apple and fennel puree and some shaved Brussels sprouts. It'd be a great holiday meal. And it's not like cooking a whole ham.

You know, what's really great is roast pork loins because they're very small and you can marinate them and roast them really simply. Serve them with like a potato and apple and fennel puree and some shaved Brussels sprouts. It'd be a great holiday meal. And it's not like cooking a whole ham.

I happen to know.

I happen to know.

What happened was, and I actually started this at the store in the 80s. I started roasting Brussels sprouts instead of boiling them. And they were so good because they're like crispy and they're more like French fries. They're fantastic. So then I started, thought, well, if you can roast Brussels sprouts, maybe you can roast butternut squash. So we started roasting butternut squash. And

What happened was, and I actually started this at the store in the 80s. I started roasting Brussels sprouts instead of boiling them. And they were so good because they're like crispy and they're more like French fries. They're fantastic. So then I started, thought, well, if you can roast Brussels sprouts, maybe you can roast butternut squash. So we started roasting butternut squash. And

String beans. I mean, we roasted everything. And the best part is it's the easiest thing in the world. You put whatever vegetable it is on a sheet pan, olive oil, salt and pepper, and into the oven.

String beans. I mean, we roasted everything. And the best part is it's the easiest thing in the world. You put whatever vegetable it is on a sheet pan, olive oil, salt and pepper, and into the oven.

A hundred percent. I think it brings out the flavor, it caramelizes the sugars in it, and it's much more delicious.

A hundred percent. I think it brings out the flavor, it caramelizes the sugars in it, and it's much more delicious.

A lot. I have drawers and drawers of scarves. She's absolutely right. I have them everywhere. I just love having a scarf around my neck. I just think it feels good. David, I was just thinking to myself, can we just do this again tomorrow? We can do it all day. This is so much fun. Okay. Thank you. Ina Garten, thank you so much. So much fun to talk to you, as always, David. Thank you.

A lot. I have drawers and drawers of scarves. She's absolutely right. I have them everywhere. I just love having a scarf around my neck. I just think it feels good. David, I was just thinking to myself, can we just do this again tomorrow? We can do it all day. This is so much fun. Okay. Thank you. Ina Garten, thank you so much. So much fun to talk to you, as always, David. Thank you.

We're not cooking. We'll cook in person. How's that?

We're not cooking. We'll cook in person. How's that?

Nothing worse than having your wife laughing at you. Your very, very smart wife laughing at you.

Nothing worse than having your wife laughing at you. Your very, very smart wife laughing at you.

My mother was making dinner. My father was an ear surgeon. And my mother was very, I think now I might say that she would be diagnosed with Asperger's, didn't have relationships, and she had no interest in food. So she would get dinner on the table, but there was no joy in it.

My mother was making dinner. My father was an ear surgeon. And my mother was very, I think now I might say that she would be diagnosed with Asperger's, didn't have relationships, and she had no interest in food. So she would get dinner on the table, but there was no joy in it.

And no child likes Harvard Beach. You might develop a flavor for it, a taste for it afterwards, but not when you're 10. And it sounds like dinner was not a joyful time. It wasn't a joyful time. And my parents, particularly my father, was a very stern taskmaster and would grill us about whatever was in school. He would criticize us. So when dinner was over, I had a nice knot in my stomach.

And no child likes Harvard Beach. You might develop a flavor for it, a taste for it afterwards, but not when you're 10. And it sounds like dinner was not a joyful time. It wasn't a joyful time. And my parents, particularly my father, was a very stern taskmaster and would grill us about whatever was in school. He would criticize us. So when dinner was over, I had a nice knot in my stomach.

And they would always want me to eat faster. So they would say, every time your brother takes a bite, you take a bite. And I'd be like, I just can't.

And they would always want me to eat faster. So they would say, every time your brother takes a bite, you take a bite. And I'd be like, I just can't.

A hundred percent was when I got married. I was never allowed in the kitchen. So my mother never taught me how to do anything. And I mean, she didn't see any joy in it. She felt that my job was to study and it was her job to make dinner. And I think she wasn't comfortable with me being in the same room with her. So she would always say, you go study. And so I was in my room my whole childhood.

A hundred percent was when I got married. I was never allowed in the kitchen. So my mother never taught me how to do anything. And I mean, she didn't see any joy in it. She felt that my job was to study and it was her job to make dinner. And I think she wasn't comfortable with me being in the same room with her. So she would always say, you go study. And so I was in my room my whole childhood.

And I think I was pretty lonely. I think that that's why Now, cooking for friends and Jeffrey and doing the show, Be My Guest, where I'm connecting with people, is so satisfying.

And I think I was pretty lonely. I think that that's why Now, cooking for friends and Jeffrey and doing the show, Be My Guest, where I'm connecting with people, is so satisfying.

I prefer to cook by myself. You do. And I do. Cooking's hard for me. I mean, I do it a lot, but it's really hard. And I just love having the space to concentrate on what I'm doing so I make sure it comes out well. Cooking's I mean, when you go to the butcher and you order a chicken, it's a different size every time. It's a different kind of chicken.

I prefer to cook by myself. You do. And I do. Cooking's hard for me. I mean, I do it a lot, but it's really hard. And I just love having the space to concentrate on what I'm doing so I make sure it comes out well. Cooking's I mean, when you go to the butcher and you order a chicken, it's a different size every time. It's a different kind of chicken.

I mean, you know, some chickens, they're allowed to add water to it. You have no idea what you're going to get. So it's, I mean, just the simplest thing is chicken can be complicated. I do find it hard. I'm not confident that it's going to come out well. And I have to say, I'm surprised when it does. Maybe I have high standards.

I mean, you know, some chickens, they're allowed to add water to it. You have no idea what you're going to get. So it's, I mean, just the simplest thing is chicken can be complicated. I do find it hard. I'm not confident that it's going to come out well. And I have to say, I'm surprised when it does. Maybe I have high standards.

Well, probably as soon as we got married because it wasn't like we had the money to go out for dinner. So when we were engaged, before we got married, I remember going out and buying Craig Claiborne's The New York Times cookbook. And I went to, what was it called? It was a store like, I think it was called Caldor. And I bought an entire set of kitchen equipment.

Well, probably as soon as we got married because it wasn't like we had the money to go out for dinner. So when we were engaged, before we got married, I remember going out and buying Craig Claiborne's The New York Times cookbook. And I went to, what was it called? It was a store like, I think it was called Caldor. And I bought an entire set of kitchen equipment.

And I just was really excited about being able to cook. But I remember within the first month, I made a challah. And I remember thinking, that's what you're going to start with? But I did. I really love things that challenge me, that I think I can't do, and then make them and show myself that I can do them.

And I just was really excited about being able to cook. But I remember within the first month, I made a challah. And I remember thinking, that's what you're going to start with? But I did. I really love things that challenge me, that I think I can't do, and then make them and show myself that I can do them.

It actually does come full circle, doesn't it? Because once I've learned how to cook, and then, of course, I got Mastering the Art of French Cooking, both volumes, and worked my way through those. So I learned the French techniques from Julia Child. And I really believe in simplifying things. But what happened in the pandemic is we were also completely stressed.

It actually does come full circle, doesn't it? Because once I've learned how to cook, and then, of course, I got Mastering the Art of French Cooking, both volumes, and worked my way through those. So I learned the French techniques from Julia Child. And I really believe in simplifying things. But what happened in the pandemic is we were also completely stressed.

We didn't know what we could do, what we couldn't do. I was making a recipe every day for Instagram so people could figure out what to do with those white beans that they had in their pantry.

We didn't know what we could do, what we couldn't do. I was making a recipe every day for Instagram so people could figure out what to do with those white beans that they had in their pantry.

Exactly. So many white beans and whatever they had. I was making recipes for my cookbook, for this book. And I was cooking lunch and dinner for Jeffrey and me every single day. And by sometime around May or June, I was like in bed with the covers up over my head. And I thought, I really need to simplify. So it is true that I came full circle, but for a different reason.

Exactly. So many white beans and whatever they had. I was making recipes for my cookbook, for this book. And I was cooking lunch and dinner for Jeffrey and me every single day. And by sometime around May or June, I was like in bed with the covers up over my head. And I thought, I really need to simplify. So it is true that I came full circle, but for a different reason.

I think there's one thing everybody should know how to do, which is a roast chicken. And I do it in all different forms. I do it with potatoes and fennel. In this book, I have a spring roast chicken or roast chicken with spring vegetables, things like asparagus. You can put almost any kind of vegetable in a roasting pan and a chicken on top of it and put it in the oven.

I think there's one thing everybody should know how to do, which is a roast chicken. And I do it in all different forms. I do it with potatoes and fennel. In this book, I have a spring roast chicken or roast chicken with spring vegetables, things like asparagus. You can put almost any kind of vegetable in a roasting pan and a chicken on top of it and put it in the oven.

It's the easiest thing in the world. And the only thing you have to do is make sure you don't overcook the chicken. People get really nervous.

It's the easiest thing in the world. And the only thing you have to do is make sure you don't overcook the chicken. People get really nervous.

Any kind of roast chicken. Or the chicken in a pot, which is just as easy as can be. You put it in a big pot with chicken stock and vegetables. And then you add saffron to give it a little heat. And then orzo. And you've got a whole dinner all in one pot.

Any kind of roast chicken. Or the chicken in a pot, which is just as easy as can be. You put it in a big pot with chicken stock and vegetables. And then you add saffron to give it a little heat. And then orzo. And you've got a whole dinner all in one pot.

He's just so appreciative. And I think it's one of the reasons why I love to cook. Because if you cook for somebody who doesn't appreciate it, there's no satisfaction in it. One day I made him a cup of tea and he said, oh, this is the best tea I've ever had. And I was like, Jeffrey, it's a cup of hot water and a tea bag. It was a particularly good tea. But I mean, still, nothing goes by him.

He's just so appreciative. And I think it's one of the reasons why I love to cook. Because if you cook for somebody who doesn't appreciate it, there's no satisfaction in it. One day I made him a cup of tea and he said, oh, this is the best tea I've ever had. And I was like, Jeffrey, it's a cup of hot water and a tea bag. It was a particularly good tea. But I mean, still, nothing goes by him.

He really appreciates it, which I love.

He really appreciates it, which I love.

You know, I thought of it as a party. When you walked in the door, I wanted all of your senses engaged. I wanted you to smell something wonderful. I wanted you to see a wonderful display of produce. I wanted to hear great music, but it was old-fashioned like Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra or whatever was fun to listen to. There were samples of things all over the store so you could taste things.

You know, I thought of it as a party. When you walked in the door, I wanted all of your senses engaged. I wanted you to smell something wonderful. I wanted you to see a wonderful display of produce. I wanted to hear great music, but it was old-fashioned like Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra or whatever was fun to listen to. There were samples of things all over the store so you could taste things.

And people would just come in just because it was fun. And I thought if they're going to come because it's fun, they'll always come when they're hungry. And I think that's what worked. It wasn't really about the food. It was about the feeling of being in the store.

And people would just come in just because it was fun. And I thought if they're going to come because it's fun, they'll always come when they're hungry. And I think that's what worked. It wasn't really about the food. It was about the feeling of being in the store.

You know, I didn't think anybody would want to watch me cook on TV, actually. Food Network kindly made me an offer, and I kept saying no, and they kept coming back. And there was someone there, Eileen Opetut, who just kept saying no. make me a better offer. And I kept saying to her, no, I just don't want to do this. And she just kept coming back.

You know, I didn't think anybody would want to watch me cook on TV, actually. Food Network kindly made me an offer, and I kept saying no, and they kept coming back. And there was someone there, Eileen Opetut, who just kept saying no. make me a better offer. And I kept saying to her, no, I just don't want to do this. And she just kept coming back.

And finally, I had heard about a show that somebody said was a really good cooking show. And it was Nigella Lawson's show. And unbeknownst to me, they went to London, found her producer, told me that they were coming to East Hampton on like in two weeks. And I was like, whoa, whoa. I said I wasn't going to do this. And Eileen said, just do 13 shows, thinking how hard could that be?

And finally, I had heard about a show that somebody said was a really good cooking show. And it was Nigella Lawson's show. And unbeknownst to me, they went to London, found her producer, told me that they were coming to East Hampton on like in two weeks. And I was like, whoa, whoa. I said I wasn't going to do this. And Eileen said, just do 13 shows, thinking how hard could that be?

And they arrived on my doorstep. And I thought, OK, let's see what we can do. And one of the things I think about in life is you've got to jump in the pond. Right. You say no to things without really understanding. Like I said no to Instagram before I understood what it was. And I kept saying no about TV. I was just like, I love writing cookbooks. I want to keep doing that.

And they arrived on my doorstep. And I thought, OK, let's see what we can do. And one of the things I think about in life is you've got to jump in the pond. Right. You say no to things without really understanding. Like I said no to Instagram before I understood what it was. And I kept saying no about TV. I was just like, I love writing cookbooks. I want to keep doing that.

And I can't imagine being on TV.

And I can't imagine being on TV.

I am the same person you see on TV. I found a coach recently. Right. Right.

I am the same person you see on TV. I found a coach recently. Right. Right.

Go ahead. Do you know what I believe? I think we should eat real food. And if it's delicious, it's worth cooking for. My favorite expression is, if you eat a low-fat diet, it's not that you live longer. It just seems longer.

Go ahead. Do you know what I believe? I think we should eat real food. And if it's delicious, it's worth cooking for. My favorite expression is, if you eat a low-fat diet, it's not that you live longer. It just seems longer.

Exactly. That's really daunting. You know what I would do is I'd make potato latkes. I think that would be great.

Exactly. That's really daunting. You know what I would do is I'd make potato latkes. I think that would be great.

I do. And what you can do is you can prepare them in advance, put them on a sheet pan and reheat them in the oven, warm them in the oven.

I do. And what you can do is you can prepare them in advance, put them on a sheet pan and reheat them in the oven, warm them in the oven.

Okay, I really don't know the answer to this, and I will say that I also wonder whether a bay leaf makes a difference. And there are a couple of things that I use bay leaves in, and I've always wanted to make them without the bay leaves to see if it made a difference, and I never have. So I'm not sure.

Okay, I really don't know the answer to this, and I will say that I also wonder whether a bay leaf makes a difference. And there are a couple of things that I use bay leaves in, and I've always wanted to make them without the bay leaves to see if it made a difference, and I never have. So I'm not sure.

You know, what's really great is roast pork loins because they're very small and you can marinate them and roast them really simply. Serve them with like a potato and apple and fennel puree and some shaved Brussels sprouts. It'd be a great holiday meal. And it's not like cooking a whole ham.

I happen to know.

What happened was, and I actually started this at the store in the 80s. I started roasting Brussels sprouts instead of boiling them. And they were so good because they're like crispy and they're more like French fries. They're fantastic. So then I started, thought, well, if you can roast Brussels sprouts, maybe you can roast butternut squash. So we started roasting butternut squash. And

String beans. I mean, we roasted everything. And the best part is it's the easiest thing in the world. You put whatever vegetable it is on a sheet pan, olive oil, salt and pepper, and into the oven.

A hundred percent. I think it brings out the flavor, it caramelizes the sugars in it, and it's much more delicious.

A lot. I have drawers and drawers of scarves. She's absolutely right. I have them everywhere. I just love having a scarf around my neck. I just think it feels good. David, I was just thinking to myself, can we just do this again tomorrow? We can do it all day. This is so much fun. Okay. Thank you. Ina Garten, thank you so much. So much fun to talk to you, as always, David. Thank you.

We're not cooking. We'll cook in person. How's that?

Nothing worse than having your wife laughing at you. Your very, very smart wife laughing at you.

My mother was making dinner. My father was an ear surgeon. And my mother was very, I think now I might say that she would be diagnosed with Asperger's, didn't have relationships, and she had no interest in food. So she would get dinner on the table, but there was no joy in it.

And no child likes Harvard Beach. You might develop a flavor for it, a taste for it afterwards, but not when you're 10. And it sounds like dinner was not a joyful time. It wasn't a joyful time. And my parents, particularly my father, was a very stern taskmaster and would grill us about whatever was in school. He would criticize us. So when dinner was over, I had a nice knot in my stomach.

And they would always want me to eat faster. So they would say, every time your brother takes a bite, you take a bite. And I'd be like, I just can't.

A hundred percent was when I got married. I was never allowed in the kitchen. So my mother never taught me how to do anything. And I mean, she didn't see any joy in it. She felt that my job was to study and it was her job to make dinner. And I think she wasn't comfortable with me being in the same room with her. So she would always say, you go study. And so I was in my room my whole childhood.

And I think I was pretty lonely. I think that that's why Now, cooking for friends and Jeffrey and doing the show, Be My Guest, where I'm connecting with people, is so satisfying.

I prefer to cook by myself. You do. And I do. Cooking's hard for me. I mean, I do it a lot, but it's really hard. And I just love having the space to concentrate on what I'm doing so I make sure it comes out well. Cooking's I mean, when you go to the butcher and you order a chicken, it's a different size every time. It's a different kind of chicken.

I mean, you know, some chickens, they're allowed to add water to it. You have no idea what you're going to get. So it's, I mean, just the simplest thing is chicken can be complicated. I do find it hard. I'm not confident that it's going to come out well. And I have to say, I'm surprised when it does. Maybe I have high standards.

Well, probably as soon as we got married because it wasn't like we had the money to go out for dinner. So when we were engaged, before we got married, I remember going out and buying Craig Claiborne's The New York Times cookbook. And I went to, what was it called? It was a store like, I think it was called Caldor. And I bought an entire set of kitchen equipment.

And I just was really excited about being able to cook. But I remember within the first month, I made a challah. And I remember thinking, that's what you're going to start with? But I did. I really love things that challenge me, that I think I can't do, and then make them and show myself that I can do them.

It actually does come full circle, doesn't it? Because once I've learned how to cook, and then, of course, I got Mastering the Art of French Cooking, both volumes, and worked my way through those. So I learned the French techniques from Julia Child. And I really believe in simplifying things. But what happened in the pandemic is we were also completely stressed.

We didn't know what we could do, what we couldn't do. I was making a recipe every day for Instagram so people could figure out what to do with those white beans that they had in their pantry.

Exactly. So many white beans and whatever they had. I was making recipes for my cookbook, for this book. And I was cooking lunch and dinner for Jeffrey and me every single day. And by sometime around May or June, I was like in bed with the covers up over my head. And I thought, I really need to simplify. So it is true that I came full circle, but for a different reason.

I think there's one thing everybody should know how to do, which is a roast chicken. And I do it in all different forms. I do it with potatoes and fennel. In this book, I have a spring roast chicken or roast chicken with spring vegetables, things like asparagus. You can put almost any kind of vegetable in a roasting pan and a chicken on top of it and put it in the oven.

It's the easiest thing in the world. And the only thing you have to do is make sure you don't overcook the chicken. People get really nervous.

Any kind of roast chicken. Or the chicken in a pot, which is just as easy as can be. You put it in a big pot with chicken stock and vegetables. And then you add saffron to give it a little heat. And then orzo. And you've got a whole dinner all in one pot.

He's just so appreciative. And I think it's one of the reasons why I love to cook. Because if you cook for somebody who doesn't appreciate it, there's no satisfaction in it. One day I made him a cup of tea and he said, oh, this is the best tea I've ever had. And I was like, Jeffrey, it's a cup of hot water and a tea bag. It was a particularly good tea. But I mean, still, nothing goes by him.

He really appreciates it, which I love.

You know, I thought of it as a party. When you walked in the door, I wanted all of your senses engaged. I wanted you to smell something wonderful. I wanted you to see a wonderful display of produce. I wanted to hear great music, but it was old-fashioned like Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra or whatever was fun to listen to. There were samples of things all over the store so you could taste things.

And people would just come in just because it was fun. And I thought if they're going to come because it's fun, they'll always come when they're hungry. And I think that's what worked. It wasn't really about the food. It was about the feeling of being in the store.

You know, I didn't think anybody would want to watch me cook on TV, actually. Food Network kindly made me an offer, and I kept saying no, and they kept coming back. And there was someone there, Eileen Opetut, who just kept saying no. make me a better offer. And I kept saying to her, no, I just don't want to do this. And she just kept coming back.

And finally, I had heard about a show that somebody said was a really good cooking show. And it was Nigella Lawson's show. And unbeknownst to me, they went to London, found her producer, told me that they were coming to East Hampton on like in two weeks. And I was like, whoa, whoa. I said I wasn't going to do this. And Eileen said, just do 13 shows, thinking how hard could that be?

And they arrived on my doorstep. And I thought, OK, let's see what we can do. And one of the things I think about in life is you've got to jump in the pond. Right. You say no to things without really understanding. Like I said no to Instagram before I understood what it was. And I kept saying no about TV. I was just like, I love writing cookbooks. I want to keep doing that.

And I can't imagine being on TV.

I am the same person you see on TV. I found a coach recently. Right. Right.

Go ahead. Do you know what I believe? I think we should eat real food. And if it's delicious, it's worth cooking for. My favorite expression is, if you eat a low-fat diet, it's not that you live longer. It just seems longer.

Exactly. That's really daunting. You know what I would do is I'd make potato latkes. I think that would be great.

I do. And what you can do is you can prepare them in advance, put them on a sheet pan and reheat them in the oven, warm them in the oven.

Okay, I really don't know the answer to this, and I will say that I also wonder whether a bay leaf makes a difference. And there are a couple of things that I use bay leaves in, and I've always wanted to make them without the bay leaves to see if it made a difference, and I never have. So I'm not sure.

I remember thinking at the time, this is crazy. I don't know how to run a specialty. I didn't even know how to run a store. I'd never had an employee before. I didn't know anything. So I made a deal with the owner that she would stay with me for a month and teach me what I needed to know. And she was a great teacher. And I remember thinking, do I really want to do this?

I remember thinking at the time, this is crazy. I don't know how to run a specialty. I didn't even know how to run a store. I'd never had an employee before. I didn't know anything. So I made a deal with the owner that she would stay with me for a month and teach me what I needed to know. And she was a great teacher. And I remember thinking, do I really want to do this?

And Jeffrey said, if you do what you love, if you love it, you'll be really good at it. And I thought, okay, I'm going to go for it. And looking back behind me at running, you know, writing nuclear energy policy papers, just that wasn't an option anymore. So I thought, this may not be where I end up, but I'm going to start the process. And, you know, who knew? Yeah.

And Jeffrey said, if you do what you love, if you love it, you'll be really good at it. And I thought, okay, I'm going to go for it. And looking back behind me at running, you know, writing nuclear energy policy papers, just that wasn't an option anymore. So I thought, this may not be where I end up, but I'm going to start the process. And, you know, who knew? Yeah.

Who knew that's where it was going to end up?

Who knew that's where it was going to end up?

What did you expect to happen? Even better, it gave me a life that was just so much fun, surrounded with people that I love to work with, doing something I really care about. taking care of people. I mean, in the store, we've made dinner for them, which was taking care of them. But writing cookbooks, I feel like I'm giving people the tools to make dinner for people around them.

What did you expect to happen? Even better, it gave me a life that was just so much fun, surrounded with people that I love to work with, doing something I really care about. taking care of people. I mean, in the store, we've made dinner for them, which was taking care of them. But writing cookbooks, I feel like I'm giving people the tools to make dinner for people around them.

So they create a community for themselves.

So they create a community for themselves.

What was going on? Well, I think, you remember, we got married in 1968. Yeah. And the 70s women are kind of sorting things out. And when we got married, it was assumed that he would be the husband and I would be the wife and I would make dinner and he would do the finances and we would have kind of prescribed roles. And I think those roles kind of annoyed me in the 70s.

What was going on? Well, I think, you remember, we got married in 1968. Yeah. And the 70s women are kind of sorting things out. And when we got married, it was assumed that he would be the husband and I would be the wife and I would make dinner and he would do the finances and we would have kind of prescribed roles. And I think those roles kind of annoyed me in the 70s.

Even though Jeffrey thought of me as an equal, I just feel like, I don't know, we just had roles that we were playing. And then when I bought the store and I found I had my own business and I had my own life, I found those rules really confining. And so I just said to him, I just feel like I need to be on my own for a little while.

Even though Jeffrey thought of me as an equal, I just feel like, I don't know, we just had roles that we were playing. And then when I bought the store and I found I had my own business and I had my own life, I found those rules really confining. And so I just said to him, I just feel like I need to be on my own for a little while.

And he, I mean, as Jeffrey would, he said, if you feel like you need to be on your own, you need to be on your own. And so we kind of took a break for about four months. And he was to the State Department. He went on this big trip around the world. And afterwards, at the end of the year, we met in Palm Springs. And we just talked. We just sat and talked about what he wanted and what I wanted.

And he, I mean, as Jeffrey would, he said, if you feel like you need to be on your own, you need to be on your own. And so we kind of took a break for about four months. And he was to the State Department. He went on this big trip around the world. And afterwards, at the end of the year, we met in Palm Springs. And we just talked. We just sat and talked about what he wanted and what I wanted.

And he always has this great attitude. Let's just figure out what each of us wants and how we can do both of them. It's never about what he wants to do or what I want to do. How can we do both of them? Wow. Sounds like the perfect mate. Sounds like the perfect mate. He's the best. He's the best. He really is. He should be a role model for every guy. Yeah.

And he always has this great attitude. Let's just figure out what each of us wants and how we can do both of them. It's never about what he wants to do or what I want to do. How can we do both of them? Wow. Sounds like the perfect mate. Sounds like the perfect mate. He's the best. He's the best. He really is. He should be a role model for every guy. Yeah.

He really is so wise. He is. And so his advice is never, this will be good for me. His advice is always, this will be good for us.

He really is so wise. He is. And so his advice is never, this will be good for me. His advice is always, this will be good for us.

From you, Oprah, that's unbelievable. Thank you. I'm good. I've done everything I need to do in my life now. Thank you. Oh, it's so good.

From you, Oprah, that's unbelievable. Thank you. I'm good. I've done everything I need to do in my life now. Thank you. Oh, it's so good.

I think I was working all the time, and I wasn't having fun. And I remember going to her the first day, and I said, I'm just not having fun. I mean, it's just I work all the time, and it's easy to get wrapped up in that. And these were the days, and it was true for us for a long time, when Jeffrey would leave on Monday, and if he was an investment banker, he'd go to New York or –

I think I was working all the time, and I wasn't having fun. And I remember going to her the first day, and I said, I'm just not having fun. I mean, it's just I work all the time, and it's easy to get wrapped up in that. And these were the days, and it was true for us for a long time, when Jeffrey would leave on Monday, and if he was an investment banker, he'd go to New York or –

zimbabwe or costa rica and or when he was in the government he'd go to um washington on monday and then come back on friday so the weekdays i pretty much had on my own and um i would just work all the time and so i went to my this therapist and i mean we did a lot of really good work but the first day she said to me what would be fun And I was like, I don't know. I really don't know.

zimbabwe or costa rica and or when he was in the government he'd go to um washington on monday and then come back on friday so the weekdays i pretty much had on my own and um i would just work all the time and so i went to my this therapist and i mean we did a lot of really good work but the first day she said to me what would be fun And I was like, I don't know. I really don't know.

Maybe a convertible, maybe a masseuse, you know, just I needed something that wasn't work that would be fun. And she said, go do it. And so that week I rented a red Mustang convertible, which was so much fun. And I hired a masseuse who literally has been coming every single Sunday at six o'clock for 40 years. Wow. Isn't that amazing?

Maybe a convertible, maybe a masseuse, you know, just I needed something that wasn't work that would be fun. And she said, go do it. And so that week I rented a red Mustang convertible, which was so much fun. And I hired a masseuse who literally has been coming every single Sunday at six o'clock for 40 years. Wow. Isn't that amazing?

And I still have a convertible. Not the same one, but I have a convertible. And it was, you know, when I think back, very often when you can't, you know, when you're not having fun, you can't figure out what's fun. Yes. But I knew those two things would be fun and they still are.

And I still have a convertible. Not the same one, but I have a convertible. And it was, you know, when I think back, very often when you can't, you know, when you're not having fun, you can't figure out what's fun. Yes. But I knew those two things would be fun and they still are.

Just trust your vision. I think the thing that works is if you're really true to who you are. If you believe in it so fiercely, somebody out there is going to believe in it. It's true. It's not, I'm going to become this perky, whatever it is, person that people will love. Just do what you... Just who you are. Just put out who you are and do the best job you can possibly do. And I think people...

Just trust your vision. I think the thing that works is if you're really true to who you are. If you believe in it so fiercely, somebody out there is going to believe in it. It's true. It's not, I'm going to become this perky, whatever it is, person that people will love. Just do what you... Just who you are. Just put out who you are and do the best job you can possibly do. And I think people...

Trust that. They honor that. They believe in that. And I always see it as like I'm on a train and people are trying to pull me off the train and I just keep it right on the tracks. If I feel like I'm so sure what I'm doing is right... I don't let people pull me off my game.

Trust that. They honor that. They believe in that. And I always see it as like I'm on a train and people are trying to pull me off the train and I just keep it right on the tracks. If I feel like I'm so sure what I'm doing is right... I don't let people pull me off my game.

Exactly. Yes. That's what I call the barn. But a few people have said barn isn't exactly what comes to mind when they say it.

Exactly. Yes. That's what I call the barn. But a few people have said barn isn't exactly what comes to mind when they say it.

What I tend to do is I talk to everybody in the beginning and I get everybody's point of view. And I hear and we talk, we kind of build something together. But at the end of the day, it's my job to choose. And once I've got all the information in, and I love surrounding myself with really creative, smart people. Once I've got all the information in, I know exactly what the right thing to do is.

What I tend to do is I talk to everybody in the beginning and I get everybody's point of view. And I hear and we talk, we kind of build something together. But at the end of the day, it's my job to choose. And once I've got all the information in, and I love surrounding myself with really creative, smart people. Once I've got all the information in, I know exactly what the right thing to do is.

And you build.

And you build.

Yes, absolutely. But instinctively, you know what's right. Absolutely. And it's right for you. It may not be right for somebody else. That's right.

Yes, absolutely. But instinctively, you know what's right. Absolutely. And it's right for you. It may not be right for somebody else. That's right.

Yeah, I would. And it's really important to me. I love working with happy people. And you have to invest in that. So, yeah. Yes. You share a few lessons. At the end of the day, I want to come to work and have fun. Yes, and you want the people around you. Yeah. You want to surround yourself with happy people.

Yeah, I would. And it's really important to me. I love working with happy people. And you have to invest in that. So, yeah. Yes. You share a few lessons. At the end of the day, I want to come to work and have fun. Yes, and you want the people around you. Yeah. You want to surround yourself with happy people.

I think one of the things I learned from writing the book, and I hadn't really thought about it before, is that I always do what's in front of me today. I do the best job I can possibly do on it. And then at the end of the day, I decide what I'm going to do tomorrow, get everything organized so that I can do it tomorrow. I don't have a long-term vision. I don't have a goal.

I think one of the things I learned from writing the book, and I hadn't really thought about it before, is that I always do what's in front of me today. I do the best job I can possibly do on it. And then at the end of the day, I decide what I'm going to do tomorrow, get everything organized so that I can do it tomorrow. I don't have a long-term vision. I don't have a goal.

I don't think, oh, I want to get over there in a year. I don't have a five-year plan. I never did either. I just do the best job I can do now, and then tomorrow I'm going to do the best job I can do then. And things happen along the way. And I think if you're looking at your goals, first of all, the goals are the wrong goals because things happen along the way that you would never have imagined.

I don't think, oh, I want to get over there in a year. I don't have a five-year plan. I never did either. I just do the best job I can do now, and then tomorrow I'm going to do the best job I can do then. And things happen along the way. And I think if you're looking at your goals, first of all, the goals are the wrong goals because things happen along the way that you would never have imagined.

like television coming along. I mean, I would never have imagined being on television. It just wouldn't have occurred to me. And it turned out to be a great thing. So I don't have those long-term goals. And I think it leaves people, it left me at least to do a really good job because I'm not busy looking around. I'm just doing a good job on what I have in front of me.

like television coming along. I mean, I would never have imagined being on television. It just wouldn't have occurred to me. And it turned out to be a great thing. So I don't have those long-term goals. And I think it leaves people, it left me at least to do a really good job because I'm not busy looking around. I'm just doing a good job on what I have in front of me.

And it also leaves me open to what things that might come along.

And it also leaves me open to what things that might come along.

Isn't that interesting? I never really thought about it until I wrote the book. And actually, I was talking to Stephen Colbert, and he has the same philosophy. So it's obviously working for some people.

Isn't that interesting? I never really thought about it until I wrote the book. And actually, I was talking to Stephen Colbert, and he has the same philosophy. So it's obviously working for some people.

He really is. Hi, Jeffrey. I mean, it really means something bad happens, and you don't know whether it's bad. It could turn out to be the best thing that ever happened. That's right.

He really is. Hi, Jeffrey. I mean, it really means something bad happens, and you don't know whether it's bad. It could turn out to be the best thing that ever happened. That's right.

It opens to something else that wouldn't have happened. And it's, I mean, in my show, Be My Guest, it's been really interesting because so many of the people who are guests have had something really horrible happen to them. And... And they didn't let it stop them. They pushed right through it and they figured it out and they kept going.

It opens to something else that wouldn't have happened. And it's, I mean, in my show, Be My Guest, it's been really interesting because so many of the people who are guests have had something really horrible happen to them. And... And they didn't let it stop them. They pushed right through it and they figured it out and they kept going.

And it was their success wouldn't have happened if that bad thing hadn't happened. That's right. And it's so interesting to me to see that happen over and over and over again.

And it was their success wouldn't have happened if that bad thing hadn't happened. That's right. And it's so interesting to me to see that happen over and over and over again.

I think the force was that I was determined not to recreate that. Yes. And I think a lot of people say, I'm not going to live in that world. I'm going to create a different one. And then they end up marrying somebody who's just like their parents. Am I right about that? Oh, yes. Most people do. Because it's comfortable. I think the thing I learned from... It's comfortable and familiar.

I think the force was that I was determined not to recreate that. Yes. And I think a lot of people say, I'm not going to live in that world. I'm going to create a different one. And then they end up marrying somebody who's just like their parents. Am I right about that? Oh, yes. Most people do. Because it's comfortable. I think the thing I learned from... It's comfortable and familiar.

I think I learned from a difficult childhood when I was uncomfortable. I learned to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. And I kind of used that to push myself to places that are not comfortable. like starting a specialty food store when I don't know what I'm doing. I love the challenge.

I think I learned from a difficult childhood when I was uncomfortable. I learned to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. And I kind of used that to push myself to places that are not comfortable. like starting a specialty food store when I don't know what I'm doing. I love the challenge.

I love to decide what I'm going to do as opposed to somebody else deciding it and then really challenging myself to see if I can do it. And every time I think there's no way in hell that this is going to work out, but I'm going to try doing it anyway. And it always turns out better than I thought, which is, I don't know, I just keep doing it over and over again. So there must be something there.

I love to decide what I'm going to do as opposed to somebody else deciding it and then really challenging myself to see if I can do it. And every time I think there's no way in hell that this is going to work out, but I'm going to try doing it anyway. And it always turns out better than I thought, which is, I don't know, I just keep doing it over and over again. So there must be something there.

It turned out to be a strip club. I had no idea. Yes, yes, yes. That job lasted a week.

It turned out to be a strip club. I had no idea. Yes, yes, yes. That job lasted a week.

Yeah. My therapist actually described it as a lot of people stand on the side of the pond convincing themselves there's something, you know, that pond is dangerous, that bad things are in that pond. But you can't figure out what you want to do until you jump into the pond. And then when you're in the pond, you figure out where the stream is, where the stream is carrying you along.

Yeah. My therapist actually described it as a lot of people stand on the side of the pond convincing themselves there's something, you know, that pond is dangerous, that bad things are in that pond. But you can't figure out what you want to do until you jump into the pond. And then when you're in the pond, you figure out where the stream is, where the stream is carrying you along.

If you're knocking against the riverbanks, then you're not in the right stream. But if the stream is just carrying you along, that's the right stream for you. And I think that's why we have to try different things. It's not like I want to be a lawyer, I want to be a doctor. You just try different things and see which one works and which one feels good.

If you're knocking against the riverbanks, then you're not in the right stream. But if the stream is just carrying you along, that's the right stream for you. And I think that's why we have to try different things. It's not like I want to be a lawyer, I want to be a doctor. You just try different things and see which one works and which one feels good.

exciting and that where you feel like, you know, it's carrying you along. And I think that's what I've been able to find at each point in my life. And it's just been, it's just been amazing.

exciting and that where you feel like, you know, it's carrying you along. And I think that's what I've been able to find at each point in my life. And it's just been, it's just been amazing.

Well, I've really created it since then because I have none from my childhood. I mean, nobody would say broiled chicken and canned vegetables. That's right.

Well, I've really created it since then because I have none from my childhood. I mean, nobody would say broiled chicken and canned vegetables. That's right.

Yes.

Yes.

I think that I probably was always craving that. And I think in a funny way, if when you're a child, I mean, this wasn't me, but you're forbidden candy. All you want is candy. Yes, yes. So I think since we were forbidden things that were delicious and felt good, you know, if I asked my mother for something, you know, for a cookie, she would just go, oh, just to eat an apple.

I think that I probably was always craving that. And I think in a funny way, if when you're a child, I mean, this wasn't me, but you're forbidden candy. All you want is candy. Yes, yes. So I think since we were forbidden things that were delicious and felt good, you know, if I asked my mother for something, you know, for a cookie, she would just go, oh, just to eat an apple.

Can I just sit with that for a second? Thank you. Yes.

Can I just sit with that for a second? Thank you. Yes.

She was always annoyed. Wow. I was like, nobody thinks that an apple is an appropriate substitution for a cookie. Yes. So I think I as soon as I got married, I remember getting Craig Claiborne's The New York Times cookbook and I was making challah. I was making mashed potatoes. I was making stews and chili and things that were just satisfying.

She was always annoyed. Wow. I was like, nobody thinks that an apple is an appropriate substitution for a cookie. Yes. So I think I as soon as I got married, I remember getting Craig Claiborne's The New York Times cookbook and I was making challah. I was making mashed potatoes. I was making stews and chili and things that were just satisfying.

And, you know, I think one of the things in my books is that my first requirement is, does the title tell you what it is? It's lemon chicken with orzo. You think, well, that sounds good. That's a good combination. And that sounds like it would be satisfying to eat. So my first requirement when I'm writing a recipe is, what is the title?

And, you know, I think one of the things in my books is that my first requirement is, does the title tell you what it is? It's lemon chicken with orzo. You think, well, that sounds good. That's a good combination. And that sounds like it would be satisfying to eat. So my first requirement when I'm writing a recipe is, what is the title?

Yes.

Yes.

And then the second one is, what does the photograph look like?

And then the second one is, what does the photograph look like?

It is. I mean, after I finish a book, I think my team is always like, you're going to start right away. I'll make a list of 50 ideas of recipes that I want to work on. And every morning I'll get up and think or at night I'll decide which one I'm going to do tomorrow. So I have the ingredients for it. And I'll just go, you know, it's a it's a it's a hot summer day.

It is. I mean, after I finish a book, I think my team is always like, you're going to start right away. I'll make a list of 50 ideas of recipes that I want to work on. And every morning I'll get up and think or at night I'll decide which one I'm going to do tomorrow. So I have the ingredients for it. And I'll just go, you know, it's a it's a it's a hot summer day.

And, you know, I'm going to make a salad or I'm going to make some grilled thing. Or if it's a cold winter day, I'll make, you know, I feel like I'm making like some kind of a soup or stew. A stew. Yes. Something off the list and just start working on it.

And, you know, I'm going to make a salad or I'm going to make some grilled thing. Or if it's a cold winter day, I'll make, you know, I feel like I'm making like some kind of a soup or stew. A stew. Yes. Something off the list and just start working on it.

Yes, it feels... And also, I'm very conscious of... The person who's reading the book, it's very important to me, kind of the user experience. Like, is somebody going to want to make this? And then I literally give the recipe to my team and I just say, can I watch you make this? So I see if they're going to have any problems making it. Do they have any questions about the text?

Yes, it feels... And also, I'm very conscious of... The person who's reading the book, it's very important to me, kind of the user experience. Like, is somebody going to want to make this? And then I literally give the recipe to my team and I just say, can I watch you make this? So I see if they're going to have any problems making it. Do they have any questions about the text?

Are they going to cut the carrots the right way? I'm really conscious that I want somebody at home using the book to feel good about it and to know that they've got the recipe right.

Are they going to cut the carrots the right way? I'm really conscious that I want somebody at home using the book to feel good about it and to know that they've got the recipe right.

I do, but they've gotten smaller and smaller. Really? I used to like to have big parties, but now I like really small ones, like six people around a round table. What kind of parties do you like to give? I like six to eight.

I do, but they've gotten smaller and smaller. Really? I used to like to have big parties, but now I like really small ones, like six people around a round table. What kind of parties do you like to give? I like six to eight.

Yes. I'd rather do like two parties of six than one party of 12. Then you really can connect with each other. Absolutely. Absolutely. Which is, at the end of the day, why we give parties?

Yes. I'd rather do like two parties of six than one party of 12. Then you really can connect with each other. Absolutely. Absolutely. Which is, at the end of the day, why we give parties?

Yes, I do. Actually, it's funny. I've developed this over the years. If I know all the guests, I can do this in advance. But if somebody brings a guest, you know, bring somebody and I don't know them, I always assess who the two most talkative people in the group are. And I make sure they're seated. I always have a round table. So I have them seated at opposite sides of the table.

Yes, I do. Actually, it's funny. I've developed this over the years. If I know all the guests, I can do this in advance. But if somebody brings a guest, you know, bring somebody and I don't know them, I always assess who the two most talkative people in the group are. And I make sure they're seated. I always have a round table. So I have them seated at opposite sides of the table.

Because if the two talkative people are sitting next to each other, they end up talking to each other and everybody else is left out. But if the talkative people are opposite each other and the quieter people on the other quadrant, everybody's part of the same party. That is a good idea. And even if it's a rectangular, does that sound right to you?

Because if the two talkative people are sitting next to each other, they end up talking to each other and everybody else is left out. But if the talkative people are opposite each other and the quieter people on the other quadrant, everybody's part of the same party. That is a good idea. And even if it's a rectangular, does that sound right to you?

Yes. Yeah. So I always kind of choreograph the table where people sit by that.

Yes. Yeah. So I always kind of choreograph the table where people sit by that.

It's a very small empire. Yes. I mean, my team is like the three of us. We meet at my office every day and we decide what we're all going to do. What I like is very hands-on. I don't like doing a million different things and not feeling like I'm doing them well. I like doing... one thing at a time. I like working on recipes and writing books and then doing TV and then going back to writing books.

It's a very small empire. Yes. I mean, my team is like the three of us. We meet at my office every day and we decide what we're all going to do. What I like is very hands-on. I don't like doing a million different things and not feeling like I'm doing them well. I like doing... one thing at a time. I like working on recipes and writing books and then doing TV and then going back to writing books.

I really like that. I also like having things that are not work that are creative that I do. So I love working on the garden. I'm not in the garden myself, but designing what the garden's going to be. I always have some kind of construction project, renovating the house or building something.

I really like that. I also like having things that are not work that are creative that I do. So I love working on the garden. I'm not in the garden myself, but designing what the garden's going to be. I always have some kind of construction project, renovating the house or building something.

I just like to feel that I have a life outside work that's creative as well as having a creative work life.

I just like to feel that I have a life outside work that's creative as well as having a creative work life.

I think writing the book has really made me realize this. Yeah. I think the thing that we can do is matter to each other, is that my work matters to other people. And it can be as simple as I've given somebody a recipe for a coconut cake and they've made it for their family. And their family goes, you made this yourself? Yes.

I think writing the book has really made me realize this. Yeah. I think the thing that we can do is matter to each other, is that my work matters to other people. And it can be as simple as I've given somebody a recipe for a coconut cake and they've made it for their family. And their family goes, you made this yourself? Yes.

You know, I think I never really made a decision to write it. I just decided I would start. And I was working with a friend of mine whose name is Deborah Davis, and she's an amazing researcher. And she would interview me and record what I was telling her, the stories I was telling her. But she took me back to places I'd been and asked me about it. And I recalled things I didn't remember.

You know, I think I never really made a decision to write it. I just decided I would start. And I was working with a friend of mine whose name is Deborah Davis, and she's an amazing researcher. And she would interview me and record what I was telling her, the stories I was telling her. But she took me back to places I'd been and asked me about it. And I recalled things I didn't remember.

So it makes me feel like what I've done, I've given them something that makes them feel good. And that matters to me. And the thing about mattering, which a very good friend of mine, Jenny Wallace, talks about mattering and she's writing about it, is that it's so actionable that we can do things that make other people feel they matter to us. And that makes them feel good and vice versa.

So it makes me feel like what I've done, I've given them something that makes them feel good. And that matters to me. And the thing about mattering, which a very good friend of mine, Jenny Wallace, talks about mattering and she's writing about it, is that it's so actionable that we can do things that make other people feel they matter to us. And that makes them feel good and vice versa.

And it's as simple as bringing a pot of chicken soup to a friend who's sick. You're saying to that person, you matter to me. And that makes them feel good and it makes you feel good. And I feel like my books have mattered to people. And the TV show, so many people said I taught them how to cook, which is just amazing to me. I did it because I thought it would be fun to do, but

And it's as simple as bringing a pot of chicken soup to a friend who's sick. You're saying to that person, you matter to me. And that makes them feel good and it makes you feel good. And I feel like my books have mattered to people. And the TV show, so many people said I taught them how to cook, which is just amazing to me. I did it because I thought it would be fun to do, but

To have that as the legacy of it is just fabulous. Yes. And I think that really is everybody's legacy is, did my work matter to people? Yes. As yours obviously has done for decades.

To have that as the legacy of it is just fabulous. Yes. And I think that really is everybody's legacy is, did my work matter to people? Yes. As yours obviously has done for decades.

What matters to me is taking care of people and that I give people the tools to take care of other people. I think we just need to stay connected. I think the world is very stressful. And I think the more we can create a community around ourselves and take care of the people around us, the more we can deal with the difficulties.

What matters to me is taking care of people and that I give people the tools to take care of other people. I think we just need to stay connected. I think the world is very stressful. And I think the more we can create a community around ourselves and take care of the people around us, the more we can deal with the difficulties.

And I think cooking brings people together and it makes us feel good about ourselves. And it's not about being with people that love us. It's about being with people that we feel love for. And we can do that with cooking.

And I think cooking brings people together and it makes us feel good about ourselves. And it's not about being with people that love us. It's about being with people that we feel love for. And we can do that with cooking.

Do the work. I think a lot of people say, how can I have a show on Food Network? Well, you know what? Bobby Flay said to somebody, first you have to wash the dishes in the kitchen and then you have to learn how to chop vegetables. And then maybe you go to culinary school and You need to do the work. You can't just go directly to a show on Food Network.

Do the work. I think a lot of people say, how can I have a show on Food Network? Well, you know what? Bobby Flay said to somebody, first you have to wash the dishes in the kitchen and then you have to learn how to chop vegetables. And then maybe you go to culinary school and You need to do the work. You can't just go directly to a show on Food Network.

You need the experience and the knowledge and the information that you can share with others.

You need the experience and the knowledge and the information that you can share with others.

For years.

For years.

But I think when I started, I said to her, let's just start this. I'm really not sure it's going to be interesting because it's my life. I've lived it. I never look back. And I said, at any point that I think it's not interesting enough for people to read, then I want to just pull the plug. And she said, fine, let's just start. I think she knew it was going to be more interesting than I thought.

But I think when I started, I said to her, let's just start this. I'm really not sure it's going to be interesting because it's my life. I've lived it. I never look back. And I said, at any point that I think it's not interesting enough for people to read, then I want to just pull the plug. And she said, fine, let's just start. I think she knew it was going to be more interesting than I thought.

I thought, who wants to watch me cook on TV? I guess I was wrong.

I thought, who wants to watch me cook on TV? I guess I was wrong.

Oprah, thank you. I'm just such a joy to be with you.

Oprah, thank you. I'm just such a joy to be with you.

But the process of doing it changed how I feel about my life. It was just quite extraordinary. Tell me how so. I thought, well, you and I are going to talk about this, I'm sure, because I always thought I'd been incredibly lucky in my life. And I also thought I did this, and then I did that, and I did something else, and I figured it out, but I don't know how I did it.

But the process of doing it changed how I feel about my life. It was just quite extraordinary. Tell me how so. I thought, well, you and I are going to talk about this, I'm sure, because I always thought I'd been incredibly lucky in my life. And I also thought I did this, and then I did that, and I did something else, and I figured it out, but I don't know how I did it.

And when I had to go back and look at my whole life, I realized that connecting the dots... It was really easy. I continued to do the same thing over and over again. I kind of challenged myself at each time. But at the moment that I started doing a specialty food store, I realized I had already figured I taught myself how to cook. So I actually was ready. Yes.

And when I had to go back and look at my whole life, I realized that connecting the dots... It was really easy. I continued to do the same thing over and over again. I kind of challenged myself at each time. But at the moment that I started doing a specialty food store, I realized I had already figured I taught myself how to cook. So I actually was ready. Yes.

I didn't think I'd done the work, but I actually had. And so... Writing the book made me realize that I was prepared for each stage that I got to.

I didn't think I'd done the work, but I actually had. And so... Writing the book made me realize that I was prepared for each stage that I got to.

Maybe it was a love tap. It was a love tap. I don't remember slapping you. You were just like, whoa, wait a minute. You make your own luck. And I was like, no, I've just been really lucky.

Maybe it was a love tap. It was a love tap. I don't remember slapping you. You were just like, whoa, wait a minute. You make your own luck. And I was like, no, I've just been really lucky.

The title came from a very dear friend of mine, Rob Marshall, who's the Broadway and movie director, was when he was on Broadway, I think he was 23 or 24, he was the dance captain for Liza Minnelli's show. And Liza said to him, be ready when the luck happens. And he never forgot it. And what she was saying is, do the work. So when the luck happens, you're ready for it. Preparation. And I was...

The title came from a very dear friend of mine, Rob Marshall, who's the Broadway and movie director, was when he was on Broadway, I think he was 23 or 24, he was the dance captain for Liza Minnelli's show. And Liza said to him, be ready when the luck happens. And he never forgot it. And what she was saying is, do the work. So when the luck happens, you're ready for it. Preparation. And I was...

Almost done with the book. I didn't have a title. I was just coming to terms with the idea that I actually, yes, I'd been lucky, but I was ready when it happened. I'd done the work so that I was ready when it happened. And I thought, oh, my God, that's what my life has been about. is getting ready, so I'm there when a lot happens. And that's why, so I asked if I could use that as a title.

Almost done with the book. I didn't have a title. I was just coming to terms with the idea that I actually, yes, I'd been lucky, but I was ready when it happened. I'd done the work so that I was ready when it happened. And I thought, oh, my God, that's what my life has been about. is getting ready, so I'm there when a lot happens. And that's why, so I asked if I could use that as a title.

And that's why I told the story. I know you have the same experience. It's in a different format, but still we have the same experience. I wanted people not to know that I had a terrible childhood. Certainly people have had worse childhoods than I did. But I wanted them to know that you can...

And that's why I told the story. I know you have the same experience. It's in a different format, but still we have the same experience. I wanted people not to know that I had a terrible childhood. Certainly people have had worse childhoods than I did. But I wanted them to know that you can...

You can make a decision with enormous determination and change your life and not make that the definition of your life. And I just remember when I was 15, I remember making that decision. I wasn't going to live like this. That if I was dating somebody who so much has raised his voice to me, I was out of there.

You can make a decision with enormous determination and change your life and not make that the definition of your life. And I just remember when I was 15, I remember making that decision. I wasn't going to live like this. That if I was dating somebody who so much has raised his voice to me, I was out of there.

That I wanted to be with somebody who was supportive and positive, and I wanted to surround myself with people that were positive.

That I wanted to be with somebody who was supportive and positive, and I wanted to surround myself with people that were positive.

And, you know, it's interesting because when Jeffrey, I met Jeffrey when I was 17 and he thought I had the perfect family. Yes, yes. And he thought, you know, my father was a doctor. My mother ran a real estate business. I mean, it all looked perfect. We're very, you know, upper middle class. I went to great schools and, you know, everything looked great.

And, you know, it's interesting because when Jeffrey, I met Jeffrey when I was 17 and he thought I had the perfect family. Yes, yes. And he thought, you know, my father was a doctor. My mother ran a real estate business. I mean, it all looked perfect. We're very, you know, upper middle class. I went to great schools and, you know, everything looked great.

And yet it was, the more I look back, and I think as a child, I didn't understand that it was so different, that it was so wrong. I just thought this is the way people grow up. And I think it took me until I was maybe 40 to really sort out how stressful that situation was and how wrong it was.

And yet it was, the more I look back, and I think as a child, I didn't understand that it was so different, that it was so wrong. I just thought this is the way people grow up. And I think it took me until I was maybe 40 to really sort out how stressful that situation was and how wrong it was.

Thanks for including the pictures. Oh, thank you. Most memoirs have the pictures in the well, in the middle, and you have to sort out where's that picture from. Yes, yes, yes. My book designer, Mary Sarah Quinn, and I decided we wanted it to be a picture in the beginning of a chapter and a picture at the end of the chapter, and maybe even a recipe from the story.

Thanks for including the pictures. Oh, thank you. Most memoirs have the pictures in the well, in the middle, and you have to sort out where's that picture from. Yes, yes, yes. My book designer, Mary Sarah Quinn, and I decided we wanted it to be a picture in the beginning of a chapter and a picture at the end of the chapter, and maybe even a recipe from the story.

Jeffrey never told me what to do, which was so the opposite of what my upbringing was, where I was told how to do everything. He just made me feel like he believed that I could do anything and that... We would talk stuff out, and he would say, have you thought about this? And have you thought about that? And we would have a conversation about things.

Jeffrey never told me what to do, which was so the opposite of what my upbringing was, where I was told how to do everything. He just made me feel like he believed that I could do anything and that... We would talk stuff out, and he would say, have you thought about this? And have you thought about that? And we would have a conversation about things.

So he just made me, right from the beginning, he would say to me, do what you love. If you love it, you'll be really good at it. Because he knows I have a lot of enthusiasm and energy for things. He was so ahead of his time, though. I mean, nobody was saying that then. Nobody was saying that in the 70s.

So he just made me, right from the beginning, he would say to me, do what you love. If you love it, you'll be really good at it. Because he knows I have a lot of enthusiasm and energy for things. He was so ahead of his time, though. I mean, nobody was saying that then. Nobody was saying that in the 70s.

I mean, when I was, you know, when we got married in 1968, he said to me, you need to do something with your life, otherwise you won't be happy. And it's funny, the other day when I made number one on the New York Times bestseller list, he turned to me, he said, you know, you really need to do something with your life. It just reminded me where it started. Wow. It was just great.

I mean, when I was, you know, when we got married in 1968, he said to me, you need to do something with your life, otherwise you won't be happy. And it's funny, the other day when I made number one on the New York Times bestseller list, he turned to me, he said, you know, you really need to do something with your life. It just reminded me where it started. Wow. It was just great.

After all these years. But he just thought I was very capable and I would be happy if my life was, you know, productive.

After all these years. But he just thought I was very capable and I would be happy if my life was, you know, productive.

How crazy is that? How crazy is that? I know. I look back and I think they left it to 25-year-olds. I can't even understand it. Ina Garten was writing energy policies.

How crazy is that? How crazy is that? I know. I look back and I think they left it to 25-year-olds. I can't even understand it. Ina Garten was writing energy policies.

I think when I was working at the White House, actually the whole time I was in Washington, I was teaching myself how to cook just because I thought it was fun. And I was buying old houses and renovating them because I thought it was fun. And, you know, I think my work was serious, but it wasn't really fun. And so I did these other things.

I think when I was working at the White House, actually the whole time I was in Washington, I was teaching myself how to cook just because I thought it was fun. And I was buying old houses and renovating them because I thought it was fun. And, you know, I think my work was serious, but it wasn't really fun. And so I did these other things.

I always thought I'd either go into the food business or I'd go into real estate. And I didn't know which one it was. And so then I saw this ad for a specialty food store for sale in a place I'd never been before. It was in West Hampton Beach. And I thought, God, that sounds like fun. And I went home and told Jeffrey about it. And I said to him, I really need to do something fun.

I always thought I'd either go into the food business or I'd go into real estate. And I didn't know which one it was. And so then I saw this ad for a specialty food store for sale in a place I'd never been before. It was in West Hampton Beach. And I thought, God, that sounds like fun. And I went home and told Jeffrey about it. And I said to him, I really need to do something fun.

I really, you know, my job's just not fun.

I really, you know, my job's just not fun.

When I married Jeffrey, I started at baking bread. Yes, yes. I was like, this is great. I can make anything I want.

When I married Jeffrey, I started at baking bread. Yes, yes. I was like, this is great. I can make anything I want.

I think I was starving. I was starving for flavor. I was starving for fun. I was starving for connection. I was just starving. And then Jeffrey came along and he just encouraged my craziest whims.

I think I was starving. I was starving for flavor. I was starving for fun. I was starving for connection. I was just starving. And then Jeffrey came along and he just encouraged my craziest whims.

Well, I had driven, Jeffrey and I had gotten in the car in Washington and driven, I don't know, like six hours to this small town in the Hamptons. And it was April. So it was dead. I mean, there was nobody in town. There wasn't even a cat walking down the middle of the street. And I turned into this little store. It was like 400 square feet. And they were baking chocolate chip cookies.

Well, I had driven, Jeffrey and I had gotten in the car in Washington and driven, I don't know, like six hours to this small town in the Hamptons. And it was April. So it was dead. I mean, there was nobody in town. There wasn't even a cat walking down the middle of the street. And I turned into this little store. It was like 400 square feet. And they were baking chocolate chip cookies.

And, you know, there were specialty cheeses and there was smoked salmon and they were... There were dinners for sale and I just walked in and just inhaled the fragrance of it, the cookies baking and the cheeses. And it just looked like so much fun and it just looked so pleasurable. And I just walked in and I thought, oh, this is where I want to be.

And, you know, there were specialty cheeses and there was smoked salmon and they were... There were dinners for sale and I just walked in and just inhaled the fragrance of it, the cookies baking and the cheeses. And it just looked like so much fun and it just looked so pleasurable. And I just walked in and I thought, oh, this is where I want to be.

I wanted to come to work in sneakers and an apron and bake cookies. And if they sell, great. If they don't sell, we'll bake something else. And it seemed to me like a big puzzle to figure out. And I love that.

I wanted to come to work in sneakers and an apron and bake cookies. And if they sell, great. If they don't sell, we'll bake something else. And it seemed to me like a big puzzle to figure out. And I love that.

I remember thinking at the time, this is crazy. I don't know how to run a specialty. I didn't even know how to run a store. I'd never had an employee before. I didn't know anything. So I made a deal with the owner that she would stay with me for a month and teach me what I needed to know. And she was a great teacher. And I remember thinking, do I really want to do this?

And Jeffrey said, if you do what you love, if you love it, you'll be really good at it. And I thought, okay, I'm going to go for it. And looking back behind me at running, you know, writing nuclear energy policy papers, just that wasn't an option anymore. So I thought, this may not be where I end up, but I'm going to start the process. And, you know, who knew? Yeah.

Who knew that's where it was going to end up?

What did you expect to happen? Even better, it gave me a life that was just so much fun, surrounded with people that I love to work with, doing something I really care about. taking care of people. I mean, in the store, we've made dinner for them, which was taking care of them. But writing cookbooks, I feel like I'm giving people the tools to make dinner for people around them.

So they create a community for themselves.

What was going on? Well, I think, you remember, we got married in 1968. Yeah. And the 70s women are kind of sorting things out. And when we got married, it was assumed that he would be the husband and I would be the wife and I would make dinner and he would do the finances and we would have kind of prescribed roles. And I think those roles kind of annoyed me in the 70s.

Even though Jeffrey thought of me as an equal, I just feel like, I don't know, we just had roles that we were playing. And then when I bought the store and I found I had my own business and I had my own life, I found those rules really confining. And so I just said to him, I just feel like I need to be on my own for a little while.

And he, I mean, as Jeffrey would, he said, if you feel like you need to be on your own, you need to be on your own. And so we kind of took a break for about four months. And he was to the State Department. He went on this big trip around the world. And afterwards, at the end of the year, we met in Palm Springs. And we just talked. We just sat and talked about what he wanted and what I wanted.

And he always has this great attitude. Let's just figure out what each of us wants and how we can do both of them. It's never about what he wants to do or what I want to do. How can we do both of them? Wow. Sounds like the perfect mate. Sounds like the perfect mate. He's the best. He's the best. He really is. He should be a role model for every guy. Yeah.

He really is so wise. He is. And so his advice is never, this will be good for me. His advice is always, this will be good for us.

From you, Oprah, that's unbelievable. Thank you. I'm good. I've done everything I need to do in my life now. Thank you. Oh, it's so good.

I think I was working all the time, and I wasn't having fun. And I remember going to her the first day, and I said, I'm just not having fun. I mean, it's just I work all the time, and it's easy to get wrapped up in that. And these were the days, and it was true for us for a long time, when Jeffrey would leave on Monday, and if he was an investment banker, he'd go to New York or –

zimbabwe or costa rica and or when he was in the government he'd go to um washington on monday and then come back on friday so the weekdays i pretty much had on my own and um i would just work all the time and so i went to my this therapist and i mean we did a lot of really good work but the first day she said to me what would be fun And I was like, I don't know. I really don't know.

Maybe a convertible, maybe a masseuse, you know, just I needed something that wasn't work that would be fun. And she said, go do it. And so that week I rented a red Mustang convertible, which was so much fun. And I hired a masseuse who literally has been coming every single Sunday at six o'clock for 40 years. Wow. Isn't that amazing?

And I still have a convertible. Not the same one, but I have a convertible. And it was, you know, when I think back, very often when you can't, you know, when you're not having fun, you can't figure out what's fun. Yes. But I knew those two things would be fun and they still are.

Just trust your vision. I think the thing that works is if you're really true to who you are. If you believe in it so fiercely, somebody out there is going to believe in it. It's true. It's not, I'm going to become this perky, whatever it is, person that people will love. Just do what you... Just who you are. Just put out who you are and do the best job you can possibly do. And I think people...

Trust that. They honor that. They believe in that. And I always see it as like I'm on a train and people are trying to pull me off the train and I just keep it right on the tracks. If I feel like I'm so sure what I'm doing is right... I don't let people pull me off my game.

Exactly. Yes. That's what I call the barn. But a few people have said barn isn't exactly what comes to mind when they say it.

What I tend to do is I talk to everybody in the beginning and I get everybody's point of view. And I hear and we talk, we kind of build something together. But at the end of the day, it's my job to choose. And once I've got all the information in, and I love surrounding myself with really creative, smart people. Once I've got all the information in, I know exactly what the right thing to do is.

And you build.

Yes, absolutely. But instinctively, you know what's right. Absolutely. And it's right for you. It may not be right for somebody else. That's right.

Yeah, I would. And it's really important to me. I love working with happy people. And you have to invest in that. So, yeah. Yes. You share a few lessons. At the end of the day, I want to come to work and have fun. Yes, and you want the people around you. Yeah. You want to surround yourself with happy people.

I think one of the things I learned from writing the book, and I hadn't really thought about it before, is that I always do what's in front of me today. I do the best job I can possibly do on it. And then at the end of the day, I decide what I'm going to do tomorrow, get everything organized so that I can do it tomorrow. I don't have a long-term vision. I don't have a goal.

I don't think, oh, I want to get over there in a year. I don't have a five-year plan. I never did either. I just do the best job I can do now, and then tomorrow I'm going to do the best job I can do then. And things happen along the way. And I think if you're looking at your goals, first of all, the goals are the wrong goals because things happen along the way that you would never have imagined.

like television coming along. I mean, I would never have imagined being on television. It just wouldn't have occurred to me. And it turned out to be a great thing. So I don't have those long-term goals. And I think it leaves people, it left me at least to do a really good job because I'm not busy looking around. I'm just doing a good job on what I have in front of me.

And it also leaves me open to what things that might come along.

Isn't that interesting? I never really thought about it until I wrote the book. And actually, I was talking to Stephen Colbert, and he has the same philosophy. So it's obviously working for some people.

He really is. Hi, Jeffrey. I mean, it really means something bad happens, and you don't know whether it's bad. It could turn out to be the best thing that ever happened. That's right.

It opens to something else that wouldn't have happened. And it's, I mean, in my show, Be My Guest, it's been really interesting because so many of the people who are guests have had something really horrible happen to them. And... And they didn't let it stop them. They pushed right through it and they figured it out and they kept going.

And it was their success wouldn't have happened if that bad thing hadn't happened. That's right. And it's so interesting to me to see that happen over and over and over again.

I think the force was that I was determined not to recreate that. Yes. And I think a lot of people say, I'm not going to live in that world. I'm going to create a different one. And then they end up marrying somebody who's just like their parents. Am I right about that? Oh, yes. Most people do. Because it's comfortable. I think the thing I learned from... It's comfortable and familiar.

I think I learned from a difficult childhood when I was uncomfortable. I learned to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. And I kind of used that to push myself to places that are not comfortable. like starting a specialty food store when I don't know what I'm doing. I love the challenge.

I love to decide what I'm going to do as opposed to somebody else deciding it and then really challenging myself to see if I can do it. And every time I think there's no way in hell that this is going to work out, but I'm going to try doing it anyway. And it always turns out better than I thought, which is, I don't know, I just keep doing it over and over again. So there must be something there.

It turned out to be a strip club. I had no idea. Yes, yes, yes. That job lasted a week.

Yeah. My therapist actually described it as a lot of people stand on the side of the pond convincing themselves there's something, you know, that pond is dangerous, that bad things are in that pond. But you can't figure out what you want to do until you jump into the pond. And then when you're in the pond, you figure out where the stream is, where the stream is carrying you along.

If you're knocking against the riverbanks, then you're not in the right stream. But if the stream is just carrying you along, that's the right stream for you. And I think that's why we have to try different things. It's not like I want to be a lawyer, I want to be a doctor. You just try different things and see which one works and which one feels good.

exciting and that where you feel like, you know, it's carrying you along. And I think that's what I've been able to find at each point in my life. And it's just been, it's just been amazing.

Well, I've really created it since then because I have none from my childhood. I mean, nobody would say broiled chicken and canned vegetables. That's right.

Yes.

I think that I probably was always craving that. And I think in a funny way, if when you're a child, I mean, this wasn't me, but you're forbidden candy. All you want is candy. Yes, yes. So I think since we were forbidden things that were delicious and felt good, you know, if I asked my mother for something, you know, for a cookie, she would just go, oh, just to eat an apple.

Can I just sit with that for a second? Thank you. Yes.

She was always annoyed. Wow. I was like, nobody thinks that an apple is an appropriate substitution for a cookie. Yes. So I think I as soon as I got married, I remember getting Craig Claiborne's The New York Times cookbook and I was making challah. I was making mashed potatoes. I was making stews and chili and things that were just satisfying.

And, you know, I think one of the things in my books is that my first requirement is, does the title tell you what it is? It's lemon chicken with orzo. You think, well, that sounds good. That's a good combination. And that sounds like it would be satisfying to eat. So my first requirement when I'm writing a recipe is, what is the title?

Yes.

And then the second one is, what does the photograph look like?

It is. I mean, after I finish a book, I think my team is always like, you're going to start right away. I'll make a list of 50 ideas of recipes that I want to work on. And every morning I'll get up and think or at night I'll decide which one I'm going to do tomorrow. So I have the ingredients for it. And I'll just go, you know, it's a it's a it's a hot summer day.

And, you know, I'm going to make a salad or I'm going to make some grilled thing. Or if it's a cold winter day, I'll make, you know, I feel like I'm making like some kind of a soup or stew. A stew. Yes. Something off the list and just start working on it.

Yes, it feels... And also, I'm very conscious of... The person who's reading the book, it's very important to me, kind of the user experience. Like, is somebody going to want to make this? And then I literally give the recipe to my team and I just say, can I watch you make this? So I see if they're going to have any problems making it. Do they have any questions about the text?

Are they going to cut the carrots the right way? I'm really conscious that I want somebody at home using the book to feel good about it and to know that they've got the recipe right.

I do, but they've gotten smaller and smaller. Really? I used to like to have big parties, but now I like really small ones, like six people around a round table. What kind of parties do you like to give? I like six to eight.

Yes. I'd rather do like two parties of six than one party of 12. Then you really can connect with each other. Absolutely. Absolutely. Which is, at the end of the day, why we give parties?

Yes, I do. Actually, it's funny. I've developed this over the years. If I know all the guests, I can do this in advance. But if somebody brings a guest, you know, bring somebody and I don't know them, I always assess who the two most talkative people in the group are. And I make sure they're seated. I always have a round table. So I have them seated at opposite sides of the table.

Because if the two talkative people are sitting next to each other, they end up talking to each other and everybody else is left out. But if the talkative people are opposite each other and the quieter people on the other quadrant, everybody's part of the same party. That is a good idea. And even if it's a rectangular, does that sound right to you?

Yes. Yeah. So I always kind of choreograph the table where people sit by that.

It's a very small empire. Yes. I mean, my team is like the three of us. We meet at my office every day and we decide what we're all going to do. What I like is very hands-on. I don't like doing a million different things and not feeling like I'm doing them well. I like doing... one thing at a time. I like working on recipes and writing books and then doing TV and then going back to writing books.

I really like that. I also like having things that are not work that are creative that I do. So I love working on the garden. I'm not in the garden myself, but designing what the garden's going to be. I always have some kind of construction project, renovating the house or building something.

I just like to feel that I have a life outside work that's creative as well as having a creative work life.

I think writing the book has really made me realize this. Yeah. I think the thing that we can do is matter to each other, is that my work matters to other people. And it can be as simple as I've given somebody a recipe for a coconut cake and they've made it for their family. And their family goes, you made this yourself? Yes.

You know, I think I never really made a decision to write it. I just decided I would start. And I was working with a friend of mine whose name is Deborah Davis, and she's an amazing researcher. And she would interview me and record what I was telling her, the stories I was telling her. But she took me back to places I'd been and asked me about it. And I recalled things I didn't remember.

So it makes me feel like what I've done, I've given them something that makes them feel good. And that matters to me. And the thing about mattering, which a very good friend of mine, Jenny Wallace, talks about mattering and she's writing about it, is that it's so actionable that we can do things that make other people feel they matter to us. And that makes them feel good and vice versa.

And it's as simple as bringing a pot of chicken soup to a friend who's sick. You're saying to that person, you matter to me. And that makes them feel good and it makes you feel good. And I feel like my books have mattered to people. And the TV show, so many people said I taught them how to cook, which is just amazing to me. I did it because I thought it would be fun to do, but

To have that as the legacy of it is just fabulous. Yes. And I think that really is everybody's legacy is, did my work matter to people? Yes. As yours obviously has done for decades.

What matters to me is taking care of people and that I give people the tools to take care of other people. I think we just need to stay connected. I think the world is very stressful. And I think the more we can create a community around ourselves and take care of the people around us, the more we can deal with the difficulties.

And I think cooking brings people together and it makes us feel good about ourselves. And it's not about being with people that love us. It's about being with people that we feel love for. And we can do that with cooking.

Do the work. I think a lot of people say, how can I have a show on Food Network? Well, you know what? Bobby Flay said to somebody, first you have to wash the dishes in the kitchen and then you have to learn how to chop vegetables. And then maybe you go to culinary school and You need to do the work. You can't just go directly to a show on Food Network.

You need the experience and the knowledge and the information that you can share with others.

For years.

But I think when I started, I said to her, let's just start this. I'm really not sure it's going to be interesting because it's my life. I've lived it. I never look back. And I said, at any point that I think it's not interesting enough for people to read, then I want to just pull the plug. And she said, fine, let's just start. I think she knew it was going to be more interesting than I thought.

I thought, who wants to watch me cook on TV? I guess I was wrong.

Oprah, thank you. I'm just such a joy to be with you.

But the process of doing it changed how I feel about my life. It was just quite extraordinary. Tell me how so. I thought, well, you and I are going to talk about this, I'm sure, because I always thought I'd been incredibly lucky in my life. And I also thought I did this, and then I did that, and I did something else, and I figured it out, but I don't know how I did it.

And when I had to go back and look at my whole life, I realized that connecting the dots... It was really easy. I continued to do the same thing over and over again. I kind of challenged myself at each time. But at the moment that I started doing a specialty food store, I realized I had already figured I taught myself how to cook. So I actually was ready. Yes.

I didn't think I'd done the work, but I actually had. And so... Writing the book made me realize that I was prepared for each stage that I got to.

Maybe it was a love tap. It was a love tap. I don't remember slapping you. You were just like, whoa, wait a minute. You make your own luck. And I was like, no, I've just been really lucky.

The title came from a very dear friend of mine, Rob Marshall, who's the Broadway and movie director, was when he was on Broadway, I think he was 23 or 24, he was the dance captain for Liza Minnelli's show. And Liza said to him, be ready when the luck happens. And he never forgot it. And what she was saying is, do the work. So when the luck happens, you're ready for it. Preparation. And I was...

Almost done with the book. I didn't have a title. I was just coming to terms with the idea that I actually, yes, I'd been lucky, but I was ready when it happened. I'd done the work so that I was ready when it happened. And I thought, oh, my God, that's what my life has been about. is getting ready, so I'm there when a lot happens. And that's why, so I asked if I could use that as a title.

And that's why I told the story. I know you have the same experience. It's in a different format, but still we have the same experience. I wanted people not to know that I had a terrible childhood. Certainly people have had worse childhoods than I did. But I wanted them to know that you can...

You can make a decision with enormous determination and change your life and not make that the definition of your life. And I just remember when I was 15, I remember making that decision. I wasn't going to live like this. That if I was dating somebody who so much has raised his voice to me, I was out of there.

That I wanted to be with somebody who was supportive and positive, and I wanted to surround myself with people that were positive.

And, you know, it's interesting because when Jeffrey, I met Jeffrey when I was 17 and he thought I had the perfect family. Yes, yes. And he thought, you know, my father was a doctor. My mother ran a real estate business. I mean, it all looked perfect. We're very, you know, upper middle class. I went to great schools and, you know, everything looked great.

And yet it was, the more I look back, and I think as a child, I didn't understand that it was so different, that it was so wrong. I just thought this is the way people grow up. And I think it took me until I was maybe 40 to really sort out how stressful that situation was and how wrong it was.

Thanks for including the pictures. Oh, thank you. Most memoirs have the pictures in the well, in the middle, and you have to sort out where's that picture from. Yes, yes, yes. My book designer, Mary Sarah Quinn, and I decided we wanted it to be a picture in the beginning of a chapter and a picture at the end of the chapter, and maybe even a recipe from the story.

Jeffrey never told me what to do, which was so the opposite of what my upbringing was, where I was told how to do everything. He just made me feel like he believed that I could do anything and that... We would talk stuff out, and he would say, have you thought about this? And have you thought about that? And we would have a conversation about things.

So he just made me, right from the beginning, he would say to me, do what you love. If you love it, you'll be really good at it. Because he knows I have a lot of enthusiasm and energy for things. He was so ahead of his time, though. I mean, nobody was saying that then. Nobody was saying that in the 70s.

I mean, when I was, you know, when we got married in 1968, he said to me, you need to do something with your life, otherwise you won't be happy. And it's funny, the other day when I made number one on the New York Times bestseller list, he turned to me, he said, you know, you really need to do something with your life. It just reminded me where it started. Wow. It was just great.

After all these years. But he just thought I was very capable and I would be happy if my life was, you know, productive.

How crazy is that? How crazy is that? I know. I look back and I think they left it to 25-year-olds. I can't even understand it. Ina Garten was writing energy policies.

I think when I was working at the White House, actually the whole time I was in Washington, I was teaching myself how to cook just because I thought it was fun. And I was buying old houses and renovating them because I thought it was fun. And, you know, I think my work was serious, but it wasn't really fun. And so I did these other things.

I always thought I'd either go into the food business or I'd go into real estate. And I didn't know which one it was. And so then I saw this ad for a specialty food store for sale in a place I'd never been before. It was in West Hampton Beach. And I thought, God, that sounds like fun. And I went home and told Jeffrey about it. And I said to him, I really need to do something fun.

I really, you know, my job's just not fun.

When I married Jeffrey, I started at baking bread. Yes, yes. I was like, this is great. I can make anything I want.

I think I was starving. I was starving for flavor. I was starving for fun. I was starving for connection. I was just starving. And then Jeffrey came along and he just encouraged my craziest whims.

Well, I had driven, Jeffrey and I had gotten in the car in Washington and driven, I don't know, like six hours to this small town in the Hamptons. And it was April. So it was dead. I mean, there was nobody in town. There wasn't even a cat walking down the middle of the street. And I turned into this little store. It was like 400 square feet. And they were baking chocolate chip cookies.

And, you know, there were specialty cheeses and there was smoked salmon and they were... There were dinners for sale and I just walked in and just inhaled the fragrance of it, the cookies baking and the cheeses. And it just looked like so much fun and it just looked so pleasurable. And I just walked in and I thought, oh, this is where I want to be.

I wanted to come to work in sneakers and an apron and bake cookies. And if they sell, great. If they don't sell, we'll bake something else. And it seemed to me like a big puzzle to figure out. And I love that.

I haven't either. And the garlic scapes that grow on the top, you can grill them. They're really great. Oh, no way. Really? Yeah.

I haven't either. And the garlic scapes that grow on the top, you can grill them. They're really great. Oh, no way. Really? Yeah.

Plant it, yeah.

Plant it, yeah.

Isn't that great? Yeah. Yeah. Does gardening teach you patience? I don't tend to be patient, but I like seeing something evolve in a garden.

Isn't that great? Yeah. Yeah. Does gardening teach you patience? I don't tend to be patient, but I like seeing something evolve in a garden.

It does. And also the structure of the plant is different from the flower itself. Right. When the flower dies, the plant itself is beautiful. And then the seed pods are different from the flower. So it just keeps evolving.

It does. And also the structure of the plant is different from the flower itself. Right. When the flower dies, the plant itself is beautiful. And then the seed pods are different from the flower. So it just keeps evolving.

It's just great.

It's just great.

And the circle.

And the circle.

And you have rosemary hedges, which we couldn't even begin to have here, right? Yeah.

And you have rosemary hedges, which we couldn't even begin to have here, right? Yeah.

Yeah, I'm totally aware of it. Right? It's not an accident, exactly. It's not an accident. I think that if you enjoy science, cooking is really another kind of science.

Yeah, I'm totally aware of it. Right? It's not an accident, exactly. It's not an accident. I think that if you enjoy science, cooking is really another kind of science.

And I always think that if you work in science, you end up with nuclear energy or you end up with gibberellic acid or whatever, you know, whatever it is. In cooking, you end up with a chocolate cake. Yeah.

And I always think that if you work in science, you end up with nuclear energy or you end up with gibberellic acid or whatever, you know, whatever it is. In cooking, you end up with a chocolate cake. Yeah.

Yeah. So I think they are very related. And the way I test a recipe is absolutely scientific. I'll make a recipe once and I'll analyze what the result is. And then I'll change one or two things about it and then make it again and then change one or two things about it and make it again. And it's a very scientific process for me.

Yeah. So I think they are very related. And the way I test a recipe is absolutely scientific. I'll make a recipe once and I'll analyze what the result is. And then I'll change one or two things about it and then make it again and then change one or two things about it and make it again. And it's a very scientific process for me.

Right? Yeah, I take notes along the way. And I start out, I think, the way you often do in science with hypothesis of what I want it to be. If I'm doing a chocolate cake, I want to know what texture I'm looking for, what flavor I'm looking for, what range of flavor, you know, like what things I want to have bubble up. And if I don't know where I'm going, I'll never finish.

Right? Yeah, I take notes along the way. And I start out, I think, the way you often do in science with hypothesis of what I want it to be. If I'm doing a chocolate cake, I want to know what texture I'm looking for, what flavor I'm looking for, what range of flavor, you know, like what things I want to have bubble up. And if I don't know where I'm going, I'll never finish.

So I have to have something in my head. where I'm going. And I keep testing it until I kind of hear that ping that says, that's what I'm looking for.

So I have to have something in my head. where I'm going. And I keep testing it until I kind of hear that ping that says, that's what I'm looking for.

Not really. I will... I'll start with an idea of something that I might have seen in my travels. I might have seen at a restaurant. I might have read in a book. But then I'll read a lot of other people's views on that thing, whatever it is.

Not really. I will... I'll start with an idea of something that I might have seen in my travels. I might have seen at a restaurant. I might have read in a book. But then I'll read a lot of other people's views on that thing, whatever it is.

If I'm making, like, an Italian soup, ribollita. I'll just read a lot about ribollita, and then I'll put all the books away, and I'll start cooking.

If I'm making, like, an Italian soup, ribollita. I'll just read a lot about ribollita, and then I'll put all the books away, and I'll start cooking.

So it's kind of what my idea of what ribollita should be.

So it's kind of what my idea of what ribollita should be.

And how I can make it taste better.

And how I can make it taste better.

Leveling it off.

Leveling it off.

Yeah, the detail. Yeah. I follow recipes exactly, even my own. I measure everything. And then, because once you've spent the time to make sure it's absolutely perfect, why do you want to start throwing ingredients in there?

Yeah, the detail. Yeah. I follow recipes exactly, even my own. I measure everything. And then, because once you've spent the time to make sure it's absolutely perfect, why do you want to start throwing ingredients in there?

You want it to be exactly right. That's right. Especially as a baker.

You want it to be exactly right. That's right. Especially as a baker.

My dad loved to have parties. Oh, he did? My mother hated it. Hated it. But it was my mother that had to give the parties. So it was always a struggle. It was always, I mean, she did parties because he liked his friends. But I think it was never a happy experience. And as soon as I got married, I was like, I remember being in our first house. It was a garden apartment in North Carolina. Yeah.

My dad loved to have parties. Oh, he did? My mother hated it. Hated it. But it was my mother that had to give the parties. So it was always a struggle. It was always, I mean, she did parties because he liked his friends. But I think it was never a happy experience. And as soon as I got married, I was like, I remember being in our first house. It was a garden apartment in North Carolina. Yeah.

And I remember looking around going, I can do anything I want to do now. For the first time, I have nobody criticizing me, nobody telling me what to do. I can do whatever I want. And I just wanted to have parties. So I just started teaching myself how to cook. It was then. It was then, literally as soon as I got married.

And I remember looking around going, I can do anything I want to do now. For the first time, I have nobody criticizing me, nobody telling me what to do. I can do whatever I want. And I just wanted to have parties. So I just started teaching myself how to cook. It was then. It was then, literally as soon as I got married.

Were you a food lover or did that really come? Not really. No. And I was never allowed to cook when I was a kid. Really? So I really didn't, I don't think I ever connected with it. I didn't know that it was something that would be fun to do at all. Well, I mean, I think when I was a kid, I didn't even know I would do anything.

Were you a food lover or did that really come? Not really. No. And I was never allowed to cook when I was a kid. Really? So I really didn't, I don't think I ever connected with it. I didn't know that it was something that would be fun to do at all. Well, I mean, I think when I was a kid, I didn't even know I would do anything.

So I thought, you know, I was kind of of the generation when when I was in college, I thought, well, I'm go to college and then I'll get married. And that's that. It was Jeffrey who's like who said to me, you need to figure out what to do with your life. He said, unless you do something, you're not going to be happy. And I was like, whoa, never, never even occurred to me.

So I thought, you know, I was kind of of the generation when when I was in college, I thought, well, I'm go to college and then I'll get married. And that's that. It was Jeffrey who's like who said to me, you need to figure out what to do with your life. He said, unless you do something, you're not going to be happy. And I was like, whoa, never, never even occurred to me.

I was 20, yeah. I was 20. So that was really the beginning of trying to figure out what I wanted to do.

I was 20, yeah. I was 20. So that was really the beginning of trying to figure out what I wanted to do.

And I totally credit him with that.

And I totally credit him with that.

I gave some pretty bad parties in the beginning. No way. I don't believe it. Seriously. I remember one party in North Carolina. I decided to invite everybody for brunch, which I hate. But I invited everybody for brunch. And I thought, well, I'll make an omelet for everybody. It was like 20 people. It was the worst idea. And I don't know. You know, now I know how to make an omelet. It's not easy.

I gave some pretty bad parties in the beginning. No way. I don't believe it. Seriously. I remember one party in North Carolina. I decided to invite everybody for brunch, which I hate. But I invited everybody for brunch. And I thought, well, I'll make an omelet for everybody. It was like 20 people. It was the worst idea. And I don't know. You know, now I know how to make an omelet. It's not easy.

I don't know what the hell I made when I was 20. I was in the kitchen the whole time. Of course you were. And I think it took like a year to get over that and give parties. I think my mother had anxiety about the people. Yeah. As well as the food. I mean, today, I have to say, I'm not a comfortable cook.

I don't know what the hell I made when I was 20. I was in the kitchen the whole time. Of course you were. And I think it took like a year to get over that and give parties. I think my mother had anxiety about the people. Yeah. As well as the food. I mean, today, I have to say, I'm not a comfortable cook.

If I'm giving a dinner party, I'm beside myself with anxiety that it's not going to come out right. Even after all this time. Even after all this time.

If I'm giving a dinner party, I'm beside myself with anxiety that it's not going to come out right. Even after all this time. Even after all this time.

really great. I hadn't gone that far, but that's, no, I totally understand.

really great. I hadn't gone that far, but that's, no, I totally understand.

It's just the worst. It's the worst. One of the things that I'm aware of when I'm writing a cookbook is how hard it is to give a dinner party.

It's just the worst. It's the worst. One of the things that I'm aware of when I'm writing a cookbook is how hard it is to give a dinner party.

It's so much work. It's so difficult. And it's so much anxiety. Unless you're I don't know, unless you're a restaurant chef. It's so hard. That's why I want the recipes to be really easy. So you can just put the carrots on a sheet pan, olive oil, salt and pepper, throw it in the oven and hope you remember to take them out. Yeah.

It's so much work. It's so difficult. And it's so much anxiety. Unless you're I don't know, unless you're a restaurant chef. It's so hard. That's why I want the recipes to be really easy. So you can just put the carrots on a sheet pan, olive oil, salt and pepper, throw it in the oven and hope you remember to take them out. Yeah.

I mean, considering that I do this professionally, I can't cook and talk at the same time. I mean, I do it on TV and that's okay. But if I know it has to come out perfectly, I mean, Jeffrey's always, you know, hanging out and talking to me. I'm like, Jeffrey, I can't talk. I just have to, because I'll forget to do something.

I mean, considering that I do this professionally, I can't cook and talk at the same time. I mean, I do it on TV and that's okay. But if I know it has to come out perfectly, I mean, Jeffrey's always, you know, hanging out and talking to me. I'm like, Jeffrey, I can't talk. I just have to, because I'll forget to do something.

And especially if I really know the recipe, if it's something I make a lot, I'll always forget an ingredient if I'm not focusing on it. It's like my attention span isn't that good. So I have to really concentrate to get it right.

And especially if I really know the recipe, if it's something I make a lot, I'll always forget an ingredient if I'm not focusing on it. It's like my attention span isn't that good. So I have to really concentrate to get it right.

Don't offer to help. Just get out of my way. And it's really inhospitable to say, don't touch it.

Don't offer to help. Just get out of my way. And it's really inhospitable to say, don't touch it.

Anyway, it's fine. You know what? At the end of the day, the only thing that's really important is you have time with your friends. Completely. I keep trying to remind myself, don't get obsessed about whether something's absolutely exactly the way you want it to be, as long as everybody's having a good time. And if they feel like we're anxious about it, It's going to it'll bomb.

Anyway, it's fine. You know what? At the end of the day, the only thing that's really important is you have time with your friends. Completely. I keep trying to remind myself, don't get obsessed about whether something's absolutely exactly the way you want it to be, as long as everybody's having a good time. And if they feel like we're anxious about it, It's going to it'll bomb.

It's going to ruin the evening.

It's going to ruin the evening.

So on top of being anxious about the meal, we have to look like we're not anxious, which makes you more anxious. Right. Of course.

So on top of being anxious about the meal, we have to look like we're not anxious, which makes you more anxious. Right. Of course.

Yeah, that's good. Everything goes in the washing machine. It does? Yeah, I just love these shirts. I got a shirt from Talbots that I just loved, and I asked if they could make it for me in different fabrics. And they said, sure. Wow. And so I have them in corduroy for the winter and I have them in denim chambray for the summer.

Yeah, that's good. Everything goes in the washing machine. It does? Yeah, I just love these shirts. I got a shirt from Talbots that I just loved, and I asked if they could make it for me in different fabrics. And they said, sure. Wow. And so I have them in corduroy for the winter and I have them in denim chambray for the summer.

And I know I can put it on and feel comfortable and feel like it looks put together. It does. It does? Oh, good.

And I know I can put it on and feel comfortable and feel like it looks put together. It does. It does? Oh, good.

I mean, I wouldn't say I'm confident about everything, but I think professionally I feel very confident that I know what I want and anything less than that is not okay with me.

I mean, I wouldn't say I'm confident about everything, but I think professionally I feel very confident that I know what I want and anything less than that is not okay with me.

And I've really pushed through a lot of times where a publisher or a TV producer will disagree with me. And I'm just like, no, this is the way I'm going to do it. And I feel that way about my clothes, too. I'm sure that they would like me to change my outfit all the time. That's not who I am. And where does that come from, Ina? I don't know. I really don't.

And I've really pushed through a lot of times where a publisher or a TV producer will disagree with me. And I'm just like, no, this is the way I'm going to do it. And I feel that way about my clothes, too. I'm sure that they would like me to change my outfit all the time. That's not who I am. And where does that come from, Ina? I don't know. I really don't.

Because when I was a kid, I was always criticized for everything. So I think it was just internal. I have this sense of who I am, and that's who I am. And I'm perfectly comfortable with it. And if you don't like it, that's okay. Okay. It's not your problem. Turn off the TV. Right. Exactly.

Because when I was a kid, I was always criticized for everything. So I think it was just internal. I have this sense of who I am, and that's who I am. And I'm perfectly comfortable with it. And if you don't like it, that's okay. Okay. It's not your problem. Turn off the TV. Right. Exactly.

Maybe it was. You know? Yeah. We never know whether it's in the DNA or whether it's developed. But I love to listen to everybody's opinion.

Maybe it was. You know? Yeah. We never know whether it's in the DNA or whether it's developed. But I love to listen to everybody's opinion.

And then choose what I want to do. And once I've made that decision, I'm good to go. Are you the same way?

And then choose what I want to do. And once I've made that decision, I'm good to go. Are you the same way?

Oh, I totally do, yeah.

Oh, I totally do, yeah.

Isn't that interesting? Yeah. Well, I mean, whatever you're doing, keep doing it because you're totally beloved.

Isn't that interesting? Yeah. Well, I mean, whatever you're doing, keep doing it because you're totally beloved.

For whatever you do.

For whatever you do.

It does. You know, it's funny. I was just telling somebody recently, people think that being in a marriage is confining in some way, but I find it's just the opposite. It's like a big anchor, like a stake in the middle of my life. And it actually gives me more freedom because I know I will always come back to that stake, to that. It's solid. It's supportive. It's positive.

It does. You know, it's funny. I was just telling somebody recently, people think that being in a marriage is confining in some way, but I find it's just the opposite. It's like a big anchor, like a stake in the middle of my life. And it actually gives me more freedom because I know I will always come back to that stake, to that. It's solid. It's supportive. It's positive.

Well, I think it's different now. When we lived in Washington, it was much more traditional. I mean, it was the 70s. And he worked in the State Department. He worked for Kissinger. and Secretary of State Vance. And I worked in OMB. It was always expected that I was going to cook dinner. They were kind of roles that we played. And I've increasingly disliked those roles.

Well, I think it's different now. When we lived in Washington, it was much more traditional. I mean, it was the 70s. And he worked in the State Department. He worked for Kissinger. and Secretary of State Vance. And I worked in OMB. It was always expected that I was going to cook dinner. They were kind of roles that we played. And I've increasingly disliked those roles.

And so I think my move to buy a specialty food store and have my own business was really breaking out of those roles. So there was a little bit of a time where we had to figure that out. But he just, he's so intuitive and so respectful of me and so encouraging me to, to do what I want to do that it wasn't a terrible, you know, we worked it out. Right. And I think he's freer and I'm freer.

And so I think my move to buy a specialty food store and have my own business was really breaking out of those roles. So there was a little bit of a time where we had to figure that out. But he just, he's so intuitive and so respectful of me and so encouraging me to, to do what I want to do that it wasn't a terrible, you know, we worked it out. Right. And I think he's freer and I'm freer.

So it's, it's now, it became more of a partnership rather than like traditional roles. Yes. There was a time in our life where he was offered to live in Tokyo for a year. And I had just signed a lease for a store in East Hampton. And we were like, what are we going to do? And he said, you know what? Let's both do what we want to do because we can't choose.

So it's, it's now, it became more of a partnership rather than like traditional roles. Yes. There was a time in our life where he was offered to live in Tokyo for a year. And I had just signed a lease for a store in East Hampton. And we were like, what are we going to do? And he said, you know what? Let's both do what we want to do because we can't choose.

If we get to do what I want to do, you'll resent it. And if I don't get to do that and I have to stay in East Hampton, then I'll resent it. So let's just do it. Let's do it for a while and see if anybody's unhappy, we'll make a change. And? It worked out fine. Actually, after a year, I wrote to him and I said, you know, I think you need to come home because it's not that I'm miserable.

If we get to do what I want to do, you'll resent it. And if I don't get to do that and I have to stay in East Hampton, then I'll resent it. So let's just do it. Let's do it for a while and see if anybody's unhappy, we'll make a change. And? It worked out fine. Actually, after a year, I wrote to him and I said, you know, I think you need to come home because it's not that I'm miserable.

I'm just fine. And I think it's a bad idea.

I'm just fine. And I think it's a bad idea.

No, it wasn't a struggle at all. I had no interest in having children. None? I just had a terrible childhood, and it was nothing I wanted to recreate. I think now looking back, I might say I see my friends with their children, and I understand why.

No, it wasn't a struggle at all. I had no interest in having children. None? I just had a terrible childhood, and it was nothing I wanted to recreate. I think now looking back, I might say I see my friends with their children, and I understand why.

But when I was 20, I didn't want to have anything to do with it.

But when I was 20, I didn't want to have anything to do with it.

I think Jeffrey would have been a great parent. He would have really loved having children. But he wanted me to be happy and it was okay with him.

I think Jeffrey would have been a great parent. He would have really loved having children. But he wanted me to be happy and it was okay with him.

Yeah. I don't know where that came from. I really don't. But I just, I don't know where that certainty came from, but I was really sure of that. But it's the same certainty that you were referring to earlier. I think maybe because when I was a kid, I didn't have any choices. Somebody else made all my choices. Yeah, right. So once I had the power, I really used it.

Yeah. I don't know where that came from. I really don't. But I just, I don't know where that certainty came from, but I was really sure of that. But it's the same certainty that you were referring to earlier. I think maybe because when I was a kid, I didn't have any choices. Somebody else made all my choices. Yeah, right. So once I had the power, I really used it.

Maybe, I mean, that's kind of what you said, which I hadn't thought about. It's probably very true. Good for you. I love that. You know, one of the things that's happened to me over the past year is... A few years, I've been working on a memoir. I know. You do? And what was interesting to me is the threads through, I never look back, the threads that are so consistent.

Maybe, I mean, that's kind of what you said, which I hadn't thought about. It's probably very true. Good for you. I love that. You know, one of the things that's happened to me over the past year is... A few years, I've been working on a memoir. I know. You do? And what was interesting to me is the threads through, I never look back, the threads that are so consistent.