Did you ever see a person cook on television and feel like you instantly knew them? Like their comfortable world was just the place you’d want to be? That was what designer Daniel Roseberry felt the first time he saw Ina Garten’s “Barefoot Contessa” back in 2006. He was a freshman at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology and was immediately hooked. Ina Garten has that kind of power.
Her program always had the air of an open door into her life, shot in her East Hampton kitchen. She spoke comfortably to the camera, cooking stunning, French-inflected meals not only sharing recipes but inviting a whole atmosphere of peaceful, snugly elegant.
It was never merely about the food it was about the mood. Her style created the impression that any of us could prepare something spectacular and present it to the world. For Roseberry, who was toiling long hours at Thom Browne, “Barefoot Contessa” became a ritual his chief source of tranquility after work. Before long, his entire family became equally smitten with Ina’s world. Their holiday gatherings were full of her recipes a sure indication of love. As Daniel puts it, she taught him everything he knows in the kitchen.
1. From Fan to Fashion House Creative
But to Daniel, Ina’s influence runs more profound. He feels she revolutionized the concept of cooking and entertaining in America. Presently the creative director at Schiaparelli, a renowned French fashion brand, Daniel operates out of Paris since 2019 a gigantic position within the design industry. The house, synonymous with its dreamlike, artistic origins, now glows with contemporary red-carpet glamour under his guidance.
His early career with Thom Browne was very structured and edgy. So maybe you wouldn’t think to pair this 37-year-old avant-garde designer with a 74-year-old cookbook author who is famous for eternal, unpretentious recipes. But look more closely, and they have more in common than you’d imagine.
They both have earthy philosophies regarding life, unequalled work ethics, and an allegiance to accuracy. Above all, they both share a commitment to meaningful creative risk-taking and pushing boundaries in their respective ways.
2. When Their Worlds Finally Collided
It was thanks to T Magazine that Ina and Daniel were able to meet. Hanya Yanagihara, editor and Daniel’s friend, was aware of how much Ina was admired by Daniel. So when T debuted a new video show, T 101, which matched creatives up to learn something from each other, Daniel was the natural fit for Ina’s installment. He was so excited to sit down with and cook alongside his long-time idol.
Ina, ever the gracious hostess, consented. She’s famous not only for wonderful food but also for gathering people to the table. Her newer program, Be My Guest, includes meals and chat with compelling guests such as chef Marcus Samuelsson and actor Emily Blunt.
Ina Garten's Guacamole
Equipment
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Chef's knife
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Measuring Spoons
- 1 Spoon (for scooping and mixing)
Ingredients
Main
- 4 ripe hass avocados
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 lemon
- 8 dashes hot pepper sauce
- 1/2 cup small-diced red onion 1 small onion
- 1 large garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium tomato seeded and small-diced
- Multigrain chips for serving
Instructions
- Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits and scoop the flesh out of their shells into a large bowl. Immediately add the lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, onion, garlic, salt and pepper and toss well. Using a sharp knife, slice through the avocados in the bowl until they are finely diced. Add the tomato. Mix well and taste for salt and pepper. Serve with chips.
Notes
In August, Daniel took a plane from Paris to Ina’s East Hampton residence to discover something he’d never attempted before: risotto-making. It was not a lesson alone it was an emotional payoff for years of respect. They bond over common interests, even as they work in different areas.
Ina, who once studied fashion design herself at Syracuse University, was reminded of that earlier version of herself. “I’d forgotten that part of me was still there,” she reflected after their chat. That creative thread between their lives was unmistakable.
3. What Daniel Learned from Ina Beyond the Kitchen
As they cooked, Daniel shared something intimate: besides his own mother, Ina was his biggest inspiration. When he left his stable, decade-long career at Thom Browne to Rejuvenate Schiaparelli, it was her mindset that gave him courage.
Chicken Pot Pie
Equipment
- 2 Baking Sheet One for roasting chicken, one for baking pot pies
- 1 Large Pot or Dutch Oven For cooking the filling
- 1 Food Processor For making the pastry dough
- 4 Ovenproof Bowls Individual serving dishes for baking
- 1 Rolling Pin For rolling out the pastry
Ingredients
Main
- 3 whole 6 split chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 5 cups chicken stock preferably homemade
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes
- 12 tablespoons 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
- 2 cups yellow onions chopped (2 onions)
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups medium-diced carrots blanched for 2 minutes
- 1 10-ounce package frozen peas (2 cups)
- 1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions
- 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 1/4 pound cold unsalted butter diced
- 1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
- Flaked sea salt and cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken.
- In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions and parsley. Mix well.
- For the pastry, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the shortening and butter and mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour. Pulse 10 times, or until the fat is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Divide the filling equally among 4 ovenproof bowls. Divide the dough into quarters and roll each piece into an 8-inch circle. Brush the outside edges of each bowl with the egg wash, then place the dough on top. Trim the circle to 1/2-inch larger than the top of the bowl. Crimp the dough to fold over the side, pressing it to make it stick. Brush the dough with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.
Notes
2. Ensure your roux (butter and flour mixture) cooks for at least 2 minutes on low heat to eliminate the raw flour taste before adding the stock.
3. Don't overwork the pastry dough in the food processor; pulse just until it comes together. Overworking leads to tough pastry.
4. Resting the dough in the refrigerator is crucial for gluten relaxation, making it easier to roll and resulting in a flakier crust.
5. Making slits in the top crust allows steam to escape, preventing the pie from exploding and ensuring even cooking of the filling.
Ina’s philosophy? Subvert expectations with elegance. As Daniel explains, she knows what people expect then gently flips it. If the moment calls for fancy, she’ll go simple. If they expect casual, she elevates it.
This concept seeped into his Spring 2023 ready-to-wear line at Schiaparelli.
He applied recognizable, common silhouettes and laced them with couture details. Silver-sequined organza jackets covered in embroidered matador prints or hand-painted Japanese denim come to mind. The contrast between simplicity and excess was reminiscent of what he refers to as the “Ina mentality.”
To Daniel, Ina is more than an icon. She is something that is becoming less and less common in fashion: a successful, talented individual who also appears to be grounded and contented. He’s looking for what he terms “stable geniuses” a term he’s willing to admit is awful but which applies. Ina is an example of how creative genius and equilibrium can exist.
And he did not come empty-handed. He had brought Ina a thoughtful present: orange tulips, her favorite flower, made of leather. The petals were cut with the backs of kitchen spoons a sophisticated reference to their mutual languages of food and design. Their encounter made him realize that sometimes, yes, you really should meet your heroes.
4. Ina’s One-Pot Oven Risotto: The Star of Their Collaboration
Perfect Roast Chicken
Equipment
- 1 Roasting pan
- 1 Kitchen String For trussing the chicken
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Sharp Knife For slicing vegetables and carving
- 1 Basting Brush (Optional, for brushing butter)
Ingredients
Main
- 1 5 to 6 pound roasting chicken
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large bunch fresh thyme plus 20 sprigs
- 1 lemon halved
- 1 head garlic cut in half crosswise
- 2 tablespoons 1/4 stick butter, melted
- 1 large yellow onion thickly sliced
- 4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 bulb of fennel tops removed, and cut into wedges
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
- Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.
Notes
Their cooking session revolved around a highlight recipe out of Ina’s new cookbook, Go-To Dinners, which released on October 25th, the same date this article originally appeared. The book is filled with simple, comforting dishes ideal for relaxed weeknight dinners and effortless entertaining.
Her One-Pot Oven Risotto captures the essence. Classic risotto requires constant stirring, but Ina employs the oven to take over still yielding that creamy, indulgent finish.
- Here’s the trick:
- Heat olive oil in a pot and cook sliced shallots on medium heat for two minutes.
- Chop asparagus and cook for five minutes.
- Put the veggies aside.
- Pour four cups of warm chicken stock and a pinch of saffron in the pot.
- Cover and put the mix in the oven at 350°F.
- Take it out of the oven, stir in white wine, another cup of stock, Parmesan, butter, salt, and pepper.
- Stir until creamy and thick, and add more stock if necessary.
- Stir in the set-aside asparagus and shallots.
- Serve hot with added cheese on top.
5. Ina’s Comprehensive Recipe Collection:
Panko-Crusted Salmon
Equipment
- 1 Ovenproof skillet or pan Preferably cast iron, 12-inch
- 1 Small Mixing Bowl For panko mixture
- 1 Cutting Board For preparing salmon
- 1 Pastry Brush For applying mustard
- 1 Spatula For handling fish fillets
Ingredients
Main
- 2/3 cup panko Japanese dried bread flakes
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons good olive oil
- Four 6- to 8-ounce salmon fillets skin on
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- In a small bowl, mix together the panko, parsley, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Drizzle with the olive oil and stir until the crumbs are evenly coated. Set aside.
- Place the salmon fillets, skin side down, on a board. Generously brush the top of the fillets with mustard and then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Press the panko mixture thickly on top of the mustard on each salmon fillet. The mustard will help the panko adhere.
- Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or large heavy, ovenproof pan. When the oil is very hot, add the salmon fillets, skin side down, and sear for 3 to 4 minutes, without turning, to brown the skin.
- Transfer the pan to the hot oven for 5 to 7 minutes until the salmon is almost cooked and the panko is browned. Remove from the oven, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve the salmon hot or at room temperature with lemon wedges.
Notes
Something for Every Table
Her cookbook and larger collection of recipes include recipes for every taste and occasion. Some of the standouts include:
Weeknight Favorites:
- Weeknight Bolognese
- Skillet-Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
- Mustard-Roasted Fish
- Chicken in a Pot with Orzo
Vegetarian & Pasta Dishes:
- Roasted Vegetable Lasagna (with eggplant, zucchini, and goat cheese)
- Baked Rigatoni with Lamb Ragù
- Saffron Risotto with Butternut Squash
Seafood Specialities:
- Panko-Crusted Salmon
- Seared Scallops with Celery Root Purée
- Cioppino
- Baked Cod with Garlic & Herb Ritz Crumbs
Showstoppers for Entertaining:
- Orange Marmalade–Glazed Ham
- Beef Bourguignon
- Pastitsio
- The 1770 House Meatloaf (with garlic sauce)
- Filet Mignon with Mustard & Mushrooms
- English Rib Roast (just salt, pepper, and oven magic)
Comfort Food Delights:
- Truffled Mac & Cheese (with white truffle butter and sherry)
- Lobster Pot Pie
- Herbed Pork Tenderloins with Apple Chutney
- Slow Roasted Spiced Pork
Sweet Finishes:
- French Apple Tart
- Emily Blunt’s English Roasted Potatoes (crispy outside, tender within)
- Heirloom Tomato and Blue Cheese Salad
All of these recipes demonstrate Ina’s signature balance flavors that are familiar, but elevated in the best possible way. Her recipes are welcoming, not overwhelming, and always designed to be shared.
