Mark Your Calendars: Ina Garten's Memoir Is Hitting Shelves This Fall

Beloved celebrity chef Ina Garten is preparing to share her story with the world. According to Garten's Instagram bio, her memoir will be hitting shelves on October 1, 2024. Fans are no doubt ready to read all about how Garten became the cooking sensation she is today.

The Food Network star is no stranger to writing. Since the release of Garten's first book, "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook," in 1999, she's added 12 more to her body of work, including her most recent release, "Go-To Dinners," which came out in October 2022. Yet, while there's sure to be plenty of cooking and tales from the kitchen included in Garten's upcoming memoir, this will be her first book that isn't a cookbook. So, if you've ever wondered how Garten became one of the most well-known chefs out there, she's about to give fans the lowdown in her own words.

In a press release from Garten's publisher, Celadon Books, the chef shared, "By finding a way to do what I love for a living — cooking — I've been fortunate to build a career that has not only been incredibly rewarding but has brought people together through the power of home cooking." She added, "I hope my book will inspire readers to find their own unique story."

Garten's memoir will delve into her personal life

Ina Garten isn't just an accomplished author, renowned chef, and celebrated host of multiple cooking shows. She's also reached No. 1 on the New York Times Best Sellers list and has taken home Emmy Awards and James Beard Awards. So, beyond a love for Garten, it's easy to see why a memoir about this chef's life would be such an interesting read.

It's clear, though, that what fans will be reading in Garten's memoir extends far beyond her professional accomplishments. It will also delve into her personal life. In a 2023 interview with BBC, Garten spoke about how her memoir made her reflect on her decision not to have children.

"I'm actually writing a memoir now, and it's kind of looking back at my childhood. It was nothing I wanted to recreate," Garten explained. She continued, saying, "A lot of my decisions were based on my childhood ... And [my husband] Jeffrey and I were just so happy together." She went on to outline her life philosophy, saying, "You don't know where you're going to end up. All you know is that if you jump in the pond and you splash around while you're there, you're going to look around and go, 'Oh, that's really interesting over there. I think I'll follow it there,' and see where it brings you."