Ina Garten's Net Worth In 2023 and Her Recipe for Riches
Ina Garten
Ina Garten's net worth in 2023 comes from far more than cooking.
The Be My Guest star and erstwhile Barefoot Contessa hostess with the mostess was already a moneymaking genius before she became one of the most famous cooks on the planet. Her husband, Jeffrey, an investment banker who taught at Yale Business School, previously told Parade that her secret to success has little to do with any specific ingredients and more to do with her mind.
"Without any consciousness about it, she is the model of an innovator, the kind of person I would like to put in front of my school at Yale," he said. "Her style is a model for anybody running a complex model in a period of rapid change, because she is always experimenting, but experimenting incrementally. But so continuously that she is always staying with what’s going on."
He added, "On the other hand, she is extremely centered—so she knows what she wants, and is very centered on the consumer. If you can innovate, if you are constantly experimenting so that you are on the cutting edge, and you also know your customer really well, so that you are very centered and know what you want, that’s what leadership is all about."
Sure, he may be biased, but where's the lie? Find out Ina Garten's net worth and exactly how she made it.
Related: Ina Garten's Delicious Baked Pasta Recipe
What made Ina Garten famous?
Garten had celebrity fans long before she even had a cookbook!
She began cooking to keep herself busy while Jeffrey served in the Vietnam War, and she quickly learned that cuisine and entertaining were her passions when the couple moved to Washington, D.C., in 1972. In the following years, hospitality became her focus, even while working as a nuclear budget analyst in the White House for then-President Jimmy Carter. Seriously!
She flipped homes in the D.C. area, then bought her Barefoot Contessa shop in the Hamptons, leaving her government gig in 1978. (She previously told Parade, "I worked in Washington for four years, and nothing happened. They’re still working on the same issues.") Local chefs began frequenting the store, and word of mouth helped it grow. Some of the store's regulars included Steven Spielberg, Lauren Bacall and even Martha Stewart.
She knew the key to making the store successful, especially in the summer: "The store had to feel like a -party. The music was cranked up, the coffee brewing, the ribs and chicken were on the barbecue. So it smelled good. And the screen door would slam shut like a real summer house. I created a space that was fun!"
She released her first cookbook, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, in 1999, to massive success, and made several appearances on The Martha Stewart Show. In 2002, her own Food Network show, Barefoot Contessa, debuted, which ran through 2021 and won five Emmys. She's since released 12 more books, and according to Publisher's Weekly, Garten has one of the most lucrative book deals of all time (in the multi-millions), though the exact figures haven't been revealed.
In 2022, her newest show, Be My Guest, debuted on the Food Network and Discovery+ (now on MAX).
Related: Ina Garten's Macaroni and Cheese Recipe Is the G.O.A.T.
What is Ina Garten's net worth in 2023?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Ina Garten's net worth in 2023 is estimated at $60 million. When combined with that of her husband Jeffrey, that amount is estimated at a whopping $120 million.
Aside from the riches from her TV show, Garten has been a longstanding bestselling author thanks to her 13 books (and counting). She's turned down offers for cookware lines and other branding deals, and honestly, we respect it—it's not like she needs the cash!
Related: The Simple Recipe Ina Garten's Been Making for 40 Years
How did Ina Garten get so rich?
Garten first became wealthy thanks to real estate. Before becoming famous, she purchased, renovated and flipped old homes, which gave her the funds to buy her original Barefoot Contessa shop. After Barefoot Contessa closed, she retained ownership of the property, garnering income from new tenants.
The success of the shop extended to branding efforts with Barefoot Contessa Pantry, as well as, obviously, her cookbooks and TV shows.
Related: Ina Garten's Famous Outrageous Brownie Recipe
Does Ina Garten still own Barefoot Contessa?
Barefoot Contessa closed in 2004. A Rag & Bone store currently occupies the space, but her legacy in the area is still very much around. In fact, the street on which the building is located has since been named Ina Garten Way.
Related: Ina Garten's 5 Best Dessert Recipes of All Time
Does Ina Garten still have a store in the Hamptons?
Garten's own store closed, and she's said she wouldn't open another. That said, Garten still owns the building that housed her Barefoot Contessa shop in Easthampton, so she makes money as a landlord of the property.
Related: Ina Garten's Secret to the Perfect Grazing Board
What part of Long Island does Ina Garten live in?
Garten lives in East Hampton, Long Island, New York, in a cozy but luxurious home. Her property boasts her mansion, a barn and a garden full of herbs, fig trees and more tasty ingredients that she can use in her cooking.
Garten usually films from her barn, which features a large kitchen and living room.
Garten and Jeffrey first purchased their property in the 1990s, and they obtained a first right of refusal from their neighbors to purchase the adjoining land if the other owners put it on the market.
"Every year for 10 years, I wrote to the man who owned the property and asked if he'd consider selling. And every time, he'd write back saying 'no,'" she told Oprah Daily. The neighbor finally agreed to sell in 2006, and Garten says it may have actually saved her marriage, because it allowed her to build the barn where she filmed Barefoot Contessa and shoots Be My Guest and other projects.
"We were filming for eight weeks straight, twice a year, and during that time, the crew took over the entire house, which meant Jeffrey and I practically lived in our bedroom," she explained. "I knew that either Jeffrey was going to divorce me or I was going to have to find some other place to film."
Related: The Secret Ingredient to Ina Garten's Tomato Soup
Does Ina Garten have an apartment in NYC?
She does! In August 2016, Garten reportedly purchased a swanky apartment in New York City's Manhattan borough. The $4.65 million pad is in the Upper East Side neighborhood, just steps from Central Park, and has two bedrooms, a few cozy fireplaces, a library, a large living room and, of course, a luxe kitchen.
Related: Ina Garten's Brilliant Meal Prep Hack That Will Save You Time and Space In Your Kitchen
Does Ina Garten live in Paris?
Oui oui! Garten calls New York home, whether she's in her East Hampton house or her Big Apple apartment, but also has an apartment in Paris. In an Instagram post in December 2018, Garten told the sweet backstory of her and Jeffrey's connection to the City of Light.
"Back when Jeffrey and I were dating, he wrote me a letter (which I still have!). He said he wanted to take me to Paris but maybe before we can afford to stay in a hotel, we'll go camping; then later we could stay in a hotel; and maybe someday we could afford to have an apartment in Paris," she wrote. "Jeffrey, you've made all my dreams come true! #besthubbyever." Awww!
Garten's Paris apartment is on the top floor of her building, and, as predicted, has a huge, gorgeous stove in her kitchen. She's previously said her favorite part of her Paris apartment is its location. It's close to her favorite bakeries and flower shops, which she says makes it even easier for her to throw a great dinner party.
