Barefoot Contessa (2002–2021) User Reviews

Pleasant cooking show, but unrealistic for the "average joe or jane"...

[slurpygloop · 7/10 · 29 August 2006]

I DO enjoy this show-it's low key and many of the recipes sound great. The only problem: unless you have a ton of time, you can't put these together in a pinch, not to mention the money most of these will cost. But, if you do, you're sure to enjoy it. One example of a minor "flaw": some of her bake sale items are way too complicated or upscale for us lesser folks. More highbrow than some of the other Foodnetwork fare, it is nonetheless a good fit and well worth a look, even if it's in a longing, "I wish I could do /afford that" mode. In summary, it's probably in league with Emeril as it would appear to be a program for the more sophisticated cook with the before mentioned time and cash at one's discretion.

Love the show!

[chasemo2000 · 8/10 · 13 November 2008]

I love Ina! She's kind of a snob, but her food always looks excellent! Her house is fabulous and so is the garden! My family and I have made a few recipes and we weren't disappointed. I wonder why the Food Network never includes her in their specials though. I figure she's too good for them! I love that she's not a stick figure too! You can tell she's enjoying life! Her friends seem like they've known her for quite awhile and are always good sports. Some of the things she makes are not very practical, but that's OK. My sisters and I joke about what the perfect meal would be from her, and we always argue because there are so many to choose from!

My favorite, for the most part.

[kellydanek-130-98151 · 8/10 · 4 August 2022]

I love Ina, I have all her books, I love her recipes, her home, her life - she is blessed and talented. She does tend to overuse certain words and phrases such as "...for a little heat," "...just give it a rough chop." and I would like to play a drinking game for every time she says "fabulous."

For People Who Love to Cook

[historylover · 10/10 · 6 August 2006]

Barefoot Contessa is an amazing show. She is a perfectionist and her recipes are not always easy, but here's the kicker "they are always good". Many of her recipes have a French flair to them - old school cooking. This cooking is not always healthful - but in moderation is heavenly.

I like Ina's low key attitude. She speaks clearly and intelligibly - not running off crazy bird. I would rather spend an hour on a good Ina recipe than 45 minutes on a bad Rachael Ray recipe. With that said - that is the difference.

Ina Garten is a highly successful career woman - with a an amazing ability to cook. Her recipe for Roast Chicken is easy and amazing a favorite at our house. I also very much enjoy her ideas on table settings, decor, and party planning. She is a less abrasive version of Martha.

I am from an old school European family. We love to make beautiful meals. I was taught from an early age to set a beautiful table - that you did not scarf down your food - you dined - enjoyed it. I know we all have busy lives but a return to beautifully prepared meals and great conversation is much more needed in today's society.

Love it

[ritapanapasa · 10/10 · 5 November 2006]

Ina Garden rocks her cooking is simple,tasty,and fun to make. I love making her deserts it's really easy. She talks the talks and walks the walks. I mean some other cooking shows the ingredients are really hard to find. But Ina recipes are easy and great. I mean her famous roast chicken are really tasty. I bought her book about 2 weeks ago and the recipes are easy. In her show I sometimes like to cook along with her. And I love cooking, Ina's show makes a big difference for new people who are trying to cook. Watch this show and love it. It has great ideas of cooking and you might learn something new. Like I learned a new way of how to set the table..................laugh out loud. But the point is she is a great host a chef and her cooking is of the hook.

Love this show !!!

[lillen0425 · 1/10 · 14 August 2006]

I love this show. I love the interaction between Ina and her husband Jeffery. They make such a cute couple.I never miss this show (everyday at 5 PM.) :) It's better than watching annoying Rachel or WORSE that Sandra lee & her semi-homemade junk....Ugh... That woman is SO full of herself!! Ina is so refreshing she doesn't need get all dressed up like that Sandra lee woman,like it's a fashion show. Ina's personality & food speak for themselves . I also love the fact that she does the "Dinner party" thing or just a small meal / lunch for herself or a special dinner for Jeffery . It's different.Her food always looks SO Delicious too. I have tried a couple of her dishes & they were easy & fun to make.

Simply the best

[mrcaw12 · 10/10 · 20 March 2008]

This cooking show is outstanding for a variety of reasons.

First and foremost, is Ina Garten. She has such a relaxed speaking voice that you can't not help but feel relaxed. Her entire demeanor is one of a relaxed, good friend. You get the feeling that you're a long time friend of hers & you're simply sitting on a stool in her kitchen & she's talking with you as she prepares her meal.

Her recipes of course are always tantalizing and I always get hungry watching her show.

Her East Hampton home is classy & elegant without being pretentious.

And it's great that she doesn't focus solely on the food but brings in the other elements to fine dining: that being table set-ups, location and of course people! It's fun to see the different locales on her show; whether it's her own back yard, or the beach or a friend's home.

Ina Garten is a class act in this world of crass, kitchy-ness!

I'd rather watch paint dry

[Fading_Light · 21 April 2006]

This show is really annoying.Ina gets on my nerves every time she laughs.At least when you're gonna laugh,laugh at something funny.Also she says, "WHO Wouldn't WANT THAT..." after she explains the dish.Its irritating because there is probably someone out there in the world who wouldn't want that!

Also what is the point about the flowers.Every show she has someone going out 2 buy flowers for the table setting.Which don't make sense because there's only like 2 of them eating.And every episode she has friends over most of which are male.If i was her husband i would keep an eye on her.She looks like the lonely type.

Finally, the recipes are okay but i don't think its worth it 2 tolerate Ina for half an hour.I'd recommend going online without watching the show for the recipes.Thats just how i feel.

8/10 for the recipes but 3/10 for the host.

Yucky Yuppie

[jhforhan-88097 · 1/10 · 16 January 2017]

These positive reviews read like Ina and Jeffery wrote them on their own. The show is ridiculously yuppie upper class menu items. The one recipe my wife and I decided to make (the roasted chicken "historylover" claimed was amazing) tasted terrible and became garbage after tasting. Her snobby attitude projects itself amazingly, even through a television set. Every episode she spends half of it driving in her car buying some sort of "surprise dish for Jeffery", the other half of the episode is split between her actually cooking the bad food and showing off her giant home. Yes we get it, your rich and live rich. This is a the worst show on Food Network. If you want to watch a pretentious upper class snob cook food that would poison your dog, than it's perfect for you. Otherwise watch a chef who cooks food that wouldn't cost you a paycheck to supply the ingredients for. As for the reviewer Historylover, nice try Ina.

Ina Garten exudes talent and class

[marymary-35354 · 10/10 · 20 October 2015]

Ina Garten is one of my favorite shows, even in daily re-runs. Her casual upscale style, friendly demeanor, and authenticity is what attracts me as both a viewer and a student. I have learned so much from her since very the first episode from roasting root vegetables, to adding coffee to chocolate. Her recipes are simple, delicious, and elegant all at the same time. It's also fun to meet Ina's East Hampton friends, and get a peek into their lives. Barefoot Contessa not only teaches cooking, it's a pleasant, rich visual course in gardening, floral décor, table scape, cocktails, and entertaining. I am looking forward to her 2015 Thanksgiving special with Bobby Flay, and hopefully THIS year, Ina will be able to get 4 words in without Giada interrupting her.

I agree she is too rich and snobby. Here's my Hamptons house!!

[lopezpatricia-06139 · 1/10 · 2 August 2019]

It's a shame as I kinda like ina. But it's all about her rubbing our noses in her Hamptons home and her 100million dollar lifestyle!!! The things she 'prepares' she doesn't cook, it's all about her just laying stuff on a serving platter...... and as for her friends that's just a joke.. the florist in the pink shirt mincing about with his flowers then introduces his wife to everyone. Either wealthy Americans don't have the guts to come out or they are like posh English men that appear gay when not. INAs tv persona is awkward as she constantly has a nervous laugh with makes her show seem unprofessional. In fact her laugh makes me cringe. I think she landed this job through connections with her rich friends as I don't think she belongs on a professional chefs program. The conversation even between her and Jeff is inorganic and that's her husband. I don't mind wealthy people but not when they run your nose In it like this show does.

My Idol

[drkwly · 10/10 · 4 August 2021]

I grew up watching Ina. She inspired me to learn to cook. For the past 15 years I've mastered her recipes and her entertaining techniques. I've thrown countless dinner parties; always following her table setting, flower arranging and seating advice. People are always impressed and I've even gotten jobs because of it. I love to entertain and I owe it all to Ina.

To the people who say she's snobby or too rich. I get it. Yes she often wears a Cartier watch and an Hermès bracelet when cooking, and yes her recipes can be a bit expensive and over the top. However, you're watching a show about a women living in the Hamptons, cooking and entertaining with her gay friends. What exactly did you expect? Also, the fact she's rich shouldn't take away from the fact she is an amazing cook with great easy to follow recipes. Not to mention she has like 11 Emmy's. Stay in your semi-homemade lane, and keep cooking your uninspired Sandra Lee recipes.

Sweet, relaxed, comforting cooking show

[Riles123 · 10/10 · 17 February 2020]

Anyone who says Ina is yuppie should really check the accuracy of their perceptions. I usually notice an elitist "vibe" in people and there's none of that going on in this show. I love Ina's demeanor--I think she's calm and sweet and my favorite, authentic. She doesn't talk too much or put on an overdone TV personality. I used to watch this when I was just a kid in the early 2000's and it reminds me of the calmness and sweetness of those days. Modern TV is largely anxiety-ridden. Bring back TV without constant talking and laugh tracks and with pauses in between action like normal life...

Ina is a sweetheart and her and her husband are just so cute. She is a joy to watch.

Smelly Foot Privilege

[bkkaz · 3/10 · 23 October 2022]

I'm a big fan of cooking shows -- nowadays, Jacques Pepin is the gold standard. His warm, gentle, lowkey approach to cooking is a breath of fresh air in an age of loud music, quick camera cuts, and hosts who try to hard to be celebrities.

That brings us to stink foot here. I've tried to watch her show more than once. It's nauseating because it's the opposite of Pepin. Here, you're constantly reminded about her, her life, her family, her privilege, etc. I get it. For people who identify with her, she's some kind of hero. But I watch a cooking show for the food and, you know, the cooking. A good editor can cut 50% of the "content" in her program and discover there's considerably less on actual cooking. I get, too, that she's trying to compete with Martha Stewart, but one of those is too many, too. So, as soon as I see her boring suburban mug, I have to switch the channel.