The Reason Ina Garten Says She's Not A 'Confident Cook'

Ina Garten has had somewhat of an unusual path to becoming a world-famous cook. While most chefs spend their early careers going to culinary schools and working their way up the ranks in restaurants, Garten was employed by the White House Office of Management and Budget in Washington D.C., according to Insider. Creating her own recipes was a little different than helping to write the nuclear budget, but she fell in love with cooking while visiting Paris in the 1970s and everything changed for her.

"I had always thought about French food as 'cuisine' with complicated preparations and slowly simmered sauces," said Garten, per Bon Appétit. "I discovered French street markets and simple, seasonal food that was based on incredibly good ingredients."

After that, she saw an ad for a food store in New York and knew she had to purchase it. The rest, as they say, is history. Since then the Barefoot Contessa has gone on to write multiple successful cookbooks, has her own show, and even picked up some Emmy Awards along the way. With this type of pedigree, you'd think Garten would be extremely confident in the kitchen, but she recently revealed to "60 Minutes" that's not the case.

Considering all her cooking accomplishments, it's hard to fathom that Garten would have any hesitation when it comes to preparing meals. However, she recently admitted in an interview with "60 Minutes" that she's not always sure of her herself. "I know people don't believe this, but I'm really a nervous cook and I'm sure every recipe is going to turn out wrong," she divulged. "So I'm incredibly precise."

Garten said she admires other cooking stars that are so confident when making entrees. "People like Bobby Flay have worked in restaurant kitchens all his life and he can just throw things together," she explained. "I've watched him and he's such a brilliant cook. I'm not that person, I didn't have that experience."

Garten revealed that she often tests out a recipe 10 to 25 times before she thinks it's good enough for the public. This also involves having multiple people try to make her recipe, in order to work out any issues or directions that might not be clear. "I just want you to feel like I'm right there beside you, just kind of guiding you through the recipe," she said. This kind of care and humbleness is just what we would expect from the culinary icon, which makes us love her even more.