Though published in 2024, a story about perseverance, serendipity, and hard work never grows old. Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa, has certainly had all three. In the memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens she traces her life from a strict childhood in Brooklyn, to an early marriage to Jeffery Garten, and then a trial-and-error journey to becoming an honored chef, prolific cookbook author, and a successful and well-known television personality.
Though she was always associated with the nickname, “The Barefoot Contessa,” it was already an established before she became associated with it. One tidbit we learn in the opening chapters is the story of how she was looking to find another career path than the one she was on – working in the Office of Management and Budget office in Washington, DC. There, she found herself thinking more about recipes than government issues.
Not afraid of taking risks, Garten decides to find a “new profession,” one that would fulfill her need for creativity and independence. The purchase of an established gourmet food and cheese shop in Westhampton Beach, NY was her ticket out. Even though Garten, “never worked in the food business, never hired an employee, and had never set foot in the Hamptons,” she made an offer on the shop and in a few days, Garten became a business owner without knowing how to run one.
In a warm and conversational style, her writing is inviting and playful. She brings readers into her thought process as she contemplates life changes with an air of “why not.” This style of decision-making was forged by her parents who were strict, provided little encouragement for her own ideas, and gave their daughter the belief she was not good enough. It was in college when she had her first taste of life on her terms, and married her boyfriend, the recently graduated Jeffrey Garten. She now had a willing partner who would share in this life of risk-taking, as she discovered her sense of empowerment.
Author Photo by Quentin Bacon
Rather than adding preachy mottos, she lets her stories and her actions do the work. When a plan went awry, she found a way to fix it; when there was trouble in her marriage, she didn’t hesitate to speak up and offer suggestions with compassion and grace. There’s a passage about having to do marathon baking, “twenty-to-twenty-two-hour days” on the weekend to keep up with the bakery demand. Though suffering from buyer’s remorse about the bakery purchase, she also knew it was the most exhilarating work she’d ever done.
Though the title implies that she had a lot of “luck” over the years, it was the faith in herself and the gumption to take opportunities when they arose that played a bigger part. She was self-taught in many respects, was brave in the chances she took, and was willing to step back and redirect her efforts if coming upon an obstacle.
There’s plenty to like in this engaging read that also has some of her famous recipes popping up in between chapters. For those interested in starting their own business, there’s plenty of inspiration, or for those looking to learn how to add a new spin to a traditional dish, one may feel they’re in a master cooking class.
Be Ready When the Luck Happens
Ina Garten
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