Barefoot Contessa
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| Barefoot Contessa | |
|---|---|
| Created by | Ina Garten |
| Starring | Ina Garten |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| No. of episodes | 111, as of December 2007[update][1] |
| Production | |
| Running time | 20–23 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | Food Network |
| Release | November 30, 2002 – present |
Barefoot Contessa is a cooking show that premiered November 30, 2002 on Food Network. This popular show is hosted by celebrity chef Ina Garten. Each episode features Garten assembling dishes of varying complexity. Though her speciality is French cuisine, she occasionally prepares American, Asian, British and Italian foods. Her show also gives tips on decorating and entertaining.
Title
The "Barefoot Contessa" name comes from Garten's best-selling cookbook, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, which in turn was named after her specialty food store which she bought in 1978. The store, which is no longer in operation, opened in 1975 and was named after the 1954 film of the same name. The show is recorded in Garten's home in East Hampton, New York.
Contents
Garten's show features the preparation of a multi-course meal, usually for her close friends, colleagues or husband, Jeffrey. Her recipes often include fresh herbs, which she hand-harvests from her backyard garden. Table settings include both simple and elegant dishes, and are often accompanied by her own flowers or those brought in by Michael Grim, a friend and local florist who is frequently on the show.
Garten deconstructs complex French recipes like boeuf bourguignon or Baba au Rhum cake. She focuses on preparing foods efficiently, allowing more time to spend with guests.
The show is taped mostly in her own kitchen and features fast-moving camera shots and closeups (e.g., perfectly-ripened fruits, eggs falling from the shells, or caramel sauce melting and sizzling in a shining steel pan).
The show was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in 2005 in the category Best Service Show. In 2009, it was once again nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in the categories of Best Culinary Program and Best Culinary Host; Garten won her first Emmy in the latter category.[2]
Ina Garten faced backlash when she twice refused to meet with Enzo Pereda, a six year old diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, through a request made by the Make A Wish Foundation. Enzo had become a fan of the Barefoot Contessa after watching her show while bedridden. After a public outcry, she made formal request for the boy to visit her show. However, the family refused stating that the boy would instead be granted his second wish of swimming with a dolphin. [3]
Barefoot Contessa airs in Australia on the Lifestyle Food Channel, in the UK on the channels Good Food and Food Network UK, in Poland on the channel Kuchnia.tv, and in the Middle East on the Fatafeat Channel.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Association | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Service Show | Nominated |
| 2007 | Outstanding Lifestyle Program | Nominated | |
| 2008 | Outstanding Lifestyle Host — Ina Garten | Nominated | |
| 2009 | Outstanding Culinary Program | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Lifestyle/Culinary Host — Ina Garten | Won | ||
| 2010 | Outstanding Lifestyle/Culinary Host — Ina Garten | Won |
References
- ^ TV : Barefoot Contessa : Barefoot Contessa : Food Network
- ^ List of Emmy Awards from the Emmy Website. Accessed August 7, 2010
- ^ [1] from ABC. 31 March 2011