The Grueling Way Ina Garten Used To Have To Stock Her Store Every Week

Ina Garten's new memoir "Be Ready When the Luck Happens" hit shelves this week, and curious fans of the Barefoot Contessa were treated to some juicy tidbits of its content. Did she and her beloved Jeffrey actually separate for a while? Is it true that the queen of the Food Network actually failed her first party? The book is filled with all sorts of things you didn't know about the celebrity chef. 

While it may not be as scandalous as some parts of the book, there's one passage that stands out. It demonstrates Ina Garten's commitment to her former business and her suppliers. Once a week, Garten would drive from her home in the Hamptons on Long Island to New York City in a rented station wagon, setting out at 3:00 a.m. She would make the rounds to all her favorite places to buy things for her shop, The Barefoot Contessa.

From the oldest cheese shop in America to another shop for fresh pasta to her favorite bakery for croissants, Garten picked up food and dropped off checks. After she had made all her stops, it was time to turn around for home, only to repeat the process the following Wednesday.

Ina's home in Westhampton was a long drive into the city. At a minimum, it would take her two-and-a-half hours each way, longer if there was traffic. Anyone who has ever spent ten minutes driving in New York City knows there's always traffic. She wouldn't get home until midnight and then had to unload and stock the store.

Ina Garten doesn't mention this in her memoir to garner sympathy from her readers. In fact, even though she says that these 21-hour days were exhausting, she admits that she loved the opportunity to connect with her suppliers weekly. They were a key component to the success of her shop.

According to her website, Ina spent 18 years "perfecting baguettes and chicken salad" before selling Barefoot Contessa. The store had grown from 400 sq. feet to 3,000 sq. feet and saw great success, but Ina wanted to pursue other interests. Shortly after the sale of the store, her cookbook career took off, and in 2003, her career path led her to the Food Network and her award-winning show Barefoot Contessa, the name that started it all.