Knowing that Ina Garten would be publishing her newest cookbook, Simply Ina, this October, I took the shot of asking for this interview. As I always say (my favorite Wayne Gretzky/Michael Scott quote): “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” I threw it out into the universe, and Joanna, incredible as always, made it happen. When CoJ editor Kaitlyn called to confirm the interview, she very sweetly explained that “the date and time are unfortunately firm,” and I was like, “Literally nothing could be more important. I will cancel everything!”

Me, taking a deep breath before meeting my idol.

That’s how I got to sit face-to-face on Zoom with Ina Garten for an hour. To say it was everything I’d hoped for would be an understatement. Joanna once described me as “a generous laugh-er,” and I’d say Ina shares that same quality, so just imagine the two of us lol-ing away as you read our conversation. It was a joy to dig into cooking with someone who, 14 cookbooks later, is still finding new ways to inspire us. Here’s a condensed version of our conversation:

Casey: Ina, I can’t believe I’m talking to you. This is so exciting.
Ina: Thank you. So nice to meet you, Casey.

Simply Ina is your 14th cookbook, which is impossible to wrap my head around. What keeps you excited to walk into the kitchen?
Wherever I am, it’s an inspiration. I was in the South of France, and this restaurant had a bourbon sour with chocolate liqueur and vanilla. It was the best drink I’d ever had in my life, and I came home and made it. And my new book has the farro salad from Charlie Bird in New York. The chef Ryan Hardy told me that he does seasonal versions of the salad. And I thought, What a great idea. Let’s make an autumn version with butternut squash. And it was fabulous.

The premise of Simply Ina is basically: how do I make something wonderful without making it harder than it needs to be? Are there things you did from scratch 20 years ago that you now think, ‘Why on earth was I doing that?’
It’s not that my recipes have gotten simpler, it’s that I’ve found good substitutes for things. So, maybe I’ll incorporate an ingredient like Rao’s marinara sauce, which is really good, so you don’t have to make your own sauce. In this book, I have a recipe for Chipotle Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes, and I found really good mashed sweet potatoes at Trader Joe’s. So, I added chipotle powder and maple and butter and salt and pepper — and I thought, Nobody would ever know that I didn’t roast a sweet potato.

The idea of you shopping at Trader Joe’s brings me so much joy.
The first time I went there, I got five prepared foods that looked interesting. I brought them to the register, and it was like $14.70. I said, ‘No, no, no. I got five things, not just one.’ She said, ‘That’s all five.’ I was like, Why does anybody ever cook anymore?

You seem to have a very clear sense of what an ‘Ina recipe’ is. What does a recipe have to do for you to know it belongs in a cookbook?
If there’s a main ingredient — let’s take the Chipotle Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes — I’m always looking for how I can make it taste more like a sweet potato. Seasoning makes it taste more like itself. Butter makes it more appealing, more unctuous, a little richer. And just enough chipotle for balance. If there are more than three flavors in a recipe, it gives me a headache.

Do you start big with a recipe and then refine it?
Absolutely, every recipe has been tested probably 20 times. I’ll look at each ingredient and think: Can you really taste that ingredient? Is it worth somebody getting into their car, going to the grocery store, buying the ingredient, bringing it home, and having what’s left of it on their shelf? Every ingredient in a recipe has to earn its place.

What a great approach.
I really want people to cook. Because when you cook, everybody shows up and you create a community around yourself. And I think the simpler the recipe, the more likely you are to make it.

Ina with her podcast guests.

Let’s talk about your new podcast, Happy Hour. Has interviewing felt like a new skill to learn, or is it another form of hosting?
Well, I’ve always been really interested in people. I have gotten better at following up — like, ‘What did you mean by that?’ — instead of jumping to the next question. Because that’s where things get interesting.

You have an extraordinary ability to make guests feel at ease. When someone walks through the door, how do you help them exhale?
I filmed an episode with Alison Roman, whom I adore. And I had never met her. I had a sense that she might be nervous because we’re both in the same business. She walked off the elevator and I gave her a big hug, and I could feel her go, Whew. Then we were off to the races. When I filmed with Michael Lewis, I was nervous because I admire him so much. And he gave me a big hug, and I could feel myself going, Oh, this is going to be great. So, I think a big hug always helps.

Something I find remarkable about your career is that your point of view has stayed incredibly singular while the culture around food has changed enormously. How do you know when to evolve and when to say, ‘No, this is just how I do things’?
You know, food culture has evolved in restaurants, but I’m not sure it’s changed so much at home. People want very simple food at home. They want roast chicken, roast carrots, coconut cupcakes.

Good point.
But sometimes I’ll add ingredients that I didn’t really use before — like truffle butter. My recipe for egg salad takes no time at all, and truffle butter gives it a whole different level of flavor. When I go back to my early recipes, some don’t have enough flavor for me. We’ve learned a lot since then.

Behind the scenes of Ina’s podcast.

Finally, I want to hit you with a lightning round. Don’t think, just go with your gut! Favorite fast food?
In-N-Out Double-Double Animal Style burger — Julia Child’s order.

Favorite ice cream flavor?
Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Bean. Anybody who makes vanilla ice cream for themselves is crazy because theirs is so good.

An ingredient you can’t live without?
Good butter. Beurre de baratte with flaked sea salt. It is not only delicious, but it’s got a crunch.

A food you hate?
Cilantro. I can’t understand why anybody eats it.

Music to play while cooking?
I love Pink Martini.

Most-used emoji?
The red heart and sideways laughing emoji.

Comfort movie?
Nancy Meyers’s Something’s Gotta Give.

If you could teleport anywhere in space and time for one meal tonight, where are you going?
Le Voltaire in Paris. Just classic French. Lovely, warm, elegant, delicious, simple food. And then walking home at night through the streets of Paris. The best.

Ina, thank you so, so much. I really appreciate your taking the time.
My total pleasure.

Casey Elsass is a food writer, recipe developer, and cookbook author based in Brooklyn. He is the author of the bestselling cookbook What Can I Bring?: Recipes to Help You Live Your Guest Life and has co-authored more than 30 cookbooks. His writing has appeared in publications including The New York Times, New York Magazine, Bon Appétit, NPR, Food52, and, of course, Cup of Jo.

P.S. Seven lessons I learned from Ina Garten’s memoir, and what foods DON’T you like?

(Photos courtesy of Ina Garten. Portrait of Casey Elsass by Taylor Miller. Cookbook photos by Casey Elsass.)