Ina Garten is an American author and television personality, best known for her cooking show, Barefoot Contessa, which premiered in 2003. She has published several cookbooks, with her first, also titled Barefoot Contessa, released in 1999. Garten's cooking style emphasizes simple, elegant dishes that are accessible to home cooks. Born on February 2, 1948, in Brookville, New York, Garten studied at Williams College and later worked in the White House as a budget analyst. She opened her specialty food store, also named Barefoot Contessa, in the 1970s, which helped launch her culinary career and brand.