Before celebrity chef speaker Ina Garten became a famous Food Network chef, she was working at the White House on nuclear energy policies. Not the first place you’d guess a future chef to be starting out! She saw an ad for a small food store for sale in the Hamptons, two months later; she was the owner of Barefoot Contessa, a 400-sq. ft. specialty food store. Fast forward 20 years, and Barefoot Contessa was 3,000 sq. ft. with 20 cooks and bakers who prepare food on a daily basis. With 25 more employees helping the customers find what they needed. In 1996, Ina Garten sold her store to her employees, and in 2003 the new owners of Barefoot Contessa decided to close its doors.

Her first cookbook, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, was one of the bestselling cookbooks of the year in 1999. Her next cookbook, Barefoot Contessa Parties! was also a best seller as were the next five. In 2005, Ina Garten and business partner Frank Newbold started a very successful line of Barefoot Contessa Party products, including baking mixes and sauces.

Ina has written a column for Martha Stewart Living magazine, O magazine and House Beautiful. She is currently the host of Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network. She is available for speaking engagements, cooking demonstrations and hosting.

APPEARANCES: Food Network, Barefoot Contessa, Chefography, 30 Rock

BOOKS: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, Barefoot Contessa Parties!, Barefoot Contessa Family Style, Barefoot in Paris, Barefoot Contessa at Home, Barefoot Contessa – Back to Basics

TO WORK WITH FABIO VIVIANI: Celebrity Chef Fabio Viviani can be hired for endorsements and events in roles such as culinary consultant, event planner, public speaker, autograph signings, cooking demonstrations, hosting, Mommy Blogger events, SMT’S, public relation campaigns, team building events and corporate hospitality.