Celebrity chef Ina Garten, 76, is pulling back the curtain on her career journey, and how she avoided pressures to be like Martha Stewart. Garten, who is widely known as The Barefoot Contessa, spoke about the industry and her rise to fame during an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey podcast on December 24.
![[During the podcast, Oprah brought up the fact that Garten had revealed she had to 'fight like hell' when getting her first cookbook published in 1999]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/24/16/93460419-14224545-During_the_podcast_Oprah_brought_up_the_fact_that_Garten_had_rev-a-18_1735058337255.jpg)
The two spoke about Garten's recently published memoir, Be Ready When The Luck Happens, where she opened up about her tough childhood and marriage in addition to her longstanding career. During the podcast, Oprah brought up the fact that Garten had revealed she had to 'fight like hell' when getting her first cookbook published in 1999.
![['The publishers were trying to change you, but you stuck to your own vision, and wouldn't let them, because I think they were trying to make you like Martha Stewart, or Martha does it this way - what did you learn through that experience?' Oprah asked]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/24/16/92973097-14224545-_The_publishers_were_trying_to_change_you_but_you_stuck_to_your_-a-14_1735058337249.jpg)
'The publishers were trying to change you, but you stuck to your own vision, and wouldn't let them, because I think they were trying to make you like Martha Stewart, or Martha does it this way - what did you learn through that experience?' Oprah asked.
![[Over the years, many people have often compared the two ladies, due to the fact that they have both had extremely successful careers in the culinary and home world]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/24/16/93044459-14224545-Over_the_years_many_people_have_often_compared_the_two_ladies_du-a-15_1735058337249.jpg)
'Just trust your vision,' Garten replied simply. 'I think the thing that works is if you're really true to who you are, if you believe in it so fiercely, somebody out there is gonna believe in it, too,' she continued. 'It's true, it's not, "I'm gonna become this perky whatever it is person that people will love," just put out who you are, and do the best job you can possibly do.'.
![[Rumors of a rift between them have been going on for a few years now, with Stewart most recently claiming that Garten stopped speaking to her after she was sent to prison for insider trading in 2004]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/24/16/92973391-14224545-Rumors_of_a_rift_between_them_have_been_going_on_for_a_few_years-a-16_1735058337251.jpg)
Celebrity chef Ina Garten, 76, is pulling back the curtain on her career journey, and how she avoided pressures to be like Martha Stewart. During the podcast, Oprah brought up the fact that Garten had revealed she had to 'fight like hell' when getting her first cookbook published in 1999.
