Ina Garten reveals her friendship with Jennifer Garner almost didn’t happen when assistant threw her letter away

Jennifer Garner and Ina Garten, 76, have been friends for more than 12 years but they almost didn’t get the chance to get to know one another. 

‘People who didn’t understand that the guests on my show were my friends in real life often wrote to see if they could cook with me,’ Ina writes in her new memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens, via People.

‘[My assistant] Barbara handled my correspondence and always sent polite letters explaining how the show worked. One day, she’d offhandedly dismissed a letter from Jennifer Garner because she apparently didn’t realize who she was.’ 

 But Ina – who also opens up about her husband Jeffrey in her book – knew who Jennifer was and ‘had an instinct’ about her.

‘She seemed smart, funny and so grounded, very un-Hollywood,’ Ina wrote in her book.

‘I thought she was someone I could have fun with. I reached out to her when we were shooting an episode in Los Angeles, made a date to cook together, and, as we both suspected, felt an instant connection. We’ve been friends ever since.’ 

Ina went on to write that it was around the time Jennifer was turning 40 that the two first met and she received an invitation to the actress’ birthday party. 

‘She very sweetly invited me to her birthday party, which was amazing,’ Ina told People.

And I loved it because it was 40 women that were invited in their sweat clothes and they were instructed not to have their hair done or anything, hair in a ponytail, sweat, clothes and sneakers,’ she explained.

‘And they were wonderful, wonderful women and it was a very good time.’  

Garner wrote to Ina because she is a big fan of the Barefoot Contessa and her work. 

In April, Garner was a guest on Be My Guest in Garten’s famous East Hampton, New York kitchen.

While there, they two gal pals took the opportunity to also film one of Jennifer’s Pretend Cooking Show videos that she features on her Instagram from time to time. 

‘People who didn’t understand that the guests on my show were my friends in real life often wrote to see if they could cook with me,’ Ina writes in her new memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens, via People

‘[My assistant] Barbara handled my correspondence and always sent polite letters explaining how the show worked’

‘One day, she’d offhandedly dismissed a letter from Jennifer Garner because she apparently didn’t realize who she was’

But Ina knew who Jennifer was and ‘had an instinct’ about her. ‘She seemed smart, funny and so grounded, very un-Hollywood,’ Ina wrote in her book

‘Happy birthday to my Queen, my friend, and my Cooking Fairy, @inagarten,’ Jennifer’s Instagram caption began.

‘Making a Pretend Cooking Show with the Contessa who inspired it was meta for my brain,’ she wrote adding two exploding head emojis.

‘I always love meeting up with you, Ina, especially for our very special, to-be-seen-in-2024 get together in your beautiful barn.’

Ina added of Jennifer: ‘She is grounded and principled and smart and incredible parent and great cook. She’s just extraordinary.’