Ina Garten on Why Separation From Husband Jeffrey Made Sense (original) (raw)

Ina Garten made a startling revelation in her new memoir, “Be Ready When the Luck Happens.” In an excerpt from her upcoming memoir, the Food Network star detailed her separation from her husband, Jeffery Garten, and how the couple almost divorced. Eventually, she revealed what led her to pause her decision to separate from her husband in the 1970s.

Ina Garten reveals why she didn’t divorce her husband Jeffrey

Ina Garten made a surprising revelation about her and Jeffery Garten’s relationship in her new memoir, “Be Ready When the Luck Happens.” According to People, this was back when she ran the Barefoot Contessa with her husband after quitting her job in Washington D.C. She further talked about breaking “traditional roles,” and how as a businesswoman, she couldn’t think about anything else apart from work responsibilities.

The Food Network star then detailed her struggles with finding herself and how it impacted her relationship with Jeffery. “When Jeffrey came on weekends, he was a distraction. I didn’t pay enough attention to him. I just wanted everyone to leave me alone so I could concentrate on the store,” she explained. “Jeffrey was fully formed and living the life he wanted to live. I wasn’t, and I wouldn’t be able to figure out who I was or what I wanted unless I was on my own. I needed that freedom.”

The cook’s “lowest point” ultimately led her to think if she wanted a divorce. However, she eventually decided to pause the separation since she didn’t want to hurt Jeffery. She continued, “It was the hardest thing I ever did. I told him that I needed to be on my own. I didn’t say whether it was for now… or forever.” However, Jeffery was more than supportive of this decision.

Recalling Jerffery’s response, Ina wrote, “He said, ‘If you feel like you need to be on your own, you need to do it.’ He packed his bag and went home to Washington with no plan to come back. I buried my emotions and threw myself into my work.” Ina further recalled her conversation with her husband at the train station while she moved back to D.C. Jeffery asked her what he could do to salvage their relationship because he cast his doubts about them “might be heading for divorce.”

Ina realized that she couldn’t live with Jeffery “in a traditional ‘man and wife’ relationship.” The star realized Jeffery “hadn’t done anything wrong” and that “he was just doing what every man before him had done.” She continued, “But we were living in a new era, and that behavior wasn’t okay with me anymore. I had changed.” She asked her husband to seek therapy with a professional who “would help him see her as a partner with an equally important voice.”

It all made sense for the couple when Jeffery volunteered to seek therapy and an hour was all he needed. The star realized that her husband was determined to make their marriage work. Ina wrote, “Six weeks passed. We talked, we listened, and more important, we heard each other when we aired our concerns. Moving forward, we could be equals who took care of each other. It wouldn’t happen overnight, but if we worked toward the same goal, we could change things together.”

Eventually, the couple beat their struggles and came out stronger. Ina revealed that she had no regrets about asking for a separation. She noted that the two wouldn’t have their relationship as it is today if she hadn’t moved ahead with it.

The latest People report stated that Jeffery, 77, is now a Yale professor and has been a “lifeline” for Ina since they started dating in the early 1960s. The author also revealed details about her childhood and how she experienced abuse from her parents.