Why 'Barefoot Contessa' Ina Garten Almost Divorced Her Husband

Ina Garten has been married for some time, however, it was not always happy.

In an interview with People, the Barefoot Contessa hostess shared that she once almost divorced her husband, Jeffery Garten. The reasoning: it all came down to her feeling like she was playing the role of a housewife.

"There were certain roles that we played, and I found them really annoying. felt that if I just hit the pause button, I would get his attention," she said.

However, Ina shared that buying her speciality food store helped to save their marriage and changed their relationship dynamic.

"When I bought Barefoot Contessa, I shattered our traditional roles—took a baseball bat to them and left them in pieces," she revealed.

"While I was still cooking, cleaning, shopping, managing at the store, I was doing it as a businesswoman, not a wife. My responsibilities made it impossible for me to even think about anything else. There was no expectation about who got home from work first and what they should do, because I never got home from work!" Ina added.

"I thought about it a lot, and at my lowest point, I wondered if the only answer would be to get a divorce. I loved Jeffrey and didn’t want to shock—or hurt—him, so I’d start by suggesting we pause for a separation," she furthered.

Ina said that seeing a therapist helped the couple regain their relationship and that they have been strong ever since.

"Jeffrey’s willingness to see the therapist was as significant as anything that might happen during their session. He was that determined to convince me he was serious about making our marriage work," she shared.

The couple married in December 1968 and are going on 56 years together later this year now.