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Martha Stewart and Ina Garden are two of the biggest names in the life space, but their former friendship has apparently evaporated.
They first crossed paths in the early 1990s when Stewart went shopping at Garten’s now-closed Barefoot Contessa store in East Hampton, New York.
“My table was right in front of the cheese box and we just ended up talking,” Garten recalled in a 2017 interview. TIME. “We ended up actually doing a benefit together where it was at her house and I was the caterer, and we became friends after that.
Almost a decade later, the couple’s relationship reportedly broke up.
“When I was sent to Alderson Prison, she stopped talking to me,” Stewart said September 2024 interview with The New Yorker. “I found that extremely disturbing and extremely hostile.”
Stewart was found guilty of a crime conspiracy to obstruct and make false statements to federal investigators. She was sentenced to five months in prison and a period of two years under supervision. The Martha Stewart Living alum was released from prison in March 2005.
Garten, however, has claimed on numerous occasions that Stewart’s recollection of their argument is inaccurate.
So what’s the real story behind Stewart and Garten’s apparent feud? Allow us to explain:
The Headline
The two lifestyle gurus used to be thick as thieves, but Stewart’s prison sentence has clearly caused a rift – if you ask her. Garten, however, sees it differently.
“Well, let’s just say her story isn’t quite right,” Garten said during a December 2024 interview. People Questions and answers. “You know, that was 25 years ago. I think it’s time to let it go.”
Key players
Both Stewart and Garten are known for their recipes and decorating tips, which they’ve shared on their respective cooking shows and cookbooks over the years. Stewart steered her Martha Stewart Living series between 1993 and 2004 The Martha Stewart Show between 2005 and 2012. She published her first cookbook in 1982.
Meanwhile, in 1978, Garten opened her store, Barefoot Contessa. Within a few years, she expanded retail and began selling cookbooks. A Barefoot Contessa the show later debuted on the Food Network in 2002.
After Stewart began shopping at Barefoot Contessa, one day she brought a book publisher with her—the rest is Garten’s literary career history.
Snoop Dogg has come to the defense of best friend Martha Stewart against Ina Garten’s recent claims. “Have you read Ina Garten’s memoir yet?” Andy Cohen asked Stewart, 83, on the Sunday, Oct. 20 episode of Watch What Happens Live. Stewart made it clear that she had read “parts” of the book, Be Ready When (…)
The Gist
Garten published a memoir under the title Be ready when luck strikes September 2024, in which she wrote about their once strong relationship. In it, she claimed that the couple simply lost touch when Garten moved from New York to Connecticut. Stewart, meanwhile, claims the BFF breakup came when she was sentenced to prison.
Stewart also has no plans to read Garten’s book in its entirety.
“She can write whatever she wants,” Stewart kuipped on Watch what happens live with Andy Cohendoubling down on her account that the feud began with her prison sentence. She added that she only skimmed “parts” of the memoir.
Why it’s a big deal:
While both lifestyle gurus are successful individually, Stewart and Garten often boasted before their apparent feud.
“I think she did something really important, which was she took something that was underappreciated, which was domestic art, and took it to a level where people were proud to do it and that completely changed the landscape,” he said. Garten TIME 2017. “Then I took it in my direction, which is that I’m not a trained professional chef, cooking is really hard for me — here I am 40 years in the food business, and it’s still hard for me.”
Ina Garden Michael Bezjian/WireImage
What people are saying:
Stewart has since become close Snoop Dogg — a friendship that surprised us all. During the joint VVHL When he appeared in October 2024, the rapper claimed that Stewart doesn’t “fight with people.”
What we say:
Stewart and Garten are culinary icons and rightfully occupy a place in the thriving lifestyle industry. Why do we even have to pit two successful women against each other? Besides, not everyone has to be best friends – for whatever reason.
What’s next:
With both Stewart and Garten sticking to their stories, a future reconciliation is unlikely.
