Are Ina Garten and Martha Stewart the Secret Sauce to Jennifer Garner’s ‘Pretend Cooking Show’?
Over the past two years, Jennifer Garner‘s Pretend Cooking Show has rapidly been picking up followers. Her array of English muffins, bagels, soft pretzels, and various types of bread are enough to make your mouth water. The best part is that the videos are short, — under four minutes — easy, and include great tips along with the recipe.
Garner’s hilarious commentary helps, too. So, where did the actress get the inspiration for all of her recipes? Are Ina Garten and Martha Stewart the secret sauce behind the Pretend Cooking Show?
Ina Garten was the original inspiration for Garner’s ‘Pretend Cooking Show’
The inspiration for Garner’s Pretend Cooking Show looks like it came straight from Ina Garten and The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook series. In her very first video, the actress tagged the author and gave her a loving hashtag, #barefootforever. That first two-and-a-half-minute clip detailed the Peppermint star making Garten’s honey white bread.
Garner loves the chicken chili from Garten’s cookbook, Barefoot Parties, as a great super bowl snack. One of her absolute favorites by Garten is her Beef Bourguignon, which the actress has been making for years.
“I love her videos so much,” Garten told People Magazine when she was asked about the actresses cooking show. “She is adorable and smart and not at all performing—that’s just who she is. I just think she’s really special.”
Garten also said that she is not helping Garner with her cooking shows at all. The actress can take all of the credit, even if the inspiration was originally from the cooking show host.
Garner often channels Martha Stewart recipes for her ‘Pretend Cooking Show’
Garten is not the only person who influenced the actress’s cooking skills. Garner also loves to share a tried and true recipe from Martha Stewart during her Pretend Cooking Show.
“I’ve been making this @marthastewart recipe for years—the roast lemon chicken alone is enough to make you sing,” Garner wrote in an Instagram post. “You can dress it up (homemade stock) or make it in a hurry (broth from a box—don’t tell @inagarten!), whatever you do, this recipe is a sure thing.”
Garner loves to point out the fact that she is not cheating on her original influencer. However, everyone needs a classic Martha Stewart recipe sometimes.
Garner’s recipes aren’t always from Martha Stewart and Ina Garten
The actress sometimes comes up with recipes on her own. Early on in her Pretend Cooking Show, Garner tried to replicate a bagel recipe she made for her family for the holidays. It was an epic fail, so she continued until she got it right. Garner told viewers she would share the recipe when she figured out what it was.
She likes to share recipes from Zoe Nathan, the author of Huckleberry. Garner supports The Huckleberry Cafe in Santa Monica, California, which is family owned and operated. She always tags the cafe owner and author, Nathan, in her videos sharing the Huckleberry recipes.
The actress supports many other businesses with her cooking show videos, including a pizzeria owner, a local farm, and other online recipe websites. While Garten and Stewart might have given Garner the original inspiration for her show, it looks like the actress is her own secret sauce. She finds recipes that work from a massive array of sources and makes them look quick and easy. Keep on cooking Jennifer Garner — we love your secret sauce.
