**Ina Garten’s Secrets to Self-Care and Dinner Parties Revealed**
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Celebrated television personality and culinary icon Ina Garten, popularly known for her appearances on the Food Network, has opened up about her well-established self-care habits that keep her grounded and balanced. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Garten, 78, discusses her rituals, which include weekly massages, fitness routines, and intimate dinner gatherings with close friends.
For the past 41 years, Garten has maintained a unique Sunday night tradition: a relaxing massage. “Every Sunday, a masseuse comes to give me a massage, which is heaven,” she explained. She emphasises that this routine is foundational in preparing her for the week ahead, combining relaxation with self-care.
Health and fitness play significant roles in Garten’s structured regimen. She engages a personal trainer who visits her twice a week and has been devoted to yoga for 25 years. Initially, she struggled with the discipline required in yoga, often finding it difficult to quiet her racing thoughts. “In the beginning, I’d be thinking, ‘Is it done yet?’” she recalls, adding, “But you just train yourself to do that.” Now, Garten cherishes the physical, emotional, and mental benefits yoga provides. Her yoga instructor encourages a focus on the present, stating, “Nothing else to do, nothing else to think about while you’re doing yoga.”
Beyond the physical aspects of her self-care routine, Garten highlights the importance of social connections in her life. “I spend time with friends,” she says, recognising that sharing moments with people who share her values and interests is essential for her wellbeing. She and her husband, Jeffrey, have been married for 57 years and often host close friends at their residence in East Hampton, New York, preferring smaller gatherings over larger parties.
“I tend to have dinners with four or six people, and that’s it,” Garten noted, reflecting on her preference for more intimate settings. “I used to give big parties, but now I love spending time with people in an intimate setting.” She believes that these smaller gatherings foster deeper connections and more meaningful conversations.
When it comes to her dinner parties, Garten has a few tricks up her sleeve. She reveals that she prefers round tables for the gatherings because they allow everyone to feel equally included in the conversation. “I particularly love a round table so that everybody is equidistant,” she explains. She strategically seats the more talkative guests opposite each other to engage everyone at the table, preventing cliques from forming during dinner.
In addition to her busy schedule of interviews and social events—which includes the launch of her podcast “Happy Hour with Ina Garten” on September 16, and the forthcoming release of her 14th cookbook, “Simply Ina,” on October 20—Garten continues to prioritise her personal health and relationships. Her strong focus on self-care routines suggests that maintaining a balanced lifestyle is essential not only for physical health but also for mental clarity and emotional stability.
In her latest interview, Garten’s passion for food and hospitality shines through, reminding readers of the joy that can be found in shared meals and memorable conversations. With her myriad of self-care practices, she epitomises the idea that nurturing oneself ultimately leads to nurturing others, paving the way for a fulfilling and vibrant life.
Readers wanting to discover more about Ina Garten’s approach to self-care and her culinary insights can look forward to the latest issue of PEOPLE, available on newsstands this Friday.