Meet the Ina Garten super-fan cooking his way through all of the Barefoot Contessa's recipes

Anneta KonstantinidesNov 19, 2020, 19:22 IST

Trent Pheifer is on a mission to cook every Ina Garten recipe — and he's already made over 1,000 of them.Trent Pheifer/@Storeboughtisfine/Instagram

Trent Pheifer is on a mission to cook every single one of Ina Garten's recipes — and he's already made over 1,000 of them.
Pheifer, who is behind the popular Instagram @storeboughtisfine, began his journey in 2015 to try and teach himself how to cook.
The 35-year-old told Insider that he has learned essential cooking lessons from Garten's recipes.
He also revealed which Garten dishes he loves the most, and which he thinks every home cook should learn how to make.

Ever since she poured a bright-pink cosmopolitan into a gigantic martini glass at 9 a.m. on a random morning in April, Ina Garten has been a quarantine hero for the masses.

But Trent Pheifer was a Garten disciple long before her iconic "cocktail hour" Instagram video. And he's made over 1,000 "Barefoot Contessa" recipes to prove it.

Pheifer, 35, is the man behind "Store Bought is Fine" — an Instagram and food blog that document his attempt to re-create every single one of Garten's recipes, which span an 18-year cooking career and 12 published cookbooks.

Pheifer spoke to Insider about how his journey with Garten began, why he credits her with teaching him how to cook, and what "Barefoot Contessa" dishes he believes everyone should learn how to make.

Trent Pheifer's cooking adventure began five years ago, when he was on the cusp of turning 30.

Pheifer used to spend barely any time in the kitchen. Trent Pheifer

Pheifer wanted to improve his cooking skills, but he struggled to teach himself just using food bloggers' recipes and Julia Child's cookbooks.

Pheifer decided to learn how to cook with Garten's recipes after finding a few he'd tried in the past to be "foolproof." Trent Pheifer

Pheifer got that first burst of cooking confidence when he made two Garten dishes that were incredibly simple — but super tasty.

Pheifer's re-creation of Garten's classic gazpacho. @Storeboughtisfine/Instagram

As Pheifer first began cooking his way through Garten's recipes, he learned some essential lessons.

Pheifer's re-creation of Ina Garten's herb-baked eggs. @Storeboughtisfine/Instagram

Pheifer began posting four of Garten's recipes every week on his Instagram, which turned from a joke to a huge hit.

Pheifer said his food photography has improved exponentially since his project began. Trent Pheifer

Even Garten found out about Pheifer's project, which they talked about during a chance encounter in Paris.

Pheifer and Garten in Paris together. Trent Pheifer

Pheifer has now made more than 1,000 Garten dishes, but he has a clear favorite.

Pheifer's re-creation of Garten's rigatoni with sausage and fennel. @Storeboughtisfine/Instagram

For novice chefs who are hoping to build their confidence in the kitchen, Pheifer recommends starting with Garten's roast chicken.

Pheifer's re-creation of Garten's roast chicken with bread and arugula salad. @Storeboughtisfine/Instagram

But it wasn't always smooth sailing. There was one Garten recipe that gave Pheifer a lot of stress.

Pheifer's re-creation of Garten's roasted vegetable lasagna. @Storeboughtisfine/Instagram

Pheifer has less than 250 Garten recipes to go, but he's found that one of the most important lessons he's learned doesn't really have to do with food at all.

Pheifer now loves inviting his friends and family over for dinner. Trent Pheifer

And Pheifer isn't surprised that Garten has become a cooking hero to so many others, especially in quarantine.

Pheifer said one of the best parts about Garten's recipes is that they're approachable no matter your skill level. Peter Kramer/NBC/NBC Newswire/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

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