Get to Know Ina's Guests From Food Network's 'Be My Guest With Ina Garten'

You're probably familiar with the "Imaginary Dinner Party" game. You know the one where you get to select the person or persons — no matter how famous or elusive — you'd like to host as guests at your own private dinner party. But if you're Ina Garten, a Food Network host known to much of the world as the Barefoot Contessa, you might be able to make a fantasy like that into reality. In the series Be My Guest With Ina Garten, the beloved celebrity chef plays hostess to some of the most famous, fascinating and entertaining guests imaginable. In each episode, Ina welcomes old friends and some new ones to her home in the Hamptons. Featured guests have included famous chefs, A-list celebs, authors, musicians — even an astronaut. Guests enjoy touring Ina's beautiful home, visiting local Hamptons hot spots, helping Ina with food prep, partaking in delicious cocktails and, of course, a truly spectacular dinner. Ahead, learn more about who Ina's had the pleasure of hosting.

Season 8 of Be My Guest kicks off with a visit to Ina's barn from acclaimed actress Allison Janney — Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe winner, as well as a Tony nominee and six-time(!) Primetime Emmy winner. Her movie credits include Primary Colors, American Beauty, 10 Things I Hate About You, Juno and The Help, among others. For her appearance in the 2017 film I, Tonya, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She's perhaps best known for her role as C.J. in NBC's long-running series The West Wing, for which she won four Emmys. As Ina's guest, she learns the ins and outs of how to make the perfect cacio e pepe and a lemon vinaigrette as the two friends discuss Allison's career on Broadway and how she copes with stage fright.

If you're in search of one individual who personifies positivity, look no further than musician, composer, songwriter and performer Jon Batiste. It's easy to imagine Jon on a multitude of "Imaginary Dinner Party" guest lists. A New Orleans native and a graduate of Juilliard, he's performed and worked with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Lenny Kravitz, Lana Del Rey and Prince. He's won a total of eight Grammys and has been nominated 25 times. When Stephen Colbert was in search of a bandleader for his late-night talk show, Jon was his first choice. When Jon paid a visit to Ina's home, the vibe, as well as the food, was strictly casual — with Ina giving Jon an elevated take on one of his childhood favorites: the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Ina's reimagining takes the form of the decadent peanut butter and jelly bar. Jon reciprocates by providing Ina with his personal version (actually, his mom's) of an iconic Creole/Cajun favorite: red beans and rice.

Michael Barbaro — journalist and co-host of the award-winning New York Times' podcast The Daily — joins Ina for an ideal day of cooking and conversation. Michael relates insider insights on his personal style and brand of storytelling — certainly a factor contributing to The Daily being one of America's most successful podcasts. Ina greets Michael with spicy hermit bars made with ginger and molasses (two of his favorite flavors). She then lets him in on her secrets for an updated take on the retro-classic dish, chicken marbella. In turn, Michael demonstrates his considerable cocktail skills, expertly mixing up an Old-Fashioned.

How do you begin your day? For a long time, many Americans started theirs with Hoda Kotb, the universally beloved co-host of NBC's Today show from 2007 through 2025. Hoda's visit to Ina's house in the Hamptons begins with some expert tips on easy entertaining and how to wow guests with an easy mezze board with marinated herbed feta. The old friends talk memories, shared experiences and careers. Then, Ina begins a master class on Hoda's favorite food: fried chicken. Ina's creative variation on this classic dish is a delectable fried chicken sandwich.

The incredible 11-time Emmy-winning actor, comedian, writer and producer Julia Louis-Dreyfus joins Ina at the barn, where she shares stories about the challenges at Saturday Night Live, life lessons learned from the iconic female guests on her Wiser Than Me podcast and her favorite standout Seinfeld moments. Julia loves eggs and bacon, so Ina welcomes her with a country French omelet before hosting a Beatty's chocolate cake frosting and piping master class.

Talk-show host, comedian, writer and producer Stephen Colbert and his wife, producer Evie McGee-Colbert, visit Ina for a day at the barn. Ina invites them in with sour cream coffee cake before digging deep and talking about live television make-or-break moments, Stephen's toughest interviews and the highs and lows of writing a cookbook with your spouse. Then, the Colberts hit the kitchen with two recipes from their new cookbook, Green Goddess Dip and Capri Sunset Cocktails.

Award-winning actor and producer Wendell Pierce joins Ina for cooking and conversation at the barn. Ina serves raspberry corn muffins for breakfast and shows Wendell how to pipe them with raspberry jam. Then, Ina learns about his rise to fame, incredible family history, career challenges and gritty roles onstage and screen. Wendell loves seafood, so Ina teaches him to make a delicious one-pan summer skillet with clams, sausage and corn.

Eric Ripert, the incredible chef and world-class restaurateur behind the three Michelin-starred Le Bernardin restaurant in New York, stops by the barn to cook and share his career highs, childhood lows and life-changing stories. Ina welcomes him with a French apple tart, a favorite dessert from his childhood, before Eric demonstrates how to make seared tuna with a ginger soy salad, a stunning restaurant dish anyone can make at home.

During Season 5 of Be My Guest, novelist Ann Patchett joins Ina for a fun-filled day at the barn. Ann's bestselling book, Tom Lake, is set in a cherry orchard, so Ina welcomes her with a simple country dessert, cherry clafoutis. Ann shares childhood revelations, her winning formula to writing nine best-sellers and why she decided to open a bookstore in Nashville, Tennessee. For lunch, they share Charlie Bird's farro salad with Ina's jammy eggs and Ann's favorite roasted cauliflower, one delicious grain salad two ways.

Astronaut Nicole Mann, who has commanded the space station and completed two space walks, joins Ina at the barn — and Ina is over the moon. Nicole missed apple pie in space, so Ina makes her an apple crostata. After 157 days in orbit, Nicole has incredible stories to share, from space walks to coming back down to Earth. Ina also gives this accomplished fighter pilot a master class in seared scallops with potato celery root puree.

During Season 5, actress and self-confessed foodie Emily Mortimer joins Ina for a day of cooking and conversation. Ina makes Emily her favorite comfort food, ravioli en brodo, and they discuss career challenges, childhood memories and cooking catastrophes. Then, Ina gets a lesson in English Yorkshire pudding, a Sunday lunch staple, and Emily is treated to an American store-bought brunch board.

It's a dream come true for Ina when chef, restaurateur and fellow Food Network star Bobby Flay comes to spend an amazing day at the barn. She welcomes her fabulous guest with cherry pistachio biscotti and shows Bobby how to make a quick Irish coffee affogato before digging deep into his amazing career, from the mentor who changed his life to make-or-break restaurant reviews. Then, it's Bobby's turn as he teaches Ina how to make his favorite fast pasta dish, fresh fettuccine with anchovy butter and chives, garnished with incredible garlic lemon breadcrumbs.

Actor, producer, businesswoman and self-confessed foodie Jennifer Garner joins Ina for cooking and conversation at the barn. Jennifer has trouble nailing her grandma's cornbread recipe, so Ina troubleshoots with her incredible brown butter skillet cornbread. After discussing love, make-or-break moments and childhood memories, they head into the kitchen for a pizza collaboration, creating the ultimate Garner and Garten pizza and Jen's pizza crackers.

Ina's dear friend, culinary entrepreneur, pioneering restaurateur and author Danny Meyer joins her at the barn for good food and great conversation. She welcomes him with croissants and smoked salmon served with vanilla coffee shakerato, a delicious Italian iced coffee. They dish over the best and worst times in the restaurant trade, as well as the secret to Danny's success. Then, Danny teaches Ina his favorite home-cooked pasta dish, orecchiette with broccoli rabe and sausage, to enjoy in the garden.

Ina's next guest: Frank Bruni, an award-winning journalist, restaurant critic, author and professor. Frank shares his amazing life story and a killer Boulevardier cocktail to have alongside Ina's Parmesan thyme crackers. Ina and Frank discuss life, love, career highs, personal lows and their passion for food. Then, Ina treats Frank to a fool-proof Gruyère and herb omelet lesson that uses fresh herbs from her garden.

It's a dream come true for Ina when she invites David Remnick, the incredible Pulitzer Prize-winning author, journalist and editor, to spend a day at the barn. Ina welcomes her guest with overnight Belgian waffles before digging deep and talking about his amazing career, including his adventures in Moscow. Then, Ina hosts a Parmesan chicken cooking class and serves a simple salad with lemon vinaigrette for dinner in the garden with her husband, Jeffrey, and David's wife, Esther.

Ina has a blast when award-winning actor, director and author Stanley Tucci shares his amazing life story and recipes. The day kicks off with a Martini lesson from Stanley, a cocktail first for Ina, served alongside her easy oysters Rockefeller. They talk life, love, career highs, personal lows and their shared passion for food. Then, there's a Tucci kitchen takeover when Stanley teaches Ina how to make an incredible Tuscan seafood stew, cacciucco. The day ends on a high with a top-down ride to Main Beach for coffee and more confessions.

The incredible award-winning stage and screen actor Laura Linney joins Ina for a perfect day of cooking and conversation at the barn. Ina is a massive fan and bakes blueberry ricotta breakfast cake to welcome her guest. Then, Ina and Laura talk career challenges, stage secrets and unbelievable cooking party disasters. In honor of Laura's Southern heritage, Ina teaches her how to make shrimp boil with a twist. Then, they head out to Sag Harbor for a sightseeing tour and antiques shopping with an unexpected find.

Ina's dreams come true when superstar ballerina Misty Copeland joins her for an amazing day at the barn. Ina toasts her fabulous guest with Kir Royale cocktails and herbed ricotta bruschetta before digging deep to talk about her extraordinary upbringing, from making history to the nail-biting moment she thought it was all over. Then, Misty shows Ina her family's favorite go-to dinner, citrus salmon and mashed butternut squash, for a perfect alfresco dinner.

Ina loves multi-Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and musician Norah Jones, and during Season 3 of Be My Guest, she finally meets her in person. Norah loves pie, so Ina welcomes her with a decadent bourbon chocolate pecan pie with a great store-bought shortcut. The pair discusses Norah's whirlwind rise to fame, family reunions, and food at home and on the road, including a Thanksgiving disaster.

Singer, songwriter and actress Faith Hill spends a day with Ina, complete with deep talks about love and life. They toast to their new friendship with frozen Paloma cocktails as Faith reveals some family secrets. Later, Faith shows Ina how to bake her family’s favorite Coca-Cola cake.

Award-winning actor Nathan Lane pays a visit to Ina’s home for a day filled with laughter and conversation. Ina makes his favorite dessert, rum raisin rice pudding, while he shares his fascinating life story.

Extraordinary actress Emily Blunt stops by Ina's for a day of cooking and conversation. They discuss love, life and the moving story of how Emily overcame a childhood problem. Then, Emily makes her signature turkey Bolognese, and Ina whips up her easy Caesar salad with Parmesan croutons for a perfect dinner in the garden.

Ina welcomes her new Hamptons neighbor, superstar chef and restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson, to her home with a tasty French 75 cocktail. They chat about work, love and the incredible story of Marcus’ childhood journey from Ethiopia to becoming a culinary icon.

Ina can’t wait to finally meet outstanding actress Julianna Margulies. The new friends talk about life, tough career decisions and the many things they have in common. Then, they pick herbs in Ina’s garden to use in Julianna’s signature halibut with herb butter.

Ina is thrilled to host legendary broadcaster and journalist Willie Geist at her barn for a chat and a cocktail master class. Willie talks about the ups and downs of his remarkable career, while Ina opens up about her childhood.

Hollywood power couple Rob Marshall and John DeLuca arrive at Ina’s home for a day of interesting conversations, cooking and dancing. Ina asks the director and producer about their thoughts on love and work. Next, they head to the kitchen, where Ina makes refreshing watermelon Cosmopolitans and John cooks up his spectacular salmon burgers.