Ina Garten's 'Be My Guest' Season 8 Premieres Saturday

Melissa Roberto

3 minute 04/08/2026

Ina Garten, Allison Janney and Baked Fontina, as seen on "Be My Guest with Ina Garten," Season 8 — Ina Garten, Allison Janney and Baked Fontina, as seen on “Be My Guest with Ina Garten,” Season 8, Photo: Food Network

Get ready to see more of Barefoot Contessa star Ina Garten — and not just around town! The East Hampton-based TV chef’s new season of Be My Guest will begin airing on the Food Network this Saturday, April 11 at noon, also streaming the next day on HBO Max and Discovery+

“It’s a dream to have people I love — or people I’m just curious about! — come spend the day with me in East Hampton! We cook together and we talk about life and work. It’s a really fun day and you’re invited!” she said in the leadup to Season 8.

Guests revealed so far include actress Allison Janney in this Saturday’s premiere; award-winning composer, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and band leader John Batiste; journalist and host of The New York Times news podcast “The Daily” Michael Barbaro, and Today show host Hoda Kotb.

On Saturday’s episode, Garten and Janney will make baked fontina. As they cook and chat, the actress discusses Broadway breaks, figure skating accidents and surprising stage-fright coping strategies. Garten then shows Janney how to make the perfect Cacio e Pepe and Lemon Vinaigrette — two recipes she’s always wanted to master.

Ina Garten and Spicy Hermit Bars, as seen on Be My Guest with Ina Garten, Season 8, Photo: Food Network

In other news, Garten’s new cookbook, Simply Ina: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (Clarkson Potter, 2026) on October 20. Simply Ina is a collection of 85 recipes that are practical and easy to make at home.

“When I first started cooking, I thought great food had to be hard,” Garten said, “but I’ve learned that the best dishes are often the simplest. With Simply Ina, I want you to feel completely confident that you can cook something delicious without a fuss and it won’t be just fine, it will be wonderful.”

This is Garten’s first cookbook in four years. “I hope you invite people to dinner, make something really simple, and surround yourself with people you love, because at the end of the day, that’s the only thing that really matters,” she told fans on Instagram.

The new book is available for preorder on Amazon and other stores, or grab a signed copy for $40 on barefootcontessa.com.