A Star-Studded Menu Inspired by Be My Guest with Ina Garten

Celebrity chef and Food Network staple Marcus Samuelsson is always on the go with his restaurant empire, appearances and philanthropic efforts, but when he relaxes, a French 75 is the way to his heart. Ina whips up this potent but light tasting blend of gin, champagne, simple syrup and lemon juice for her new Hamptons neighbour — a great way to start off any celebration.

She may have played a steely corporate lawyer on The Good Wife, but actor Julianna Margulies is all smiles when making margaritas with Ina and cooking halibut with herbs from the Garten Garden. Offer up this cocktail as a treat for your guests, and let the defense rest.

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Producer and director Rob Marshall and producer and actor John DeLuca, have worked together in movie musicals Into The Woods, Chicago and Nine. Ina teaches this power couple to make watermelon cosmopolitans (a spin-off of her internet breaking cosmopolitan) — a summery way to make music with close friends.

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Ballerina Misty Copeland has been making leaps and bounds in her career since she began at the age of 13 — she became the first Black female principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre in 2015. Ina welcomes her with herbed ricotta bruschettas and a toast to her success.

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When he’s not gallivanting around Italy or setting the internet ablaze by demonstrating a perfect negroni, Stanley Tucci also occasionally acts. He’s still known for his work in the classic food film Big Night, where everything depends on showstopping dishes to impress guests (Ina’s got him covered with Oysters Rockefeller).

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Stage and screen actor Laura Linney has played eclectic roles in cult classics from Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City to Ozark. Ina celebrates this quirkiness, and Laura’s Southern upbringing, with an oven roasted twist on a traditional Shrimp Boil.

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Broadway fixture Nathan Lane might have served up some of this rice pudding to the ladies he romances in his infamous role as Max Bialystock in The Producers. Ina makes his favourite dessert — a blissful Rum Raisin Rice Pudding that would make anyone sing.

Related: Quiz: What You Should Make, Based on Your Celebrity Dinner Guest?

Chef and owner of The Lost Kitchen restaurant in her tiny hometown of Freedom, Maine, Erin French is used to frequent guests (she went from working at her family’s diner to running supper clubs). Erin shows Ina some of the tricks behind her father’s meatloaf, before turning out a batch of Ina’s Banana Crunch Muffins — a perfect next morning treat for guests.

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Journalist and broadcaster Willie Geist, host of Sunday Today, drops by Ina’s place to spread the news about his favourite recipe for Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies and tour the garden. Sending your guests home with a sweet treat for their travels is a very Ina-esque note of hospitality that you can adopt at your next gathering.

What better to serve a previous Mary Poppins than a very proper scone? Ina and actress Emily Blunt put a few spoonfuls of sugar to good use in some baking fun, whipping up a batch of tasty goodies for Emily to bring home.

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