- 6 days ago
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00:00I'm Ina Garten. I love to invite interesting people to my house for good
00:04food, great conversation, and lots of fun. My friend, the incredible award-winning
00:10journalist, podcaster, and writer Hoda Kotb is joining me for a wonderful day
00:15at the barn. I'm making marinated herb feta for an easy mezza board that I'll
00:20finish when she gets here. Hoda's sharing amazing life stories. After 27
00:26rejections, I was ready to quit actually. Then I'm teaching her the secrets of
00:30crispy fried chicken sandwiches, my take on her all-time favorite comfort food.
00:35Is this the fried chicken of your dreams? I'm gonna tell you right now. You are so
00:39the perfect guest. I am. Ina says I'm the perfect guest. I'll take it.
00:48I love Hoda Kotb. She's smart, she's funny, and when she walks into a room, it's a party.
00:54Hoda actually doesn't love to entertain, so I'm gonna show her something really
00:58easy to do. This mezza board, where you basically buy all the ingredients, and
01:03then you give it your own personal twist. I'm starting with feta, and then to give
01:07it lots and lots of flavor, I'm gonna add some ingredients like red pepper flakes
01:12right on the feta, and some dried thyme. This kind of board you can just put out,
01:18and everybody can help themselves. The easiest kind of entertaining. And some
01:22fennel seeds. Of course, crunchy salt. Some pepper. And then some olive oil. Just drizzle it on.
01:34Look how good that looks. And then, just because I think it looks great, some sprigs of
01:40fresh thyme. Just round it. And it'll flavor it too. And then some olives. So while I get ready to
01:48grill some bread, let me tell you about the stunning life of Hoda. Hoda Kotb is an
01:53award-winning journalist, beloved TV personality, author, and media icon. Born in
02:00Oklahoma and brought up in West Virginia by her Egyptian parents, she studied
02:04broadcast journalism and Virginia Tech before getting a break reporting the
02:09news at a local TV station in Mississippi. After working as a reporter and an anchor
02:14at several stations, she joined NBC's Dateline news show as a correspondent. In 2007, she joined the
02:22Today Show's fourth hour. And then in 2018, she became a co-anchor with Savannah Guthrie. Hoda
02:29joined us every morning for an incredible 18 years. In 2025, Hoda stepped down from the Today Show full-time,
02:37but she still occasionally appears on the show. Hoda has won awards from an Emmy to a Peabody. She also
02:43writes best-selling motivational and children's books, hosts her podcast, Making Space, interviewing
02:50incredible guests about resilience and self-discovery. And as a breast cancer survivor,
02:56she advocates for breast cancer awareness. These days, Hoda lives with her two adorable daughters,
03:02Haley and Hope. She really does it all, doesn't she? Hoda makes me want to be a better person. She's
03:09amazing.
03:10Okay, I'm going to just grill some bread, a little olive oil, a little salt. Okay, and I'm going to
03:20put
03:20right on the grill pan. Perfect. Okay, a little pepper. I'm going to grill it about two minutes each side,
03:26and then I'm going to get back to making the mezzo board. Oh, on my way to see Ina. Okay,
03:33here's the thing.
03:35Ina claims that she's going to teach me something that no one's ever taught me before. People have tried and
03:40failed,
03:40but Ina says that she can turn me into an entertainer. I sure hope she can do it. I'd love
03:49to be able to do that.
03:51Okay, the toast is done. I'm just going to bring it over to the board.
04:00And I like to have, like, shards of toast, so I'm going to cut it in pieces. Just rough pieces,
04:07just like that.
04:07This is fun to make, but it's also fun to eat. I love to put out things that are, like,
04:12family style,
04:12and everybody just helps themselves. I mean, that's about as easy as it gets, right?
04:17And then, let's see, we have cherry tomatoes right on the vine.
04:22I need something with color. Just stack them up. And some cucumbers.
04:27These are little Persian cucumbers that I cut in wedges.
04:31Looks pretty good already, doesn't it?
04:33All right, Ina's place. Last few things for the mezzo board.
04:39I've got baba ganoush and hummus, and this is going to be such a special day.
04:44I kind of wondered what Ina's place would look like.
04:49And you know what? Exactly like this.
04:52Wow!
04:57Oh! Hold up!
05:00I've been waiting for this.
05:02It's been way too long.
05:04Oh! Oh!
05:07So I made a mezzo board for you. It's so easy. No cooking at all.
05:11Even you can do it.
05:13Are you positive?
05:14I'm positive.
05:16We'll see.
05:17And it's fun.
05:17Okay, okay!
05:18So it's just feta and grilled bread and cucumbers.
05:22And I actually bought hummus.
05:24Yeah.
05:24And I put it in a beautiful little bowl.
05:26And then I decorate it. I make it special.
05:28So I take some pine nuts.
05:30Uh-huh.
05:31Put pine nuts on top.
05:32Oh, beautiful.
05:33Yeah.
05:34It's gorgeous.
05:35And then some olive oil.
05:36Mm-hmm.
05:37And everybody thinks you made it yourself.
05:39And I won't tell them, will you?
05:41Not a single word.
05:43Beautiful.
05:44And then I have baba ganoush, which I love.
05:46Okay, that's mine too. One of my faves.
05:47I love a mezzo platter.
05:48Oh, good.
05:49Oh, good.
05:50So I nailed it?
05:51Love all of what's happening right now.
05:51Oh, good. Okay, good.
05:53And then what I do is I'll take little pomegranate arrows.
05:56Oh, I love pomegranate.
05:57And put it on top.
05:58Beautiful.
05:59Like that.
06:00Yum.
06:00Yum.
06:01Yum.
06:02A little more olive oil.
06:03Okay, just a drizzle.
06:04Just a drizzle.
06:05Mm-hmm.
06:06And now you've got a mezzo platter.
06:08Mm-hmm.
06:08This looks so delicious.
06:10That's simple, huh?
06:12It's simple?
06:13Didn't have to turn off the oven?
06:14No, didn't?
06:14Just fantastic.
06:15People walk in and think you're fabulous.
06:16And a toast to Hoden.
06:18Oh, thank you.
06:20Cheers to you.
06:22So, mm, this looks so good.
06:24So will you help yourself?
06:25Yes, I certainly will.
06:26And this bread, did you bake this?
06:28And hummus?
06:29No, I didn't bake it.
06:31Girl, after my own heart.
06:31I went to a bakery.
06:33This looks so delicious.
06:35So how are the girls?
06:36Oh my God, they're great.
06:37One is in third grade, she's a, the other one is in first grade.
06:40And actually, my little one, when I was, you know, thinking about leaving the Today Show,
06:45said something that kind of changed the whole course of my life.
06:48This weird moment happened when we were in my front yard and she was climbing a tree up
06:52and down, up and down, up and down.
06:54And she was at the top of the tree and I was just looking at her and I go, I
06:57go, honey,
06:57what are you going to do now?
06:58I said, you're at the top of the tree.
06:59And she looked down at me and she said, well, I guess it's just time to find a different
07:03tree.
07:04I go, what?
07:05I just got chills.
07:06I really did.
07:07I just got chills.
07:08You know what?
07:09I think deep down I knew, but it's sort of like when you pay attention, all the messages
07:13come.
07:14And that one came from Hope.
07:15Isn't that great?
07:16That was amazing.
07:18Now, let's eat.
07:22Oh my God, that bread.
07:23I love this cucumber.
07:24Oh my gosh, you might actually turn me into an entertainer.
07:27Time is right.
07:28Time is right now.
07:29The message is here.
07:36I'm here with Hoda.
07:37So many times at the Today Show, you interviewed me.
07:40Yes.
07:40And now I'm interviewing you.
07:41You know what?
07:42I like your seat much better than this seat, I have to say.
07:46So take me back.
07:47Yeah.
07:48Your parents are from Egypt, but where were you born and where did you grow up?
07:51I was born in Oklahoma.
07:52Then we moved to Morgantown, West Virginia, where we spent most of our kind of formative
07:58years.
07:59And then around fifth or sixth grade, we moved again to the D.C. area, to Alexandria, Virginia.
08:04But my parents were the assimilating kind of immigrants when they came.
08:08They were like, we're all, you know, anything's possible and all that stuff.
08:12And I'm like, I can be anything.
08:13And I believed it deep down inside.
08:16And you came from a long line of really strong women.
08:19So my grandmother was one of the first female doctors in all of Egypt.
08:23Yeah.
08:23Her sister, my great aunt, was the first female lawyer in all of Egypt.
08:29I mean, that's just incredible.
08:31I know.
08:31Like, wait, what?
08:32Trailblazers.
08:32That's exactly right.
08:33So you just believed like anything was possible.
08:37So you decided to be a journalist.
08:39You went to journalism school.
08:40How did you get into reporting?
08:42Do you send out a tape of you?
08:43Well, I actually hand-delivered them, Aina.
08:45You hand-delivered them?
08:46I drove in the car.
08:46How many did you send out?
08:4827.
08:49Well, and I drove and met somebody and showed them my tape.
08:52And they were like, no, you're no good.
08:53I was like, thank you.
08:54I took my tape back.
08:55And then finally, after 27 rejections, I was ready to quit actually.
09:00And then one guy in Mississippi, Stan Sandroni, he gave me a break.
09:04I have the most festive gentleman of them all with me.
09:08Santa Claus is here.
09:09And we've got kids.
09:10We've got Santa.
09:11We've got Anne's little baby here.
09:13Santa, it's nice to have you here on the show.
09:15And they asked us many, many years later to bring someone to Studio 1A who changed the
09:20course of our life.
09:20And I brought Stan.
09:22And Stan walked into that newsroom.
09:24He's like, oh, my God, Al Roker.
09:25Hey, Al.
09:26This is amazing.
09:27I knew you could do what he was saying about me.
09:29Just takes the one.
09:30Who told you that what you needed to do to be successful?
09:34Be yourself.
09:35Do you know who told me that, actually?
09:38Kathy Lee.
09:38And she is herself.
09:40She is 100% herself.
09:41God, I haven't thought about that.
09:42I was trying so hard to be right, to get camera one right and camera two right and get the
09:48script right and get out on time so that everyone said you did a good job.
09:53And it was so dull.
09:55It was horrible.
09:56And Kathy Lee, just on the air, she would just launch grenades at me.
10:00What's a grenade?
10:01Okay, here's the worst one.
10:02Okay, here's what she did.
10:04I'm in the makeup room.
10:05It is Valentine's Day.
10:07And she goes, hey, Hoda woman, happy Valentine's Day.
10:09I go, I hate Valentine's Day.
10:11She goes, why?
10:11I go, well, I met my ex-husband on Valentine's Day.
10:14And my divorce papers came in the mail on Valentine's Day.
10:16She goes, oh, that's terrible.
10:18So we get up on the set.
10:19And I go, good morning, everybody.
10:20I'm saying to the camera, happy Valentine's Day.
10:22And she goes, not for you.
10:24I go, not for me?
10:26That was for the makeup room.
10:28What are you doing?
10:28But she taught me, just be you.
10:32Warts and all.
10:33So what?
10:34Don't worry about it.
10:36And so that kind of taught me to be myself.
10:39You have stuck to who you are through all the iterations.
10:45I was just imagining how many times people said to you, Ina, you know what we need?
10:48We need more.
10:49Laugh.
10:50But you never wavered.
10:53Just before I did TV, I thought, well, I need somebody to teach me how to do this because
10:58I've never done TV.
10:59And she said, you need to be a little perkier.
11:02And I was like, no, I don't.
11:05But you knew?
11:05I just said, okay, I'm just going to do what I do.
11:08And if they don't like it, then they won't watch.
11:10But, you know, it worked out okay.
11:12Yeah, I would say it worked out okay.
11:16So you decided to leave today, which is the scariest thing.
11:19I mean, you've spent your entire life building up to get this job.
11:23It's the best job you'll ever have.
11:25Best job.
11:25Ever.
11:26No question.
11:27There's nowhere to go from there.
11:28Nowhere to go.
11:28Mountain top.
11:29And you just say, okay, what went into the decision to walk away from it?
11:34You know, it was my 60th birthday on the Plaza.
11:37Seriously?
11:38And it was a big party.
11:39And I had been wondering about what my next decade was going to look like.
11:43It was just like one of those magical days.
11:46And all of a sudden, I realized, I thought to myself, like, this is the top of the wave.
11:52I'm sitting on top.
11:54And the view's extraordinary.
11:55And I thought about that.
11:57I thought, it's time for like a different wave.
11:59Like, let's see what's next.
12:01It may not be the Today Show wave, which is like, what?
12:04That's insane.
12:05Yeah.
12:05But it will be exciting and thrilling and nourishing.
12:09And you'll learn from it.
12:10Yes.
12:11What was your first day like at home?
12:13I went downstairs, where I have an office, and I lit some candles.
12:17And I was scribbling in my journal.
12:19And Haley, who is my oldest, who's now eight, came walking into my office.
12:25And she goes, you really are here.
12:28And she hugged me.
12:29And I sat on that chair and rocked her.
12:32And I was like, yes.
12:33Yes.
12:34This was worth it.
12:35And that's how you knew you were doing the right thing.
12:37And that's how I knew.
12:38And it was a beautiful day.
12:39Nothing eventful happened at all.
12:41And it was magic.
12:42Wow.
12:42Yeah.
12:43So what do you look for in friends?
12:45I have a group of five who are my besties.
12:49I look for people who are clear and honest, who are great listeners.
12:55I look for people who like to have a good time.
12:58I was going to say, sense of humor is critical for me.
13:00Sense of humor.
13:00If you don't have that.
13:01I just can't do it.
13:03And I look for someone who, when I'm dialing their number at 2 in the morning,
13:07I know they'll pick up.
13:08Yeah.
13:08That's it.
13:09That's it.
13:10Full stop.
13:10I'm really proud of this group that I have.
13:14They're, you know.
13:14Well, let me know if somebody drops out.
13:18There's always room for six, I know.
13:21I love on your podcast, Making Space, that you ask people,
13:25what was your childhood bedroom like?
13:27That's such a great question.
13:29What was your childhood bedroom like?
13:32Well, I shared a bedroom with my sister.
13:34Yeah.
13:35And we had bunk beds and she had the top and I had the bottom.
13:38Was that fun or did you want your own bedroom?
13:40I kind of liked being with her in the room and she was older and cooler and all that stuff.
13:45And I had posters.
13:47I had like Barry Manilow and the guy from Chips.
13:50You know what I mean?
13:51Eric Estrada.
13:53I remember my sister.
13:55I remember our conversations.
13:57And I remember our posters.
13:58But you care about people, not things.
13:59Yeah.
13:59Oh, yeah.
14:00Oh.
14:00That's who you are.
14:01Oh.
14:02So.
14:04What were your favorite foods as a kid?
14:05My mom used to make grape leaves, which are delicious.
14:11Yeah.
14:11And I loved her baklava.
14:13So those are the things that I remember that are different are like those kinds of things.
14:17The things that give me comfort and make me feel like are things like fried chicken, like a real crunchy,
14:26delicious piece.
14:28Like that to me, biting into that.
14:30Like I feel like my body relaxing, even imagining that I'm doing that.
14:35What were mealtimes like at home when you were a kid?
14:37I picture us sitting around our table.
14:40There were five of us, you know, my brother, my sister, me, my mom and dad.
14:45My dad passed when I was in college suddenly.
14:47But I remembered sitting at the table and there being like an empty seat.
14:53And anyone who's lost somebody knows the feeling.
14:56And you're like, and we're trying to figure out how to be, what to be.
15:00We always had our meals together.
15:02So therefore, you know, it mattered.
15:04We're sitting down and we're eating like that's how we did it.
15:07So you love fried chicken.
15:08How about if I make you fried chicken sandwiches?
15:11Girl, I would love a fried chicken sandwich made by you.
15:16Yes, please.
15:21Hodor and I were talking about our favorite comfort foods and somehow fried chicken came up.
15:25So we're going to make fried chicken sandwiches together.
15:28Okay, I'm dying because I want to know what an Ina Garten fried chicken sandwich tastes like.
15:32It has great flavor, that's the first thing, and great texture.
15:35Lots of crunch.
15:36Lots of crunch.
15:37That's it.
15:37That's all there is.
15:38So first we're going to make a marinade.
15:39Are you going to make the marinade?
15:41Okay.
15:41Yes, I will.
15:42I will.
15:42Buttermilk.
15:43Wow, look at that.
15:43Just pour the whole thing in.
15:44Dump it in.
15:44All right.
15:45Okay.
15:45So I've got one shallot all cut up.
15:47Okay, chopped up.
15:48You want to put the rest of that in?
15:50Yes, I do.
15:51And to give it a little heat is one jalapeno cut in half with the seeds.
15:55So you're doing the whole thing in there?
15:56Okay.
15:57Just put the whole thing in.
15:58And I've got two cloves of garlic.
15:59I'm just going to smash them so it has more flavor.
16:02And everything has to have salt and pepper.
16:04Of course.
16:04Do you want me to stir or just wait?
16:06Yeah, just give it a little stir.
16:07Two teaspoons of salt.
16:08Two teaspoons, okay.
16:09One teaspoon of pepper.
16:10Okay.
16:10And so I actually have three chicken breasts, which I pounded.
16:14Okay.
16:15And I cut them in half.
16:16All right.
16:16Because you don't want a huge piece of chicken in a sandwich.
16:18By the way, that's the perfect size.
16:20So I'm just going to put it right in the marinade.
16:22Okay.
16:22And how long are these guys going to hang out in here?
16:25Eight hours is great.
16:26Eight.
16:27Okay.
16:27But not more than 24 because actually the marinade tenderizes the chicken.
16:31And you don't want it to be over tenderized.
16:33And that's all there is.
16:34Come on.
16:35Yeah.
16:35That can't be it.
16:36Well, we have to cook it too.
16:37That's okay.
16:38Okay.
16:38So do you want to put this in the fridge?
16:40Yes.
16:40I actually have one that's been marinating.
16:42You did that already?
16:43You know, I'm in a garden.
16:44Of course you are.
16:48Love having a sous chef.
16:50Okay.
16:50Now we're going to make the coating.
16:51Okay.
16:52That's the next part.
16:53So I have three and a half cups of flour.
16:54I have four teaspoons of baking powder.
16:56Okay.
16:57So is it really true you don't love to entertain?
16:59Do you entertain at all?
17:00I do not.
17:01Except for, I have to say, I did have a barbecue in my backyard.
17:06People came.
17:07I fed them burgers, chips.
17:09Yeah.
17:10And I was like, I did that?
17:11I don't think people realize it.
17:13It's not about like doing some crazy over the top thing.
17:16It's about surrounding yourself with fun people and having a good meal.
17:20Yes.
17:21And that's all it's about, right?
17:22That's exactly right.
17:22Okay.
17:23So I need two and a half teaspoons of smoked paprika.
17:26Okay.
17:27One teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
17:28This recipe actually is originally from Shake Shack.
17:31Wait, what?
17:31I love the Shake Shack chicken shack.
17:34It's so good.
17:35Yes.
17:35And one teaspoon of celery salt, tablespoon of salt, and one and a half teaspoons of pepper.
17:40Okay.
17:41That's your coating?
17:41Sure.
17:42Okay.
17:42You can do that.
17:43I want to watch how this happens.
17:44That's it.
17:45Lovely.
17:45Okay.
17:46I'm going to take one of the pieces of chicken.
17:48See it.
17:49Put it in the coating.
17:50Okay.
17:50Oh, you really get a good coating on that.
17:54Uh-huh.
17:54Then back in the marinade.
17:56Wow.
17:57Why is this so fascinating to me watching this process?
18:00And then back again?
18:01And then back in the coating.
18:02Exactly.
18:03And then you just dust it off, put it on a plate.
18:06Okay.
18:06That's a beauty.
18:06Isn't that great?
18:07That's a beauty.
18:08Okay.
18:08Let's do two more.
18:09Okay.
18:10And then I know what happens next.
18:12Back in the marinade.
18:14Uh-huh.
18:15God, that's amazing.
18:16Back in the coating.
18:17Uh-huh.
18:18That's going to be delicious.
18:20And then one more.
18:21I mean, it doesn't take any more time.
18:23It's just another second to put it in.
18:25I know.
18:26And there it is.
18:27These are going to go into the oil.
18:28Okay.
18:28350 degrees.
18:30Uh-huh.
18:30For five minutes.
18:31Yeah.
18:31And they're going to be perfectly cooked.
18:32Okay.
18:33All right.
18:33And then we're going to coat and cook the other three.
18:36Okay.
18:37There we go.
18:38Look at that.
18:39That's crazy.
18:40You're a great cook.
18:41Wait, that's it?
18:42We get sandwiches in five minutes?
18:44We do.
18:45How'd that happen?
18:45Okay.
18:51So the fried chicken's all done.
18:53Can I just marvel at this masterpiece?
18:55It looks pretty good, doesn't it?
18:56I'm like dying right now.
18:57What are we doing?
18:58More salt?
18:59A little more salt.
18:59Salt's the thing.
19:00Exactly.
19:01So now let's make the sandwiches.
19:02Okay, let's do it.
19:03I got two buns, toasted in the oven.
19:05No jokes from you.
19:06I was going to say, I got two buns too.
19:09Okay.
19:10And I made a buttermilk herb mayo, which is so good.
19:14What's in that?
19:14That looks delicious.
19:15I'll show you right now.
19:16The mayo's so simple.
19:18I just started with a cup of good mayonnaise, added two tablespoons of buttermilk, a teaspoon
19:23of white wine vinegar, and two tablespoons of sliced scallions.
19:27Next, I added a tablespoon of minced parsley, a tablespoon of minced chives, and an eighth
19:32of a teaspoon of minced thyme, plus half a teaspoon of kosher salt, and a quarter
19:37of a teaspoon of black pepper.
19:39Then I just whisked everything together, and that was the mayo.
19:42Done.
19:43It seemed like even someone like me could do it, Ina.
19:46I have full faith in you.
19:47Oh, yes, you do.
19:48Okay.
19:49So I'm just going to put a little bit on each side of the roll.
19:51Oh, that looks so good.
19:53Okay, and then I'm going to take two pieces of lettuce.
19:55Okay.
19:56Goes on the bottoms.
19:57All right.
19:58And, I don't know, maybe four pickle slices.
20:00Uh-huh, lovely.
20:01Not three, not five.
20:03No, definitely not.
20:04Even steven.
20:04Or whatever you like.
20:05Okay.
20:05And then you want to put a piece of chicken on each one?
20:07Yes, I do.
20:07Right on top of the pickles.
20:10Look at this chicken.
20:11Wait, look at this chicken.
20:13Look what's happening right now.
20:15How good is that one?
20:15And you put the top right back on.
20:17Top right back on.
20:18Uh-huh.
20:18Now, I dare you to eat this.
20:20You dare me?
20:20Oh, you don't have to dare me.
20:22Oh, my God.
20:23Hold on.
20:23Look, just wait.
20:24How gorgeous is that?
20:25Look at it.
20:27Is this the fried chicken of your dreams?
20:28I'm going to tell you right now.
20:32Oh, my God.
20:34Why not?
20:35No.
20:36I'm going to tell you right now.
20:37That's the best fried chicken sandwich I have ever.
20:40She's just saying that.
20:40No.
20:41Oh, my God.
20:42I know that you're not supposed to polish the whole thing off,
20:45but I want to go on record.
20:46She's very busy right now.
20:47I don't care.
20:48Okay?
20:48One more.
20:51Oh, my God.
20:53I'm not kidding.
20:53That's insane.
20:55Do you know what I'm talking about?
20:56Is it all over me?
20:56I don't care.
20:57It's insane.
20:58I'm so glad you love it.
20:59I'm so happy.
21:01Best day ever.
21:02Best day ever.
21:03Best day ever.
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