About

Picture it: Harlem, 2015. After a winter spent binge-watching Barefoot Contessa and reading Julia Child’s My Life in France, I was inspired to branch out from my usual diet of frozen meals and late-night disco fries and finally learn how to cook for myself.

That spring and summer, I threw myself into the kitchen, attempting dishes far above my skill level and following more than a few unreliable recipes. The results were mixed, but the experience taught me two important things: I needed to go back to basics and learn proper cooking and baking techniques, and I needed recipes I could trust.

Ina Garten’s recipes were consistently clear, approachable, packed with helpful tips, and never short on flavor. In a word, they were foolproof.

Ina learned to cook by working her way through Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, so I decided to follow her lead. I would teach myself to cook by making all 1,300+ of Ina’s recipes from her cookbooks and television shows, my own version of Julie & Julia. An who better to learn from than the person who had sparked my newfound passion in the first place?

Just as Garten had learned to cook by working her way through Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” I would learn by tackling all 1,300 of Ina’s recipes — my own little “Julie & Julia” project. Who would be a better teacher than the person who sparked my newfound passion?

I created the Instagram account @storeboughtisfine and began documenting everything: the successes, the failures, and all the lessons I picked up along the way.

Six years, five months, and three days later, I finished every single recipe. I honestly didn’t expect the project to last more than a few months, but Ina’s recipes kept me going. The icing on the cake was making the final recipe, Boston Cream Pie, with the Barefoot Contessa herself!

Since finishing the project, I’ve had more time to dip into some of my other , share my , and develop ! The cooking education never ends and I hope you’ll follow along as I continue this journey here and on Instagram.

Since finishing the project, I’ve had more time to cook from other favorite cookbooks, revisit Ina’s recipes through my “Best of Ina” lists, and develop my own recipes. There’s always more to learn in the kitchen, and I hope you’ll follow along with whatever I’m cooking next, both here and on Instagram.

Happy Cooking!

xoxo,
Trent

WORK WITH ME

After cooking all of Ina Garten’s recipes, I know what makes a recipe clear, reliable, and worth making again. Through Store-Bought Is Fine, I’ve built an engaged food community, developed original recipes, and created practical, approachable content for home cooks.

Combined with my background in journalism and copy editing, that experience gives me a sharp eye for both what works in the kitchen and how a recipe reads on the page. I’m available for freelance projects in recipe testing, recipe development, content creation, and brand partnerships.

Recipe Testing
I test recipes from the perspective of a careful home cook, paying close attention to timing, yield, ingredient clarity, sequencing, technique, texture, flavor, and potential points of confusion. My feedback is specific and practical, helping make recipes more dependable, approachable, and easy to follow.

• Soju Party: How to Drink (and Eat!) Like a Korean by Irene Yoo, winner of a 2026 James Beard Media Award
• Kim Chi Eats the World by Kim Chi
• H Mart: The Cookbook by Stacey Kwon
• Chili Crisp by James Park

Recipe Development
I develop recipes for brands, publications, and other food creators. My work balances creativity with practicality, with an emphasis on recipes people will actually want to make at home.

Brand Partnerships
I partner with food, kitchen, cookbook, travel, and lifestyle brands that align with my audience and the way I cook. Partnerships can include original recipes, sponsored social content, product integration, event coverage, and longer-term collaborations.

My work and Ina Garten cooking project have been featured by outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Today, Good Morning America, Food52, The Kitchn, Insider, and Southern Living.

Have a project in mind? I’d love to hear more about what you’re working on and how I might help bring it to life. Contact me at storeboughtisfine@gmail.com

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