Ina Garten gave Hoda Kotb a sweet shoutout during her last week on TODAY.
While sitting down with Hoda and a few of the TODAY co-hosts, including Willie Geist, Savannah Guthrie and Al Roker, on Jan. 9, Garten showed them a special drink that she made in honor of her friend, who’ll be leaving the show on Jan. 10.
The drink is called the French 75, which consists of cognac, simple syrup, lemon juice and zest, and Champagne.
“Let’s try this,” Willie Geist said, eagerly.
Once each of the TODAY hosts picked up their drink, Garten then gave a special speech to Hoda.
“To Hoda,” she said. “To the best, most fabulous next chapter.”
“Love you,” Hoda replied.
However, Garten wasn’t done with her praise. She then told Hoda that everything she’s accomplished in her career has been “amazing” and she also called the “Making Space” host an “extraordinary” person.
In response, Hoda told Garten how much she adores her.
“You were inspiring before I read your book, but after we read your book, and just got to hear you talk about your life and what you did and what you accomplished. And here you are! You’re like the queen of repotting, reinvention, all the things, right?” Hoda said.
“And I got to tell you, of all the celebs who come through here, the one person who people universally say they can’t wait to talk to, including everybody, is you,” she added. “But that’s the way it rolls and we know why so I’m honored you came in. Cheers to you.”
In September, Hoda announced she would be leaving TODAY after spending nearly three decades at NBC. Hoda explained that she felt it was time for her to spend more time with her kids, Haley, 7, and Hope, 5.
“Obviously I had my kiddos late in life, and I was thinking that they deserve a bigger piece of my time pie that I have,” she said. “I feel like we only have a finite amount of time.”
