Celebrity chef Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa herself, will kick off a new series of conversation events from the Metropolitan Cooking Show in March.

Garten is the author of several Barefoot Contessa cookbooks and the host of her own Food Network show of the same name.

The new business line for the D.C.-based consumer show first came to light last month when organizers announced that embattled chef Paula Deen would not be appearing as scheduled at their D.C. show in November, and instead would be part of “An Evening with Paula Deen” scheduled for March 8.

Metropolitan Cooking also hosts its cooking shows in Dallas and Houston; Deen is still appearing at those shows in September.

The new interview-style events will give a television host and members of the audience to chat and ask questions of the celebrity chefs in person. “An Evening with Ina Garten” will be held on March 5 at Lisner Auditorium. The Paula Deen event is also at Lisner.

Tickets to the Garten event are $85 and tickets to the Deen event are $95. If a ticket for either show is purchased by Nov. 3, the purchaser will also get a one-day theater pass to the MetroCooking DC show on Nov. 2-3.