There’s something irresistibly real about Jennifer Garner in her kitchen. But lately, fans of her Pretend Cooking Show have been tuning in for her mom, Patricia. Garner’s casual, heartfelt cooking series has quietly built a loyal audience, and Patricia has emerged as an unexpected star.
Patricia isn’t just a guest, she’s a personality. And according to Garner, she knows it. “She’s so funny,” the actress, 53, tells PEOPLE. “She loves it. She loves being recognized. She loves when people say hi to her. She’s very opinionated about what we should and shouldn’t do.”
That confidence translates onscreen. Patricia brings a mix of wit and authority that makes each episode feel like a family moment viewers are lucky to witness. “She likes to tell me that her episodes perform the best and are the best ones,” Garner adds. “And I’m sure she’s right because she’s been right about everything for the last 53 years of my life. Why not the next?”
The Pretend Cooking Show Moments Fans Can’t Forget
The series thrives on imperfection. Burnt edges, messy counters, and real-life chaos are part of the charm. Garner says a few episodes stand out for both her and her fans. “I always like when my mom is with me because she’s so cute and she’s just the best and I love it,” she says. “And she’s a serious scene partner. I loved, early on we made bagels and that was funny. And then another time, I made beef bourguignon and I almost burned my kitchen down and that’s another good one.”
Childhood Dreams Come True
Garner’s love for cooking goes way back, and it recently came full circle through her partnership with KitchenAid. “I dreamed of having a KitchenAid stand mixer as a kid,” she says. “I wanted one more than anything. I thought it was just the coolest to have your mixer going while you were doing something else in the kitchen, and they’re so beautiful. There’s such an iconic look in the kitchen to have one. So I’ve called it my BFF forever.”
© GC ImagesBeyond the camera, Garner’s kitchen is still the heart of her home life. She starts cooking early, often before her kids wake up, to create that sense of comfort she grew up with. “I cook a lot super early in the morning because I want something to be made fresh and ready when my kids wake up or I just want to get dough started before I do an early workout or whatever it is,” she adds.
As a mom to Violet, Fin, and Samuel, whom she shares with Ben Affleck, Garner has built her own traditions rooted in consistency and care. “I’ve baked probably a hundred million birthday cakes,” she says per the publication. “I mean, if you think of it, I’ve been a mom 20 years. And so 20 plus 17 plus 14 cakes plus whomever else, that’s a lot of cakes.”
But one memory still defines what home means to her. “The smell of fresh bread in the house is something that means a lot to me because my mom made bread on Sundays when I was growing up and it was always like, it just made the house feel like home,” she continued. “There’s something very safe about the smell of bread baking in the house. There’s nothing more nurturing in the world than fresh homemade bread.”
Even with years of baking experience, Garner still has culinary goals. And like many home cooks, she’s finally ready to tackle sourdough. “I really am in a minute here going to commit to sourdough,” she says. “The ladies in my house have done it before and I’ve benefited from it, and I’ve made a bunch of discard recipes, but I have never on my own really focused in on sourdough. And I think it’s probably time.”
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