Ina Garten reveals that requesting separation from her husband was the key to saving their marriage: "I'm grateful I made that decision."

Ina Garten's 56-year marriage to husband Jeffrey is stronger than ever, despite nearly falling apart when she opened her Barefoot Contessa specialty food store in 1978.

In her new memoir, the 76-year-old celebrity chef revealed that when they tied the knot in 1968, Jeffrey believed he would have a wife who would prepare dinner for him.

""I found certain roles we played really annoying, and I felt that hitting the pause button would help me get his attention," she said."

She revealed that she broke their traditional roles when she left her job at the White House and bought a shop in the Hamptons.

"I was juggling multiple tasks while managing the store, but I did it all as a businesswoman, not a wife. My responsibilities left me with no time to think about anything else, as there were no expectations about who would arrive home first or what they should do, since I was always at work."

At the time, she felt that her husband's weekend visits to New York from Washington, D.C., were a "distraction."

"She confessed that she didn't pay enough attention to Jeffrey because she wanted to be left alone to focus on the store. Jeffrey was living the life he wanted, but she wasn't, and she needed to be on her own to figure out who she was and what she wanted."

Eventually, she asked him for a separation, believing it would lead to the end of their marriage.

In her memoir "Be Ready When the Luck Comes," she wrote about how she contemplated divorce at her lowest point.

""I told him that I needed to be on my own. I didn’t say whether it was for now or forever. He packed his bag and went home to Washington with no plan to come back. I buried my emotions and threw myself into my work," she said."

Ina moved back to Washington, D.C., when the Barefoot Contessa closed for the winter that year. Jeffrey met her at the train station, and they sat on the front steps of their once-happy home, reluctant to go in because they were caught between two worlds: the way it used to be when they were Ina and Jeffrey, and the sad way it was now. A painful limbo.

She said he expressed a hopefulness that didn't match her pessimistic view of their relationship, as he inquired about what he could do to save their marriage.

"She stated that she couldn't continue living with Jeffrey in a traditional "man and wife" relationship. Although he hadn't done anything wrong, his actions were outdated in the current era. She had evolved and no longer found that behavior acceptable."

If he visited a therapist and understood her perspective on their relationship, it could potentially save them.

"According to People, she said, "That's all Jeffrey needed - one hour - and he totally got it.""

Her husband's "determination" to convince her of his commitment to their marriage was as crucial as "anything that might transpire during their therapy session."

Garten stated that it required patience and attentive listening, but ultimately, they were able to progress in their marriage as equal partners.

"I'm grateful I asked for a separation years ago," she admitted. "Looking back, it was risky, but it led us to the relationship we have today."