Make-A-Wish Kid Snubbed by Barefoot Contessa; Two Food Network Chefs (One Is Beau MacMillan) Come to the Rescue

Update: Barefoot Contessa Agrees (Finally) to Meet Make-A-Wish Kid Enzo, a 6-year-old boy diagnosed with life-threatening leukemia, wanted to spend an hour or two of the few he might have left with his idol, Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa (bed-ridden, he watches her Food Network show with his mom). But...

By Laura Hahnefeld

March 28, 2011

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Update: Barefoot Contessa Agrees (Finally) to Meet Make-A-Wish Kid

Enzo, a 6-year-old boy diagnosed with life-threatening leukemia, wanted to spend an hour or two of the few he might have left with his idol, Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa (bed-ridden, he watches her Food Network show with his mom). But when the folks at the Make-A-Wish Foundation asked Garten if she could make Enzo's dying wish come true, she said "no" -- twice.

WTF? As the clear front runner for 2011's Worst Person of the Year, Garten was reported by TMZ as saying the first refusal was due to a book tour and the second was simply "a definite no" due to "scheduling conflicts."

Enzo was reportedly heartbroken by Garten's refusal and had to change his dream to swimming with dolphins. That was before two Food Network chefs (one, local celebu-chef Beau MacMillan) stepped up to offer their services in her stead.

Beau Mac has said he'll fly Enzo and his family to Arizona immediately, putting them up at Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain and then treating them to a VIP dinner at MacMillan's restaurant, elements, where he can bring Enzo into the kitchen so they can prepare the meal together.

Iron Chef Michael Symon said he'll be in Enzo's home state of Oregon soon and would be happy to stop by his house to cook a dish with the young gourmand.

Thanks to chefs Beau MacMillan and Michael Symon, our faith in humanity has been restored.

And to Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa? Karma's a bitch, honey.

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