Celebrity chef Ina Garten is sharing her wisdoms for couples who are long distance - and sweetly revealed an 'old fashioned' suggestion for keeping the spark alive.

Garten, 76, who has been married to her own husband, Jeffrey, for 56 years, lifted the lid on her tips in a new Q+A video posted on her Instagram page.  

And she would know, since during parts of their marriage, the pair were forced to have a long-distance relationship for long periods of time - including Jeffrey's service in the army early on in their marriage and his time working as the Dean at Yale University's School of Management. 

In the new clip, she answered questions that her fans had sent in, including one young viewer who was looking for advice about surviving long-distance shortly after getting married.

'The key is always staying connected when you're away,' Garten revealed.

'I know a couple where they were apart and they never spoke to each other, I couldn't imagine!' she continued.

She then shared her old-school romance tip. 

'You know, this is very old-fashioned, but I think letters are great,' the Barefoot Contessa host admitted.

Celebrity chef Ina Garten, 76, is sharing her wisdoms for couples who are long distance - and sweetly revealed an 'old fashioned' suggestion for keeping the spark alive

Celebrity chef Ina Garten, 76, is sharing her wisdoms for couples who are long distance - and sweetly revealed an 'old fashioned' suggestion for keeping the spark alive

Garten, who has been married to her own husband, Jeffrey, for 56 years, revealed her tips in a new Q+A video posted on her Instagram page

Garten, who has been married to her own husband, Jeffrey, for 56 years, revealed her tips in a new Q+A video posted on her Instagram page

'You know, this is very old-fashioned, but I think letters are great,' the Barefoot Contessa host admitted

'You know, this is very old-fashioned, but I think letters are great,' the Barefoot Contessa host admitted

'Even if you just write them and send them by an email, but the letter itself, you've taken the time, it says you're important to me, and I want to tell you how I feel,' she added.

Her advice comes just a few months after the release of her memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens, where she revealed that she and her husband once separated for six weeks.

In an excerpt, Ina explained that after she started running her own business, she realized she couldn't 'live with him in the traditional "man and wife" relationship anymore.'

The star started her specialty food store in 1978, located in Westhampton Beach, New York.  

'When I bought Barefoot Contessa, I shattered our traditional roles - took a baseball bat to them and left them in pieces,' she wrote in the book. 

'While I was still cooking, cleaning, shopping, managing at the store, I was doing it as a businesswoman, not a wife.

'I just couldn't live with him in a traditional "man and wife" relationship. Jeffrey hadn’t done anything wrong.

'He was just doing what every man before him had done. But we were living in a new era, and that behavior wasn't okay with me anymore. I had changed.'

Her advice comes just a few months after the release of her memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens, where she revealed that she and her husband once separated for six weeks

Her advice comes just a few months after the release of her memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens, where she revealed that she and her husband once separated for six weeks

'When I bought Barefoot Contessa, I shattered our traditional roles - took a baseball bat to them and left them in pieces,' she wrote in the book

'When I bought Barefoot Contessa, I shattered our traditional roles - took a baseball bat to them and left them in pieces,' she wrote in the book

The 76-year-old admitted that her immense 'responsibilities' as a storeowner made it 'impossible for her to even think about anything else, and she confessed that she 'didn't pay enough attention' to her husband.

'There was no expectation about who got home from work first and what they should do, because I never got home from work,' she continued.

'I didn't pay enough attention to him. I just wanted everyone to leave me alone so I could concentrate on the store.

'Jeffrey was fully formed and living the life he wanted to live. I wasn't, and I wouldn't be able to figure out who I was or what I wanted unless I was on my own. I needed that freedom.'

Garten revealed that she considered divorcing Jeffrey, but in the end, opted for a separation as she took time to figure out what she really wanted.

In the tome, she described it as the 'hardest thing she ever did,' but stressed the importance of her 'being on her own.'

'I didn't say whether it was for now... or forever. In true Jeffrey form, he said, "If you feel like you need to be on your own, you need to do it,"' she recalled.

'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.'

Garten revealed that she considered divorcing Jeffrey, but in the end, opted for a separation as she took time to figure out what she really wanted

Garten revealed that she considered divorcing Jeffrey, but in the end, opted for a separation as she took time to figure out what she really wanted

In a 2018 interview with TODAY , she emphasized just how important it was to connect with your spouse while you're away from each other

In a 2018 interview with TODAY , she emphasized just how important it was to connect with your spouse while you're away from each other

'Actually, Jeffrey and I don't always live in the same place, because he's at Yale in New Haven and I'm in East Hampton working on my books,' she told the outlet at the time

'Actually, Jeffrey and I don't always live in the same place, because he's at Yale in New Haven and I'm in East Hampton working on my books,' she told the outlet at the time

In the end, Garten suggested that Jeffrey see a therapist, and he agreed, which changed everything for them.

They spent six weeks apart before they ultimately decided to give their love another go as 'equals.'

Now, it looks like the two are stronger than ever, as they've celebrated over 50 years of marriage together.

In a 2018 interview with Today, she emphasized just how important it was to connect with your spouse while you're away from each other. 

'Actually, Jeffrey and I don't always live in the same place, because he's at Yale in New Haven and I'm in East Hampton working on my books,' she told the outlet at the time. 

'And one thing we always do is we always connect with each other during the day. And the thing is, even though he's away, he's like this anchor in the middle of my life,' she continued.

'Instead of making me feel kind of lost at sea, it's this big anchor in the middle of my life and it gives me enormous freedom, which is wonderful.'