How Martha Stewart's Honeymoon To Europe Became An 'Eye-Opening' Culinary Experience

The bombshell trailer for Netflix's Martha Stewart documentary had everyone talking. Now that "Martha" has been released, viewers are privy to some stunning revelations about the "doyenne of domesticity's" honeymoon trip to Europe and its impact on her life and career. The TV personality married publisher Andrew Stewart in 1961. (They divorced in 1990.) According to Stewart, her European honeymoon "awaken[ed] in me a love of cuisine, a love of travel, a love of discovery." Ultimately, the cookbook author credits the excursion with helping her determine her life's purpose.

"I really felt that this is the thing I'd like to spend my life thinking about," says Stewart, who went on to launch a veritable homemaking empire in the wake of her inspirational trip. Stewart authored books, developed a magazine, and eventually landed her very own TV show. She also has the distinction of being America's first female self-made billionaire, which might not have been possible had the lifestyle expert not taken that life-changing trip as a young newlywed.

Pre-fame, Martha Stewart was a fashion model, stockbroker, and owner of a catering company, which shows that the enterprising entrepreneur was never one to rest on her laurels. The lifestyle media mogul exhibited the same level of tenacity during her European honeymoon, which she characterizes as "like a five-month trip." While most people would be primarily focused on celebrating with their new spouse, Stewart spent at least part of her honeymoon taking notes. 

"I kept record of every menu, every single thing we ate," she explains. Claiming that "nobody was sophisticated back home in the 1960s," Stewart was amazed by the different flavors and preparations. For example, the acclaimed chef expressed surprise at the variety of olives compared to "those green olives with red pimento in them from a jar." Stewart has undergone many transformations over the years, including wins and losses in both her personal and professional life, so there's no telling what the future holds for this towering media figure.