There is a saying in Italian, “Di che pasta sei fatto,” that translates to English as “what pasta are you made of.” This phrase, which symbolizes the connection to heritage, culture, and identity, is often used to describe a person’s character. Few individuals in the culinary world embody this ethos, like Giada De Laurentiis. A renowned chef, Emmy Award-winning TV personality, and New York Times best-selling author, De Laurentiis has proven her culinary prowess and left an indelible mark on the industry, challenging the status quo in a largely male-dominated field.
Standing just over 5 feet tall, this pint-sized multi-hyphenate has created an empire in her decades-long career, but her path was far from linear. The culinary world has long fostered male chauvinism, and De Laurentiis admits that early in her career, she struggled to be taken seriously as a woman because of her petite stature. “Rather than fight against it, I decided to own what made me different, and it became an important part of my brand,” De Laurentiis said in an interview with Forbes.
While she is arguably one of the biggest Food Network stars and continues to expand her brand with countless cookbooks and innovative culinary concepts, like her curated online retail shop Giadzy, Giada’s personal life has not been without its challenges. From navigating a high-profile divorce to balancing a demanding career with motherhood, these struggles have not only tested her resilience but also simultaneously refined her character.
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Giada Faced Adversity As A Child
Giada De Laurentiis with family – giadadelaurentiis / Instagram
In the 1970s, the De Laurentiis family emigrated from Italy to America during a time when the U.S. was riddled with racism and discrimination. The Roman-born chef was only 7 years old and struggled to learn the English language while adapting to her new normal. She recalls people being much less welcoming of her heritage at the time, which was made especially difficult because — even after moving to the United States — the De Laurentiis family still lived very Italian lives.
Though now a beloved personality, De Laurentiis was deemed an outcast by her peers and tormented relentlessly. “It was horrifying the names they called me,” she said in an interview with Redbook.” The chef’s classmates mocked her accent and her food, which often included spaghetti bolognese and Nutella sandwiches. “My different name and Italian food that I brought to school were not seen as cool by my classmates at the time,” De Laurentiis told Business Insider.
Reflecting on the challenges as an adult, De Laurentiis thinks fondly of the transition even though it was difficult. The trauma she endured in her childhood is something she carries with her, and she attributes cooking to building her confidence. “I’d bring things to class that I’d cooked at home, and my classmates were like, ‘Wow. This is amazing, and that girl with the funny name cooked it,'” she told Redbook.
Her Family Didn’t Initially Support Her Goals
Giada De Laurentiis posing with family – Giada De Laurentiis / Facebook
Born into a family of actors and producers with a lineage in Hollywood, Giada De Laurentiis was expected to follow suit working in the industry. The summer before she attended culinary school, De Laurentiis told Time that her family questioned her judgment and encouraged her to take a job on a movie set before finalizing her decision. “They thought that cooking professionally was for men, not women,” she said.
Ideating their daughter living a traditional life and settling down with a family, it is ironic that De Laurentiis ended up in front of the camera, not behind it, because of her cooking. Initially skeptical of her pursuit, Dino De Laurentiis, Giada’s movie producer grandfather, was shocked and proud of her success. However, he still offered criticism from time to time, especially when it came to recipes including jarred pasta sauce.
Reflecting on her experience working on the movie set, De Laurentiis struggled to find her footing. “Nothing about it made me want to get up and work — except for the catering truck,” she said of the catalyst for her cooking career. “It was interesting for me to see how they did so much from such a little truck.”
She Learned To Cook In A Hostile Environment
Giada De Laurentiis cooking at Le Cordon Bleu – giadadelaurentiis / Instagram
Le Cordon Bleu, the iconic and notoriously traumatizing culinary and hospitality school, has incubated some of the world’s most extraordinary culinary talents like Julia Child and Giada De Laurentiis. In 1997, with help towards tuition from her aunt, Giada De Laurentiis embarked on a journey to Paris to pursue her dream of being a pastry chef.
The school was founded in 1895 and is synonymous with culinary excellence. De Laurentiis was not prepared for the harsh realities of Le Cordon Bleu, especially given the that fact she had never been away from home. “They would ridicule you to no end,” De Laurentiis told Eater’s Digest podcast. The stress was so impactful that the Emmy-winning chef recalls losing 10 pounds. “I couldn’t eat, sleep, I didn’t speak French,” she added. The experience was so daunting that she found herself questioning her abilities.
In retrospect, De Laurentiis can see that the training was indicative of the times, but that did not make the experience any less intense or isolating. Le Cordon Bleu was rigorous. For a young American girl who was used to being coddled by her family and teachers, De Laurentiis describes the chefs at Le Cordon Bleu as evil. “They threw stuff at us — sauces, knives. It is a different mentality,” she told Time. “Nobody can prepare you for that. But it’s not like that any more.”
Giada Dealt With Sexism In The Culinary World
Giada De Laurentiis and chefs laughing together – David Becker/Getty Images
Kitchens have traditionally been thought of as a woman’s domain. However, in the culinary industry, women face a significant gender gap in leadership roles. Data shows that in the United States, 63.4% of chefs are male. Underscoring the gender gap, female chefs earn only a fraction of what their male counterparts earn when hired for the same position.
Giada De Laurentiis knows these statistics well but has beat the odds. With over 11 televised series and nearly a dozen best-selling cookbooks, she defied expectations in a machismo world when she became the first female to open a restaurant in Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. “I really wanted to crack that,” De Laurentiis said on Eater’s Digest podcast. But even with the success of two restaurants in Sin City, she describes feeling micromanaged by male colleagues who tried to control her simply because she was a woman.
De Laurentiis also mentions that her appearance played a role in the sexism she faced early in her career. “I’ve been fighting this look my entire career,” she told Eater’s Digest. Stifled by her physique, skeptics said she didn’t look the part, forcing her to prove them wrong by delivering great recipes, like her spanking risotto, to challenge the stereotypes.
The fight for equal representation is not one De Laurentiis faces alone. Culinary queens like Alex Guarnaschelli, Katie Lee, and Rachael Ray have all been outspoken about the misogyny and sexism they have had to overcome in their careers while offering advice to others who might be grappling with the same issues. For De Laurentiis, that means advocating for herself and her family, and hopes her success can help pave the way for women to come.
Her Brother Passed Away From Cancer
Giada De Laurentiis and siblings smiling – Giada De Laurentiis / Facebook
In 2003, Giada De Laurentiis lost her younger brother Dino to Melanoma. Having been diagnosed in his early 20s, the expectation was that he would overcome it. Devastated by the loss, De Laurentiis described their bond in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. “He was the person I turned to for everything,” she said.
Her brother’s untimely death impacted her profoundly, causing her to become a hyper aware of her health but, at the same time, fueled her activism in cancer research and inspired her to become a mother. “She’s allowed me to love in a full way, which I think that had stopped when my brother died 10 years ago,” she said of her daughter Jade in an interview with Parade.
De Laurentiis recently aligned with Melanoma Research Alliance and Stand Up For Cancer in a collaborative PSA to raise awareness for the deadly disease. Her mission is to encourage people to schedule regular dermatology visits and be vigilant with sun protection. “If my brother had caught the changes in his mole early on, he would still be around today.”
Tabloids Exploited Her Personal Life
Giada De Laurentiis and Bobby Flay at an event – Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
When you’re in the public eye, you open yourself up to scrutiny, and Giada De Laurentiis has been the subject of a series of false media narratives and internet fodder. For years, rumors circulated that the best-selling author was having affairs with celebrities like John Mayer, Matt Lauer, and longtime friend and fellow chef Bobby Flay.
In 2010, Today reported that Star Magazine ran a story accusing her of having a fling with singer John Mayer. Though both parties denied the claims and condemned the magazine for publishing “malicious untruths,” the rumor shocked her husband and his family. “My family is used to that sort of thing. But my husband’s family is not,” she told Redbook in 2011. “Todd was embarrassed that his family in Michigan would see it.”
A few years later, in 2015, De Laurentiis fired back at rumors of the alleged affairs with Lauer and Flay, stating that her relationships with both men were nothing more than long-term friendships with colleagues, according to Page Six. While it’s not confirmed if these allegations contributed to her eventual divorce from her longtime husband, Todd Thompson, navigating the trials and tribulations of the media can be devastating.
She Endured A Public And Difficult Divorce
Giada De Laurentiis and Todd Thompson seated together – Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images
De Laurentiis began dating her now ex-husband, Todd Thompson, when she was only 19 years old. The pair were together for nearly 25 years but ultimately filed for divorce in 2015. While the exact reason for the divorce is unknown, De Laurentiis shared in an interview with Redbook that “it can be hard for any man to sometimes be upstaged by his wife,” citing her busy career as a challenge.
The decades-long relationship withstood much adversity, from a burgeoning career in culinary school to a chaotic work schedule and rumors of alleged affairs. In 2014, De Laurentiis posted on Facebook announcing the split with great sadness and a desire to remain focused on their family. “Todd and I share a beautiful daughter and a lifetime of great memories that we both treasure more than anything,” she wrote.
According to E! News, the weight of the painful split was felt financially, with De Laurentiis ordered to pay $9,000 per month in child support. Court documents also revealed that in the division of their assets, Thompson kept their $3.2 million Pacific Palisades home in addition to $300k worth of furniture and artwork. Despite the pain she endured during the year and a half of divorce, De Laurentiis told E! that she is finally through it. “Life is fun and great, and I have so much fun with my daughter, and I have someone new!”
Internet Vitriol Has Sunk Its Teeth Into Her
Giada De Laurentiis holding a plate of food – Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images
Giada De Laurentiis’ journey has not been without its share of publicly fueled controversies, and she describes facing criticism as the worst part of being in the public eye. “No matter how hard you work at distancing yourself and numbing yourself, it’s really hard when people rip you down,” De Laurentiis told Glamour.
Aside from the vicious rumors of alleged affairs perpetuated by the media, the chef has also been dragged by fans. In 2012, blogger Sarahlynn Pablo wrote a piece in retaliation for De Laurentiis’ Filipino Chicken Adobo recipe appearing on an episode of “Giada at Home.” Pablo referred to the dish as “cultural appropriation” and cited several instances where ingredients were misused, sparking followers to weigh in on the argument.
When the Food Network announced in 2013 that it would not renew Paula Deen’s show following a slew of racially charged comments, the former hosts’ time slot was replaced with Giada De Laurentiis’ episodes. De Laurentiis faced a huge backlash from Deen’s fans, who urged her to stand up for her fellow co-star after staying silent. “Her shows got replaced by my shows, so we have a lot of people not happy with me right now,” De Laurentiis told Access Hollywood.
A significant blow to Giada De Laurentiis’ reputation came when Target was forced to recall her cookware line, comprising nearly 150,000 units. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the ceramic lasagna tray, which was said to pose a laceration risk due to sharp edges breaking during everyday use, was recalled in April 2013. Customers who purchased the pan were advised to stop using it immediately, but six of the 39 reports resulted in lacerations.
Adjusting To Life On-Screen Was Challenging
Giada De Laurentiis cooking with Drew Barrymore – giadadelaurentiis / Instagram
With no expectation of ever appearing on camera, Giada De Laurentiis had to adjust to being on screen. Despite her family ties to Hollywood, her desire to be a chef was rooted in the belief that chefs never come out of the kitchen. Following the success of an article written for Food & Wine, she was stunned when the Food Network asked the chef to submit herself on tape. “It took me six months to make that tape,” De Laurentiis told Time. “I was like, I can’t do it, I can’t talk to a camera, I’m too shy.”
However, her industry connections played a significant role in the star landing her series after talented friends helped direct and edit her submission. “I nailed the tape because I made a professional tape,” she told Eater’s Digest podcast. “It was all choreographed.” With unrelenting nerves, the chef describes the difficult first season as “horrible.” She did something right, as viewers fell in love with her and her recipes. “Everyday Italian” was renewed for 11 seasons, earning her an Emmy award for “Outstanding Lifestyle Host.”
Celebrities Have Rejected Her Cooking
Giada De Laurentiis holding pasta on a fork and smiling – giadadelaurentiis / Instagram
Even with Giada De Laurentiis’ widely lauded recipes, contrarians still lurk, and the chef has dealt with public rejection of her cooking more than once. On her first appearance on The Today Show, De Laurentiis prepared grilled chicken with a spinach pesto. At the end of the segment, the former host of the morning show, Matt Lauer, takes a bite of the chicken, only to discover it was seared for the camera and not cooked entirely through. “The camera follows him into the kitchen, and he spits it out. And he comes back and says, “Are you trying to kill us here,” the best-selling author told Redbook. Reeling with embarrassment, De Laurentiis and Lauer maintained a friendship following the mishap, and she was invited back on the show several times as a correspondent covering food, lifestyle, and travel.
In another awkward television segment, Nicole Kidman and Giada De Laurentiis appeared together on a 2017 episode of “Ellen.” What was supposed to be an informal cooking segment turned into a cringeworthy concoction of shade over the chef’s recipe for risotto balls. De Laurentiis ushered Kidman and DeGeneres through the recipe while making a series of “ball” jokes that fell flat. A disgruntled De Laurentiis was the first to jab the actress, asking if she “had ever made meatballs or anything,” to which she was met with a blatant eye roll.
When it came time to test the premade focaccia dough, the actress took a bite before placing it back down. “I know you’re not meant to criticize, but it’s a little tough,” Kidman said with another eye roll. Embarrassed, De Laurentiis responds, “Nicole, it’s been sitting there for like five hours! I hate doing these things!”
The Food Network Burnt Her Out
Giada De Laurentiis with a pile of branded boxes – giadadelaurentiis / Instagram
In 2023, Giada De Laurentiis announced she was leaving the Food Network after 21 years. The Emmy award winner, who had been a big fish in a small pond for decades, admits to being fearful initially, given that she had just gone through a public divorce while balancing the demands of her career and motherhood. “I got burnt out, and I couldn’t see a path that was exciting anymore,” the chef told Rebecca Minkoff on an episode of her Superwomen podcast. “If I’m getting bored, my viewers are getting bored.”
Energized by the promise of entrepreneurial pursuits, De Laurentiis dedicated her time to new projects, including launching her curated online retail shop, Giadzy, enabling her to spend more time with her daughter, Jade. “Sometimes in life, it’s fun to get out at the top rather than when nobody wants you anymore,” she told Minkoff.
The idea of running her own business after years of being edited on screen offered De Laurentiis a much-desired chance to be organic and commit to things that fulfilled her. The change has presented challenges, some echoing sentiments of her earlier career in which she struggled to be taken seriously when raising capital for her new ventures. “This world is difficult,” she told Minkoff. “Time-consuming, lots of pressure, and you have to be up for the challenge.”
California Wildfires Devastated Her Community
Giada De Laurentiis and family with arms round each other – Giada De Laurentiis / Facebook
In January 2025, devastating wildfires ravaged the westside of Los Angeles, including the Pacific Palisades area where Giada De Laurentiis lives. Though it is unclear if her home was among the many destroyed by the disaster, she did confirm that she and her family were safe despite her community being significantly impacted. The chef posted to Facebook, expressing gratitude amid the “very long and heartbreaking week in our community.”
In the wake of the fires, De Laurentiis forwent her appearance at SoBe food festival in Miami and has kept a relatively low profile before the upcoming book tour to promote her new cookbook “Super Italian.” In a recent appearance on Good Day L.A., De Laurentiis referenced her joy in hosting a book signing event at Diesel bookstore in Brentwood, Los Angeles, another village impacted by the fires. “I’m really happy to be in that neighborhood after everything that’s happened,” she said.
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