Giada De Laurentiis facts for kids
De Laurentiis in 2010
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| Born | Giada Pamela De Benedetti August 22, 1970 Rome, Italy |
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| Cooking style | Italian |
| Education | University of California, Los Angeles Le Cordon Bleu |
| Spouse |
Todd Thompson
(m. 2003; div. 2015) |
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Television show(s)
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Award(s) won
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Giada Pamela De Laurentiis (born August 22, 1970) is a famous Italian-American chef, businesswoman, writer, and TV star. She hosted the popular Food Network show Giada at Home. Giada also often appears on NBC's Today show. She started her own catering company called GDL Foods. Giada has won several awards, including a Daytime Emmy Award for being a great host and a Gracie Award. She is known as one of the most powerful people in the world of hospitality.
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Giada's Early Life
Giada Pamela De Benedetti was born in Rome, Italy, on August 22, 1970. Her mom was actress Veronica De Laurentiis, and her first dad was actor-producer Alex De Benedetti. Giada's grandpa was the famous film producer Dino De Laurentiis.
When she was a kid, Giada loved being in the kitchen. She spent a lot of time at her grandpa's restaurant, DDL Foodshow. After her parents divorced, Giada and her siblings moved to Southern California. They started using their mother's last name, De Laurentiis.
Giada finished high school at Marymount High School in Los Angeles. Then, she went to the University of California, Los Angeles. She earned her degree in social anthropology in 1996.
Her family has roots in both Italy and England. Her great-grandma was English, and her grandma was the British-Italian film star Silvana Mangano.
Giada's Career in Cooking
Giada wanted to be a pastry chef, so she studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. After she came back to the United States, she worked as a professional chef. She cooked in several restaurants in Los Angeles, including Wolfgang Puck's famous restaurant, Spago.
Later, she worked as a food stylist. This means she made food look amazing for photos. The Food Network saw her work in Food & Wine magazine in 2002 and contacted her.
Starting on Food Network
Her first cooking show on Food Network was Everyday Italian. It started on April 5, 2003. Giada shared that she never planned to be on TV. She felt shy in front of the camera at first.
When her show first aired, some people thought she was a model pretending to cook. But she quickly proved she was a real chef!
In October 2005, Giada started hosting Behind the Bash. This show looked at how big events, like the Grammy Awards, are catered.
More TV Shows and Appearances
In January 2007, her third show, Giada's Weekend Getaways, began. On this show, Giada traveled to different places. She visited her favorite food spots in cities like Seattle and San Francisco.
Giada also appeared on Iron Chef America in November 2006. She and Bobby Flay competed against Rachael Ray and Mario Batali.
In June 2007, Giada hosted a special called Giada in Paradise. It showed her exploring beautiful places like Santorini, Greece, and Capri, Italy. She was also a guest judge on The Next Food Network Star in 2007.
In 2008, Giada won a Daytime Emmy Award for being an amazing host.
Giada at Home and Other Ventures
In 2008, Giada at Home premiered. This show featured Giada cooking meals and planning parties for her family and friends. The set looked just like her own home.
Giada also joined chef Bobby Flay as a judge on Food Network Star. Later, she became a team leader, guiding young cooks in the competition.
In 2009, Giada lent her voice to "Paulette" on the cartoon show Handy Manny. In 2010, she launched a line of kitchen products just for Target. She also became a regular mentor on The Next Food Network Star.
Opening Restaurants
In July 2014, Giada opened her very first restaurant, called GIADA. It's located inside The Cromwell in Las Vegas, Nevada. The restaurant has great views of the Bellagio fountains.
The menu at GIADA features Italian food with a California twist. Some dishes include lemon spaghetti, chicken cacciatore, and rosemary focaccia. You can also find vegan and gluten-free options. Guests can even watch the chefs cook in the open kitchen.
In 2014, Giada voiced the character Gelata in the Pixie Hollow Bake Off special.
In 2017, she started an online platform called Giadzy.com. It shares new recipes, travel tips, and sells high-quality Italian food products.
In 2018, Giada voiced herself in the movie Scooby-Doo! and the Gourmet Ghost.
Giada has continued to win awards for her work. On June 26, 2020, her Food Network series Giada Entertains won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Culinary Series. On July 26, 2020, Giada herself won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Culinary Host.
In February 2023, Giada signed a big deal with Amazon Studios to create new shows. She was also named the godmother for the new Oceania Cruises ship, Vista.
Giada's Restaurants
Giada De Laurentiis has two restaurants on the famous Las Vegas Strip. Her first restaurant, "Giada," opened in May 2014 at The Cromwell.
In early 2018, she opened a second restaurant called "Pronto by Giada." This is a fast-casual restaurant located in Caesars Palace.
In July 2017, she announced plans for another restaurant in Baltimore, Maryland. It's called GDL Italian by Giada and opened in May 2018.
Giada's Personal Life
On May 25, 2003, Giada married Todd Thompson, who is a fashion designer. Their only child, Jade Marie De Laurentiis-Thompson, was born on March 29, 2008. Jade was named after her mom, as "Giada" means "Jade" in Italian.
Giada has said that having Jade was a very special experience. She decided not to have more children, focusing on her career and her daughter.
On December 29, 2014, Giada announced that she and Todd had separated. Their divorce was finalized on September 3, 2015. Since November 2015, she has been in a relationship with TV producer Shane Farley.
Awards and Recognitions
Giada De Laurentiis has received many awards for her work in television and cooking.
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lifestyle Host | Everyday Italian | Won |
| 2010 | Outstanding Lifestyle Host | Giada at Home | Nominated | |
| 2012 | Outstanding Lifestyle Host | Giada at Home | Nominated | |
| Gracie Awards | Outstanding Host | Giada at Home | Won | |
| 2020 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Culinary Host | Giada Entertains | Won |
See also
In Spanish: Giada De Laurentiis para niños
