Giada De Laurentiis

Born in Rome, Giada grew up in a large Italian family where the culture of food was a staple in and of itself. As the granddaughter of film producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada consistently found herself in the family’s kitchen and spent a great deal of time at her grandfather’s restaurant, DDL Foodshow. After graduating from the University of California in Los Angeles with a degree in anthropology, Giada’s passion for cooking remained. She eventually made the decision to commence a culinary career and began her professional training at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, specializing in both cuisine and pastry. Following, she returned to Los Angeles, where her training included positions at the prestigious Ritz Carlton Fine Dining Room and Wolfgang Puck’s Spago in Beverly Hills. She later founded GDL Foods, a catering company in Los Angeles.


Giada’s career start on Food Network began in 2002 when she was discovered by a network executive upon reading an article about her and the De Laurentiis family in FOOD & WINE magazine. Since then, Giada has earned an Emmy for Outstanding Lifestyle Host and has become one of Food Network’s most recognizable faces. Her Emmy award winning, daytime cooking show, “Everyday Italian,” featured quick, healthy and satisfying Italian dishes. Her primetime show, “Giada’s Weekend Getaways,” debuted in January 2007 and followed Giada to popular destinations in and around the United States as she explored the cities’ most notable restaurants and activities. Giada can also be seen in Food Network specials, such as “Giada in Paradise: Capri and Santorini,” and as a judge on the highly popular series, “Next Food Network Star.” Giada is now in production on her new series, “Giada at Home,” where Giada plans and prepares meals and parties for family and friends. The series premiered last Fall to some of the networks most impressive ratings to date and continues to be a viewers’ favorite.