Giada De Laurentiis leaves Food Network after 21 years for ‘exciting’ new gig
Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis is saying ciao to the Food Network after 21 years to cook up new projects with Amazon Studios.
The Italian American multihyphenate, 52, signed a multi-year deal for an unscripted series with Amazon, Deadline reported Thursday.
A spokesperson for the Food Network wished De Laurentiis well in a Friday statement to The Post: “Giada De Laurentiis is culinary royalty.”
“[She] is someone who has taught audiences how to properly pronounce every cut of pasta imaginable for nearly two decades,” the statement continued.
“Food Network will always be proud of the beautiful content we have created together, and our table will always have an open seat for Giada.”
De Laurentiis has hosted the programs “Giada at Home,” “Everyday Italian” and “Giada Entertains” on the network.
Reruns of “Giada at Home” and “Giada Entertains” are set to air on Food Network and Discovery+.
The Emmy-winning host confirmed her new endeavor in a statement to People: “I’m looking forward to this next chapter. I’ve been a fan of Amazon for a long time, and I’m excited for what we will accomplish together.”
The Post reached out to De Laurentiis’ reps for comment.
“With her charismatic passion for food, and commitment to making extraordinary culinary experiences accessible to the home chef, Giada De Laurentiis has remained at the forefront of her industry for nearly two decades,” Lauren Anderson, head of AVoD original content and programming at Amazon Studios, told Deadline.
“We look forward to developing an exciting slate of projects with Giada, as she expands into new areas and we broaden our portfolio of cooking and lifestyle content,” Anderson continued.
Another Food Network star, Bobby Flay, nearly exited the company in October 2021 after 27 years. He was reportedly in negotiations to strike a deal that would earn him a multimillion-dollar contract.
Flay, 58, ultimately signed a three-year contract extension, through 2024, after the network’s parent company, Discovery Communications, prepared to part ways with him amid his rumored demands of a $100 million payday.
The “Beat Bobby Flay” star was looking for a contract that would rival fellow Food Network star Guy Fieri’s $80 million deal.
Besides her TV work, De Laurentiis has written a slew of cookbooks, including “Eat Better, Feel Better“; “Everyday Italian“; and “Giada’s Italy.“
Trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, De Laurentiis has also found success as a restaurateur, with GIADA and Pronto by Giada in Las Vegas.
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