The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Or so they say. At least that’s the case with me. And one of my favorite types of food is Italian. Not sure what it is about Italian food that makes it so yummy, but it just is. Actually, I can think about one thing [...]
The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Or so they say. At least that’s the case with me. And one of my favorite types of food is Italian. Not sure what it is about Italian food that makes it so yummy, but it just is.
Actually, I can think about one thing that makes Italian food so yummy: Giada De Laurentiis.
I absolutely adore Giada. She is one of my favorite Food Network chefs probably because of that smile of hers. No slam on Emeril, but seriously…Giada is absolutely gorgeous. She has this adorable shyness and playfulness in front of the camera…but it wasn’t always that easy. This past week, the Food Network was celebrating their top chefs in a special series called Chefography and Giada was one of the chefs featured. I learned a lot of interesting tidbits about her fascinating life that I didn’t know before…
Giada grew up in a large family and has really always loved food and cooking. So it’s really no surprise that after graduating from UCLA, she packed her bags and headed for Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in Paris, France. (hmmm, what is it with the girls and Paris anyway?!?) After surviving culinary school, Giada came back to the states and worked in a variety different restaurants…eventually starting her own business.
Again, the thing I LOVE about Giada is this shy, girl-next-door innocence. She never wanted to be in front of the camera…despite her famous family connections in the movie business. As a matter of fact, when she started her first cooking show you could see the apprehension and frustration she had to deal with. Things like never smiling, forgetting what she was doing, not talking to the camera were things she eventually had to overcome. She was a cook first and foremost, so this hosting thing was new for her. But there is no denying that she has this special quality about her…and her beautiful food and her family’s amazing recipes are top-notch.
She’s a seasoned pro now, with top shows on the Food Network including my favorite, Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. And that smile of her still makes me melt every time.
Check out her shows on Food Network and her book: