Why Giada De Laurentiis is Leaving the Food Network
The celebrity chef has announced her exit after 21 years with the network.
After more than two decades with the Food Network, celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis is saying goodbye—at least, for now.
The former host of shows like Giada at Home and Giada Entertains has sealed a new deal with Amazon Studios, securing a new multi-year partnership to produce unscripted series for the streaming giant, as originally reported by Deadline.
“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, said in a press statement. “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.”
De Laurentiis added, “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 Food Network confirmed her departure in a statement to People, where a spokesperson said, "Giada De Laurentiis is culinary royalty, someone who has taught audiences how to properly pronounce every cut of pasta imaginable for nearly two decades. 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."
Reruns of her shows will continue to air on Food Network and discovery+ while De Laurentiis transitions to not only starring in, but executive producing new content.
The chef also commented on the news on Instagram, where she shared a screenshot of Deadline's article, writing, "Big week! Super excited for what's to come! @amazonstudios." Several of her fellow celebrity chefs left their congratulations in the comments, including Alex Guarnaschelli, Dan Langan, and Katie Lee Biegel, though some fans couldn't help but wonder what her jump to streaming may mean for the network.
"Darn. I’m sure it’s a good deal for you, but this thing of so many shows moving to streaming just sucks. I hope that’s not what is happening. I loved the Food Network. Now it’s not what it was, for sure," one lamented.
Still, we're excited to see what comes next for the chef!
