Giada De Laurntiis is a self-proclaimed sore loser. The television cook show host, cook book author and restaurateur recently admitted that she didn’t speak with teammate chef, Bobby Flay, for 8 months after the two lost in a cooking competition on the Food Network’s “Iron Chef America” in 2006. De Laurentiis really wanted to win, and Flay’s nonchalant attitude about the entire competition bothered her so much she refused to speak with him for quite a while. The two celebrity chefs co-host “Food Network Stars” and get along well today, but Giada still remembers being angry with Flay back in 2006.
Recently, Giada De Laurentiis was asked about the “feud”. Podcast host, Andrew “Kappy Kaplan, asked the chef about her prior issue with Bobby Flay on Season 2 of “Beyond the Plate”. “Iron Chef” and “The Chew” host, Michael Simon, recently asked De Laurentiis about the “feud” in an interview for Hampton Magazine. De Laurentiis explained that she was upset with Flay following the their loss on Iron Chef America back in 2006 and it took her a while to get over it, but she moved forward with time. De Laurentiis explained in both interviews that the incident happened 8 years ago, and she and Flay have a solid friendship today. She admits she was a sore loser at the time.
Iron Chef America 2006
Back in November 2006 the Food Network’s Iron Chef America teamed celebrity chefs to compete in the Kitchen Stadium. Giada De Laurentiis thought she would compete against Rachel Ray, and was surprised when the producers decided to team her with Bobby Flay and team Ray with Mario Batali. De Laurentiis knew she was the underdog but was excited to work hard at the competition. She hoped to win, and Flay encouraged her that they would. Her agent and then husband, Todd Thompson, both advised her to turn down the episode, but De Laurentiis was determined. It was a tough competition and De Laurentiis put her heart into it. She didn’t feel that Flay put in much effort at all. Team De Laurentiis-Flay lost the competition. Flay laughed off the loss which upset De Laurentiis. She appreciated that it was a just a friendly competition, but because she put so much effort into it and Flay was so nonchalant, De Laurentiis couldn’t help but be disappointed. When she expressed her feelings to Flay, he was unapologetic which further angered De Laurentiis. She wouldn’t talk to Flay for many months. De Laurentiis believed that Rachel Ray put in the same effort as she did which further infuriated her that the men didn’t try their best.
Friends Today
Although it took Giada De Laurentiis quite some time to get over her frustration with Bobby Flay after the Iron Chef America competition in 2006, she did get over it. She and Flay both continue to work for the Food Network and run in the same circles. Eight years after the competition, the two celebrity chefs are best of friends and support each other completely. Both have been successful in their careers. De Laurentiis graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. She began a catering business and was noticed by television producers. De Laurentiis did food prep for television and was noticed by the Food Network. The network hired her in 2003 to host her own show, “Everyday Italian”. De Laurentiis is a contributor to NBC’s “Today” and recently opened a restaurant in Las Vegas, The Giada Restaurant at the Cromwell Hotel. She has written several cookbooks, promotes culinary products and has won the Daytime Emmy and Gracie awards. Giana De Laurentiis was inducted into the Culinary Hall of Fame. Although she’s still bothered by Flay’s nonchalant attitude 8 years ago and Flay thinks her anger is ridiculous, the 2 have let bygones be bygones and get along very well.
