I grew up in the kitchen, mostly with my grandfather, my mother and my aunt Raffy. Giada De Laurentiis More Quotes by Giada De Laurentiis More Quotes From Giada De Laurentiis Any time you do anything different in this life, it's risky. But I've only done things differently, and it's gotten me quite far. If you want to make a splash, you've got to step out on that ledge and jump. And I could land flat on my face and it would be the biggest nightmare of my life. I'm willing to risk it. I want to help change the way male chefs see females. I want to show them that, yes, we're emotional and, yes, sometimes we make irrational decisions, but we're passionate about what we do, and that passion will propel us to the next level. Giada De Laurentiis passion emotional decision For a healthy alternative to buffalo wings, slide the bone of a human finger into a block of tofu and bake. Giada De Laurentiis block healthy wings I wasn't looking to get into TV. My family was in the movie business, so I was never interested in that world. Giada De Laurentiis my-family tvs world Everything in moderation. Giada De Laurentiis everything-in-moderation moderation I always say to people that working full time and being a mom is probably the hardest job, because as a mom you think about your child 24/7. Giada De Laurentiis mom jobs children I'm comfortable in my own skin. I know I'm not going to ever be Cindy Crawford or Elle MacPherson. Giada De Laurentiis my-own skins knows It will be a great success to me if my family comes into the restaurant and says that they're proud of what I've done, they're proud of the way I've represented the De Laurentiis name, and that they love my food. That is the moment of pure pride for me. Giada De Laurentiis proud pride done Many chefs of a certain caliber do not see me as a chef. I don't have a restaurant. They see me as a TV food personality, not a chef. I've gotten respect, trust me, they respect me, but I think that I can't hit that particular level of respect from them until I have a successful Vegas restaurant that not only makes money but creates unbelievable food and a fabulous experience. I don't think people think I can cook, and they don't think I know what the hell I'm doing. Giada De Laurentiis successful people thinking I'm not just a female chef. I'm a woman in a brand new hotel, and that's why I think it's so perfect to be at the Cromwell, in a corner of one of the busiest intersections of the world, with my name in lights. It's different in all those sorts of ways, and I'm hoping I'll be able to carry that through. Because if I can't, it's a step back for women in general. People will say - men will say - "See, that's why it's mostly men". Giada De Laurentiis men people thinking My family truly believes they are better cooks than I am. They see me as Giada, not as a celebrity chef. To them I'm just me - their granddaughter, niece, etc., and they're older and wiser. I like that because it keeps you grounded. Giada De Laurentiis granddaughter niece believe My grandfather gave me inspiration to cook, and love food and flavors. My Aunt Raffie, gave me creativity and the inspiration to create new things. My mother inspires me to find simplicity in food. Giada De Laurentiis creativity inspiration mother To a billion people around the world surviving on just a dollar a day, the question of what to eat tonight is more about life and death than about recipes. The struggle of poor people around the globe weighs heavily on me, especially now that I am a mother, which is why I work with Oxfam. Giada De Laurentiis struggle mother people These days it's cool to be ethnic and to be different, but when I was a kid, it was not cool - at all. My friends would come over and my mom would make crepes with eggs, stuffed with mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and spinach. And they'd be like, 'What is this?' Giada De Laurentiis eggs mom kids Pretty much every time I try something different or do something in front of a live audience, I truly think they might throw peanuts at me. Giada De Laurentiis different trying thinking My grandfather's family used to own a pasta factory in Naples and they would go door-to-door selling their pasta. So his love of food came from his parents, which was then passed down to my mother and then again to me. Giada De Laurentiis parent mother doors Cooking for me is a way to wind down. It's different from cooking on camera, where you have to do everything twice, for a wide shot and a close-up. Giada De Laurentiis cameras cooking wind The summer before I went to culinary school, my family wanted me to take a job on a movie to make sure that I was making the right decision. I think they hoped I would change my mind about culinary school. Giada De Laurentiis summer jobs school Stock up your pantry and your freezer with things that aren't perishable: Your favorite jar of tomato sauce that lists "tomato" as the first ingredient, lots of grains, olive oils, vinegars, tomato pastes, onions, shallots. When you go to the store, you only have to pick up meats and produce. Giada De Laurentiis tomatoes oil meat There's nothing like a home-cooked meal - nothing! When people ask me what the best restaurant in L.A. is, I say, 'Uh, my house.' It's more intimate. Food can connect people in a forever sort of way. Giada De Laurentiis house home people Lidia Bastianich, sorry, but kind of boring. I mean, I love Lidia, but you can fall asleep watching her. And Mario Batali? I love Mario to death... but he's not romantic or sensual. Those are the things I bring to the table. Giada De Laurentiis sorry romantic fall
