Does Giada De Laurentiis Have Full Custody of Her Daughter, Jade?
Thanks to the Food Network, viewers get to see how plenty of different types of cuisine from around the world are made. And there are few Italian chefs more recognizable than Giada De Laurentiis. From her big personality to her delicious Italian-style dishes (that don’t look too daunting to make), she’s been a fan favorite for years and continues to grow her empire with books, shows, and TV specials.
Of course, being in the public eye (even as a chef) meant fans were interested in her personal life, too. And now we’re wondering if she has full custody of her daughter after her divorce from Todd Thompson. Here’s what we know.
Giada was married for over a decade before her divorce
Giada fans will recall the days on Everyday Italian when she would speak of her husband, Todd Thompson — and it wasn’t until a few years into her television career when she had her daughter, Jade. Fans loved seeing Jade come on screen from time to time, and we got to see her grow up through the years, too. Now, she’s 10 years old and an only child. As PopSugar notes the food superstar said, “I have so many babies: the show, Todd, and Jade.”
As for Todd and Giada, they chose to end their marriage after tying the knot over a decade earlier. And the Food Network star has noted how difficult the transition to being single was for her. As she told People, “After I got divorced, I spent about a year and a half alone, not dating, just figuring things out. I had been with Jade’s dad for 25 years. I didn’t know what it meant to not be married.” According to E! News, there were also plenty of money matters to discuss with this divorce, too, as the two did not have a prenuptial agreement.
She has partial custody of Jade and seems to co-parent very well
While divorces can certainly be complicated, it seems Giada and Todd did their best to keep the peace, especially for the sake of their daughter. E! News notes they share joint custody over Jade, who was 7 at the time of their split. And Giada also allegedly was ordered to pay Todd $9,000 in monthly child support.
Now that the dust has settled, it seems Todd and Giada co-parent pretty well together. As the Food Network star told People, “Getting along with my ex-husband really helps as well. We’re supportive of each other and, in turn, supportive of Jade.” Back in March 2018, Todd, Giada, and Jade were all seen together celebrating Jade’s 10th birthday as well — and the three of them looked like they were having a blast. Even Giada boyfriend, Shane Farley, commented to People about Giada and Todd’s excellent parenting. “Jade has got two amazing parents, so I can be a part of her life without any pressure,” he said.
Giada’s explained the trickier parts of single parenthood, too
Giada may be good at juggling a stellar career and parenthood, but that doesn’t mean she can do it all without help. As she told People, “What’s helped me be successful is being okay with knowing I can’t do it all. I have a wonderful team of people around me that help me every day.” She also told the publication that Todd is particularly good at juggling tasks, so when she knows she has a crazy schedule to uphold, she’ll ask him for reinforcements.
Being constantly on the road means she has plenty of quick cooking tips, too. When it’s time to make Jade breakfast, Giada mentioned that she uses her Wood Handled Conical Grater to grate butter over toast. “Most of us don’t have the time to sit around and wait for butter to soften on its own and sticking it in the microwave kind of changes the texture, so I grate it,” she explained.
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