All About Giada De Laurentiis' Daughter Jade De Laurentiis Thompson

Former Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis welcomed her only child, Jade Marie De Laurentiis Thompson, in 2008

If there's one thing Giada De Laurentiis loves more than cooking, it's being a mom to her daughter, Jade Marie De Laurentiis Thompson.

The former Food Network star and her ex-husband, clothing designer Todd Thompson, celebrated the birth of their only child together in 2008. Since De Laurentiis and Thompson divorced in 2014, they have worked hard to co-parent and ensure that Jade always feels secure.

"We live a stone's throw away from each other, like five minutes, which has really helped keep Jade stable and just keep her environment as similar as possible at both places," she told PEOPLE in 2018.

De Laurentiis and Thompson have gotten together to witness their daughter's milestones, like when she graduated from middle school and gave a speech.

Related: Food Network Turns 30! Check Out These Throwback Photos of Its Original Stars

The famous cook has also been open about how much motherhood has meant to her.

In an interview with Parade, De Laurentiis shared that she "was afraid to open my heart up again" after the death of her brother, who died at the age of 29 from skin cancer in 2003.

"She's probably the best thing I've ever done in my life and she's also opened my eyes up to really enjoying every day and not taking things too seriously," she told the outlet in 2013. "She's allowed me to love in a full way, which I think that had stopped when my brother died 10 years ago."

De Laurentiis concluded, "She's reopened my eyes to the world around me and my ability to truly love someone again."

Here's everything to know about Giada De Laurentiis' daughter, Jade Marie De Laurentiis Thompson.

She was born in 2008

De Laurentiis and Thompson welcomed their daughter, Jade, on March 29, 2008.

After announcing her pregnancy in November 2007, the chef told Redbook magazine that when she found out they were expecting, it was "a complete surprise" and "not planned at all."

At the time, De Laurentiis and Thompson had been together for 18 years, and having a family wasn't top of mind for them. "It was never that we didn't want children; it was more like, 'If we have them someday, great. If not, that's fine too,' " she added.

According to De Laurentiis, her brother's death contributed to this mindset "because I was afraid that we could have a child and lose him or her too."

Ultimately, though, she made peace with one day becoming a mother when she realized that missing out on the experience "might be the saddest thing" for her.

Over the years, she has also touched on the decision not to have more children as she has enjoyed her one-on-one adventures with Jade. "I do think that the greatest luxury for me in life is time with my daughter," De Laurentiis told Haute Living in 2023. "Also, I feel like my time is fleeting with her — and also, for myself."

She loved to cook with De Laurentiis as a child

De Laurentiis began sharing her passion for food with Jade as a toddler. In 2010, when she was 2 years old, the cookbook author told PEOPLE that Jade was already "cooking" with her.

"She has a kitchen in her playroom with little baby pots and pans and we simultaneously cook," De Laurentiis explained.

Jade's interest in the kitchen continued for a few years, but as she grew older, she began exploring other hobbies for an important reason. In an interview with PEOPLE, De Laurentiis revealed that her daughter wants to make her own path.

"There's not one single part of her that's like, 'I'm going to be a cook like my mom.' No, it's like, 'That's my mom and I am my own person,' " she said in 2017.

Fast forward to 2022, De Laurentiis shared that Jade was back in the kitchen — but to bake, not cook. De Laurentiis told E! News that she hoped food would intrigue her daughter once more in the future.

"Maybe [someday] when she's older she might come around again — but for right now, no," she said. "But she does like to eat, so that is helpful."

Since then, it looks like Jade has joined her mom to create dishes together, including baked bolognese.

She's an aspiring actress

Jade might not want to be a famous chef, but she still has Hollywood aspirations.

In 2022, De Laurentiis told PEOPLE that while Jade "wanted a role" in the Hallmark movie she executive produced, Always Amore, she didn't think her daughter was ready for that next step. According to the mom of one, she wants Jade to fully enjoy her childhood.

"That girl has been bugging me to allow her to do auditions for off-Broadway shows for years and I'm like, 'No,' " she said. "You're not moving to New York. You're not doing this. You have to be a child. It's important to be a child. It only happens once in your life."

Still, De Laurentiis encouraged her daughter to pursue her hobbies by sending her to theater camp over the summer.

In the process, Jade may follow in other family members' footsteps: De Laurentiis' mother, father and grandfather were all actors; her late grandfather is Oscar-nominated producer Dino De Laurentiis.

She enjoys singing

Jade is interested in more than just acting — she may also want to pursue singing.

In March 2022, De Laurentiis shared a video of Jade performing the title role in her school's production of Matilda The Musical. The following year, Jade was cast in Working at her high school, which her mom and dad attended in support.

As for where she got her singing talent, De Laurentiis has "no idea."

"I don't know where she got it, but I've always said that I felt I was just a vehicle with which Jade needed to come into this world," she told PEOPLE the following month. "She is her own person and she was from day one."

De Laurentiis continued, "She knows what her mission is in this life. And it's pretty incredible to watch a young child really know what they love and go after it."

She appears on De Laurentiis' social media

Jade doesn't have public social media accounts, but she is often seen on her mom's pages.

Among her different work projects, De Laurentiis shows glimpses of her life with Jade on Instagram, including birthdays, traveling and celebrating the holidays.

Over on TikTok, the mother-daughter duo have also shared moments of their fun relationship, like when they raced to eat a long pasta noodle.

In a heartfelt surprise, Jade teamed up with De Laurentiis' boyfriend, Shane Farley, to make her Valentine's Day dinner. They followed a recipe for Cacio e Pepe curated by De Laurentiis' lifestyle brand Giadzy and it was a hit with the professional chef.

Related: Who Is Giada De Laurentiis' Boyfriend? All About Shane Farley

She's close with her mom

De Laurentiis and Jade have shared a special bond since day one.

In an interview with Parade in 2013, De Laurentiis called her daughter her "best friend." She added, "We have so much fun together. ... We laugh so much, and she's so inquisitive."

Although Jade's interest in cooking has ebbed and flowed, creating delicious meals has always been central to their relationship.

In May 2022, De Laurentiis shared a video of Jade making her a meal for Mother's Day: boxed mac and cheese. In the video, Jade demonstrates how to make macaroni and cheese, joking, "People always ask if I can cook and the answer is yes."

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.