Giada De Laurentiis Lays It ‘All On The Table,’ & Dishes Her Wellness Routine

Giada De Laurentiis served up more than Italian cuisine on the latest All on the Table episode with Katie Biegel—she served up a big ol’ scoop of wisdom. If you’ve ever wanted to know what it’s like inside Giada’s world—from her thoughts on Bobby Flay to the real way Italians eat—grab your best-stemmed glass, pour something fabulous into it, and let’s get into it.

The Secret Behind Crunchy Pasta

First, let’s talk about the crunchy pasta that had Instagram in a chokehold. Giada explained the magic of assassina, a dish from Puglia that’s basically the love child of risotto, paella, and Persian rice. “It’s not leftovers,” she clarified, “you cook it slowly like you cook risotto.” That means constantly adding liquid, letting it absorb, and then crisping it to perfection. The result? Crunchy on the outside, silky on the inside. Pure. Pasta. Magic.

She admitted she’s always been a sucker for the crunch factor, confessing that as a kid, she would peel off the crispy top of béchamel pasta on her birthday while her family had to settle for the mushier bottom. “To me, it’s only the top,” she laughed. 

Mom Life, Teenage Drama, and Feeding Jade

Giada’s daughter Jade is now 16 (pause for dramatic effect because how?!), and apparently, meal times are now an Olympic sport of negotiation. “She has her good days, and then she has her days where she eats junk,” Giada admitted. Relatable.

Giada also shared that Jade does cook for her friends—just not for her. “Unless it’s my birthday or Mother’s Day, then she begrudgingly does it.” But does she have the cooking gene? “No.” Oof. But hey, at least Jade’s got taste—she loves diverse cuisines from Thai to Japanese. And let’s be real, no teenager wants to live in their mom’s shadow, even when said mom is an Italian cooking queen.

Bobby Flay: The Honorary Italian 

Now, for the Bobby Flay mention we all needed. When talking about her new Super Italian cookbook, Giada called Katie Couric and Bobby Flay “honorary Italians.” Katie admitted she took a DNA test just hoping for any drop of Italian. “Not even one percent,” she sighed. 

Bobby Flay, on the other hand, doesn’t need the genes; he’s got the vibe. And Giada, who’s famously close with him (yes, we all remember their Iron Chef drama back in the day), didn’t hesitate to crown him with honorary status.

What’s Super Italian About, Anyway?

Giada’s latest book is a love letter to Italy’s real superfoods—the ones Italians actually eat. “It’s about understanding ingredients,” she explained, “what are the superfoods Italians rely on for flavor bombs and how do you stock your pantry?” Think olive oil, anchovies, high-quality tomatoes, and the kind of bread that actually tastes like something.

One of the biggest gems? Her garlicky anchovy breadcrumbs, which she keeps on hand to sprinkle on everything from pasta to salads. “People get so squeamish about anchovies,” she noted, “but they don’t realize how much umami they add.” You heard her—stop being afraid of little fish and start leveling up your cooking.

The Art of Living Well (aka La Dolce Vita)

Giada believes that food isn’t just about what you eat, but how you eat it. Italians have mastered the art of sitting down, savoring meals, and actually enjoying their lives—something Americans struggle with. “We put our phones away, we sit down to a meal, we plan where we’re going to eat, and with whom,” she said. “But we don’t do that in our regular lives. We only do that on vacation.”

And her key takeaway? Stop saving the good plates, the good meals, and the good conversations for later. Start living like you’re on vacation now. That’s la dolce vita—and it’s the ultimate Italian superfood.

Her Wellness Routine: Chicken Broth and 10K Steps

Oh, and in case you were wondering about Giada’s glow (because yes, we noticed, and yes, Katie did too), she swears by her morning routine: chicken broth with collagen. No coffee first thing. “Destroyed my stomach,” she admitted. Instead, she fuels up, gets her protein, and has her coffee later. She also hits at least 8,000 steps daily—10,000 if she can swing it.

Add in yoga, weights, acupuncture, and hot baths with magnesium salts, and suddenly, we’re all reevaluating our 7 a.m. triple-shot lattes and dry cereal breakfasts.

What’s Next for Giada?

Her next Italian adventure? The Dolomites. “I haven’t been there in like 30 years,” she said, admitting she’s not exactly a hiker but is willing to try. “A friend told me it’s luxurious—there’s little stops where you can rest. So we’ll see, Katie, we’ll see.”

And if there’s one thing to take away from this entire conversation, it’s this: Whether she’s perfecting the crunch on pasta, making fun of Bobby Flay, or embracing la dolce vita, Giada De Laurentiis is always cooking up something worth talking about.Also, grow up and stop fearing anchovies. That’s how to be Super Italian.