Celebrity Chef and Author Giada De Laurentiis: The Face of a New Italian Gourmet Line

I’m a huge fan of the Food Network. And one of my favorite shows on that network is Everyday Italian with Giada De Laurentiis. Just like the title of her show indicates, Giada demonstrates how to makes simple Italian food that the home cook can easily replicate for their friends and family.

Giada and Academia Barilla, a branch of the Barilla pasta company, recently launched a line of co-branded, specialty food items for distribution in gourmet stores nationwide and in its online store.

This is Barilla’s first-ever gourmet celebrity product line. It offers food connoisseurs an authentic taste of Italy. Products include: Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, Sicilian Hand-Harvested Sea Salt with Fresh Lemon Zest, and Giada’s Tuscan Herb Mix. De Laurentiis personally selected all products.

Giada is a very inspiring and hard-working woman on the go. In addition to Giada’s two Food Network shows, she is a co-host of NBC’s Today Show, and author of three New York Times best-selling cookbooks. A fourth cookbook, Giada’s Kitchen, will be in bookstores nationwide in Fall 2008. She is the granddaughter of famed Italian movie producer Dino De Laurentiis and legendary actress Silvana Mangano.

The celebrity chef has also recently added the title of “mother” to her distinguished resume. Giada gave birth to a daughter, Jade Marie De Laurentiis Thompson born on March 29, 2008.

I might have to check out these new products by Barilla. I would love to try the Tuscan Herb Mix. Yum! Which product sounds good to you?

Elaine of Her Big Idea has an Internet Radio Show on BlogTalkRadio and writes for Posh Mama Online Magazine and Social Network every Tuesday.

Tags: academia barilla, Barilla, cooking, food network, giada, Giada De Laurentiis, italian, nbc, today show