Why Giada De Laurentiis Sometimes Needed A Break From Bobby Flay In Italy

As a team, celebrity chefs and television personalities Giada De Laurentiis and Bobby Flay are a delight to watch. The duo can be really entertaining on camera thanks to the fact that they share a great connection off camera. Nowhere was that better displayed than when they worked together on the show "Bobby and Giada in Italy" in 2019 before the pandemic began. The engaging show took viewers on a fun ride in Italy as they watched Flay and De Laurentiis sample several dishes and explore different parts of the picturesque European country (via TV Over Mind.)

Of course, it helps that Giada De Laurentiis was born and raised in Italy and knows the place better than many. The show explored Italy's fascinating culture as well. De Laurentiis and Flay made it a point to engage in conversations with the locals during filming. While it was exciting to work on the show, in a wonderful insight into a celebrity's underlying humanity, De Laurentiis mentioned that she needed to spend time by herself as well and could not be around Flay all the time while in Italy (via CheatSheet.)

As reported by CheatSheet, Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis worked hard for a month on "Bobby and Giada in Italy." The show was originally a concept that Flay came up with (which helps explain why he got top billing), and he felt that De Laurentiis would be a great co-host to have while filming. She was grateful for the opportunity and told Parade, "It was really his passion project, and I was lucky enough to go with him."

While Bobby Flay was good company, De Laurentiis did make sure to spend enough time by herself in Italy. She acknowledged that she definitely needed time away from her friend to recharge and unwind. She added, "But that's also [what happens] when you put two people together who are both used to being the boss and the star, and then they're asked to share." Not an easy situation to be in, but they're professionals, and they made it work.

As two prominent figures in the culinary space, Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis are known for sharing a special on-screen chemistry. According to People, they came across each other in 2004 at an event in Philadelphia. Yes, it's been a long while! For De Laurentiis, Flay is a reliable friend and she knows she can trust him. She said, "I think that Bobby is one of those people that if you are his friend, he has your back forever and he will stand up for you." 

That said, they did hit a rough patch years ago and weren't communicating with each other for eight months. What happened? Well, they teamed up together on an episode of "Iron Chef America" in 2006. Unfortunately, they didn't win the competition against chefs Rachael Ray and Mario Batali. Surprisingly, Flay wasn't as upset as De Laurentiis was. This didn't sit well with her at all. She said, "He didn't think it was any big deal that we lost. I did not talk to him for eight months' eight months! I did not. Nothing. Silence."

Flay wasn't even apologetic after their loss and that stumped Giada De Laurentiis, who expected more from him. Well, thankfully, the feud didn't last. The pair managed to resolve their differences eventually and got back to being friends once more. 

For Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis, filming "Bobby and Giada In Italy" was definitely an experience worth remembering. Flay told Variety that he had never been to Tuscany before working on the show. He enjoyed himself to the fullest, taking in the different sights and sounds while feasting on dishes like ragu. Flay said, "It was a really nice getaway. It was almost like, 'we're in New York City, and then we're going to the Hamptons.'"

Also, Flay and De Laurentiis got the opportunity to really connect with each other as they were living in the same villa with their crew. De Laurentiis said, "We said goodnight every evening and had breakfast all together every day. It's like nothing we'd done before." 

Flay mentioned that he really enjoyed De Laurentiis' company in Italy (via Delish.) He said, "We were just in a great mood the entire time. We got along great. We always have a great time together." He reckoned that his friend was a lot more at ease and relaxed in Italy, and he felt the same way. Flay added that the trip didn't feel just like work and was more like being on an extended holiday. It seems like the breaks Giada De Laurentiis took from him really made all the difference.