Celebrity Chef Giada De Laurentiis Divorces Husband after 11 years of Marriage

Food network star, Giada De Laruentiis and her husband of 11 years, Todd Thompson are separating. The Italian chief, known for her show, Giada at Home, wrote on Facebook:

"After an amicable separation since July, Todd and I have decided to end our marriage. Although our decision to separate comes with a great deal of sadness, our focus on the future and overwhelming desire for our family's happiness has given us the strength to move forward on separate, yet always connected paths. Todd and I share a beautiful daughter and a lifetime of great memories that we both treasure more than anything. We are so thankful for our friends and family, and really appreciate the support in this time of change."

De Laurentiis, who is 44 now, met her husband when she was 19-years-old and he was 20. They married in May 2003. In a 2011 interview, De Laurentiis talked about how she shows her appreciation to her husband through her cooking. When asked whether or not she cooked for him out of love or guilt, De Laurentiis replied:

"Absolutely love and respect. I think it can be hard for any man to sometimes be upstaged by his wife. So when I'm home, I work very hard to be Todd's wife and Jade's mother. I have no problem going back to those traditional roles. I try to be Giada, the young girl that he met 20 years ago and fell in love with. All men want to be treated like kings in a relationship, and I think if women don't indulge that sometimes, their men are likely to stray and look for someone who can give that to them. It's simple. It's not brain surgery."

De Laurentiis also addressed the rumors that she had hooked up with singer John Mayer, stating that she was shocked that the rumors even started. She added that Todd knew that she would not be capable of cheating on him.

De Laurentiis and Thomspon have one daughter together, six-year-old Jade Marie De Laurentiis-Thompson.