A feature in Food & Wine magazine launched the career of professional chef Giada De Laurentiis. She spent over 20 years keeping Food Network viewers fed and entertained. She left the network in 2023 to sign a multiyear deal with Amazon Studios. Now, the chef announced exciting career news after her disappointing run on Season 35 of Dancing With The Stars. Keep reading for all the details.
Giada De Laurentiis Reveals Exciting Career News After DWTS Disappointment
Giada De Laurentiis is famous for her Italian cooking. She is the author of multiple cookbooks featuring her favorite recipes. She went way out of her comfort zone by joining Season 35 of Dancing With The Stars. The ABC dance competition reportedly asked the chef many, many times over the years but she always said no. She said yes this time.
But unfortunately, her time on the dance floor was short-lived. Giada De Laurentiis and her pro partner, Alan Bersten, were sent home in Week 2 after receiving another low score. But she has nothing to mope about. The famous chef had another project secretly in the works that fans can experience soon.
For the second time, Giada De Laurentiis has paired up with Hallmark for one of the channel’s 2026 Countdown to Christmas movies. She previously executive produced Always Amore in 2022. That movie starred Hallmark Hunk Tyler Hynes and Autumn Reeser.
When Calls The Heart‘s Kevin McGarry, Daniella Monet and Toni Ellwand star in The Christmas Eve Feast. The holiday movie is about a New York City chef who goes home to her small town to help prepare Christmas Eve dinner after her Nonna is injured. There, she develops a bond with a photographer (played by Kevin McGarry) who is close to her grandmother.
The Christmas Eve Feast premieres on Hallmark on Friday, November 27, 2026, at 6 PM Eastern. 2026’s Countdown to Christmas kicks off on Friday, October 16.
Alan Bersten Breaks Silence On Heated Rehearsals
Dancing With The Stars viewers were surprised to see a heated confrontation between Alan Bersten and Giada De Laurentiis in the rehearsal package. The two butted heads over the routine. However, Alan Bersten said that it was all blown out of proportion.
The DWTS partners cleared the air on Danielle Fishel’s podcast after their elimination. “I think it was just that pressure of getting it, and the time crunch,” Alan Bersten said. Giada De Laurentiis blamed herself for the disagreement. “I was frustrated with myself and my ability, or lack of,” she said on the podcast.
While the two were heartbroken by their early elimination, their friendship came out of the show intact. We can’t wait to see the chef’s latest Hallmark movie!
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger