TLDR: Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis have been the subject of dating rumors since 2015, when both announced divorces within months of each other and were spotted holding hands at NYC restaurants.
Both have repeatedly denied any romance, with Giada saying she’d never date another chef because she’s “smarter than that.”
She’s been with producer Shane Farley since 2015, while Bobby has dated several women since his split from Stephanie March.
For years, Food Network fans have shipped Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis as the ultimate celebrity chef power couple. They have undeniable chemistry on screen, work together constantly, and seem to genuinely enjoy each other’s company.
So when both announced divorces within months of each other in 2014 and 2015, speculation went into overdrive. Were they finally free to be together?
The answer, according to both of them, is a firm no. But the persistent rumors reveal a fascinating dynamic between two of Food Network’s biggest stars.
How Bobby and Giada Met
Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis first met around 2004 at a food expo in Philadelphia. At the time, Giada had just launched her Food Network show “Everyday Italian” in 2003.
Bobby was already a Food Network veteran, having debuted on the channel in the 1990s with shows like “Grillin’ and Chillin’.”
Their meeting wasn’t particularly dramatic or romantic. They were both rising stars in the celebrity chef world, attending the same industry events and networking with fellow culinary professionals.
But they clicked immediately as friends and collaborators. Over the next two decades, they would co-host 14 seasons of “Food Network Star” together and work on multiple projects.
At the time they met, both were married to other people. Giada had been with her husband Todd Thompson since she was 19, marrying him in 2003. Bobby was married to his second wife, Kate Connelly, though that marriage would end in divorce in 1998.
The Iron Chef America Falling Out
Before we get to the romance rumors, it’s worth noting that Bobby and Giada’s friendship hasn’t always been smooth sailing. In fact, they once didn’t speak for eight months.
In 2006, the duo competed together on “Iron Chef America” against Mario Batali and Rachael Ray. They lost, and Giada was furious.
“We lost and he thought it was funny,” Giada revealed on her podcast “Beyond the Plate.” “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.”
Giada felt Bobby hadn’t taken the competition seriously enough. “I thought, you know, I took this very seriously. It was a very big show, especially at that time, and I’ve cooked, I’ve gone to culinary school, I worked on my own dish all by myself and I felt like he sort of half-assed it.”
Eventually they reconciled, but the incident shows their relationship isn’t all sunshine and pasta. They’re two strong personalities who don’t always see eye to eye.
The Suspicious Timing of Their Divorces
In December 2014, Giada announced on Facebook that she was divorcing Todd Thompson after 11 years of marriage. They had one daughter together, Jade, who was 7 at the time.
Just four months later in April 2015, Bobby Flay filed for divorce from his third wife, actress Stephanie March, after 10 years of marriage.
The timing was suspicious enough on its own. But then photos surfaced of Giada and Bobby partying together in Miami just 11 days before her divorce was finalized.
Fans immediately jumped to conclusions. Had Bobby and Giada been having an affair? Was their relationship the real reason both marriages fell apart?
The internet went into a frenzy. These were two of Food Network’s most beloved personalities, both suddenly single at the same time after working closely together for years.
The Hand-Holding Incident
In May 2015, just weeks after Bobby filed for divorce, the rumors exploded when Bobby and Giada were spotted at a restaurant in New York City.
According to an eyewitness who spoke to Radar Online, “They were holding hands under their table and looked very cozy. They even carved their initials in a secret place on the wall.”
A staff member at the restaurant added, “They had a great time together, ate pasta and fish and tipped well.”
Sources claimed the two were “spending a lot of time together” and “even when work keeps them apart, they’re phoning and texting each other all the time.”
This wasn’t just casual speculation anymore. There were eyewitnesses, restaurant staff, and multiple sources all suggesting something romantic was happening.
Giada’s publicist immediately went into damage control mode.
The Official Denials
Giada’s rep issued a statement to E! News that was oddly specific in its denial.
“Back in December, Giada had dinner at Bellato with her agent,” the statement read. “Bobby Flay was also having dinner with some friends and dropped by Giada’s table to say hi. They did not have dinner, nor was there any touching going on.”
Bobby’s rep confirmed the same story. Just a friendly hello between colleagues. Nothing to see here.
But the denials kept coming, which only made people more suspicious. In November 2015, Giada appeared on “Watch What Happens Live” with Andy Cohen to address the rumors directly.
“We do get together on ‘Food Network Star,'” she joked, acknowledging their professional relationship. “Well, we’re very good friends. We’ve worked for many years together, but I don’t think that’s ever going to happen because I’m smarter than that.”
That last line stung. “I’m smarter than that” suggested dating Bobby would be a mistake, a dig at his three failed marriages.
Giada also revealed her personal rule about dating. “I would never date another chef,” she told Andy Cohen. As a chef herself, she knew better than to mix business with pleasure in the culinary world.
The Shane Farley Connection
If Giada wasn’t dating Bobby, who was she seeing? The answer turned out to have its own interesting connection to their relationship.
In 2015, Giada began dating Shane Farley, a television producer. They’ve been together ever since, nearly a decade now.
Here’s the twist: Shane Farley was supposed to be the producer for a talk show that Bobby and Giada were planning to co-host together. The show never happened, but Giada found love with the man who would have worked with both of them.
When Giada appeared on “The Wendy Williams Show” in 2015, she confirmed she had a new man in her life but wouldn’t reveal his identity at first. This led to more Bobby speculation until Shane was eventually identified.
“You know what I love?” Giada told Wendy, clearly frustrated with the constant Bobby rumors. “People have paired me with anybody I laid eyes on even crossing the street.”
She took Wendy to task for bringing up her romantic life during what was supposed to be a cooking segment, showing just how tired she was of the speculation.
Working Together Despite the Rumors
What’s remarkable is that Bobby and Giada have continued working together despite years of romance rumors. They clearly value their professional partnership and friendship enough to push through the speculation.
They co-hosted “Food Network Star” for 14 seasons. They’ve appeared on each other’s shows countless times, with Giada bringing competitors to “Beat Bobby Flay” and Bobby guesting on her various cooking programs.
In 2021, they launched “Bobby and Giada in Italy,” a travel show where they explored Italian cuisine together. The show was successful enough to warrant multiple seasons.
Bobby gushed about the experience to Delish: “I love Giada in Italy—like the person, not just the show—because she’s so relaxed there. And I feel the same way.”
He added, “The experience was so enjoyable that it didn’t even feel like work. It’s almost like we were on some sort of extended vacation, but we’re also working at the same time. We were just in a great mood the entire time. We got along great. We always have a great time together.”
Comments like these don’t exactly help quash the romance rumors. When you’re talking about how much you love being with someone and how great you get along, people are going to read into it.
What Giada Really Thinks of Bobby
Despite the eight-month silent treatment after “Iron Chef America,” Giada has repeatedly praised Bobby’s friendship over the years.
On her “Beyond the Plate” podcast, she shared what she values most about him: “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’s high praise, especially coming from someone who once refused to speak to him for eight months. It shows they’ve built a genuine friendship that’s survived professional disappointments, persistent rumors, and the pressures of working together in the public eye.
Giada has also been complimentary about Bobby’s mother, Veronica, whom they visited while filming “Bobby and Giada in Italy.” These personal connections suggest their friendship goes beyond just professional collaboration.
The Previous Affair Allegations
It’s worth noting that Bobby wasn’t the only person Giada was rumored to have cheated with during her marriage to Todd Thompson.
In 2011, rumors swirled about an affair with Matt Lauer, her “Today” show colleague. In 2013, Star Magazine reported she’d had a fling with singer John Mayer.
Giada denied all of it. “My long-time friendships with my co-workers are exactly that—long-time friendships,” she said. “There has never been a romantic relationship with these two men.”
She also noted how embarrassed Todd was by the constant affair rumors, suggesting they put serious strain on their marriage even if none of them were true.
The pattern of speculation about Giada’s relationships with male colleagues shows how difficult it is for men and women to maintain professional friendships in the public eye without romance assumptions.
Bobby’s Perspective on the Rumors
Interestingly, Bobby Flay has never been directly asked about the Giada rumors in the same way she has. He’s managed to avoid most of the hot seat moments.
After his divorce from Stephanie March, Bobby dated actress Heléne Yorke from 2016 to 2019. That relationship seemed to cool the Giada speculation somewhat, as it showed Bobby was interested in dating outside the culinary world.
He later dated writer Christina Pérez from 2021 to 2024, and as of 2025, he’s in a relationship with fellow chef Brooke Williamson, a Top Chef winner who appears on his show “Bobby’s Triple Threat.”
His daughter Sophie Flay even joked in March 2025 that her dad “always has a date,” showing he’s never been single for long since his third divorce.
The fact that Bobby keeps dating other women while maintaining his friendship with Giada suggests there really is nothing romantic between them.
Why Fans Still Ship Them
Despite all the denials, fans continue to hope Bobby and Giada will end up together. Why?
First, they have incredible on-screen chemistry. Whether they’re playfully bickering on “Food Network Star” or exploring Italy together, their rapport is undeniable.
Second, they’re both gorgeous, successful, charismatic people who seem to genuinely enjoy each other’s company. It’s a natural pairing in fans’ minds.
Third, there’s the “will they or won’t they” tension that keeps people invested. Every time they work together, the rumors resurface. Every compliment Bobby gives Giada gets analyzed for hidden meaning.
The fact that Giada said she’s “smarter than that” about dating Bobby only adds to the intrigue. Does she protest too much? Is there unresolved tension?
Probably not. But fans love a good romance narrative, and two celebrity chefs who work together constantly make for compelling fiction even if it’s not reality.
The Truth About Bobby and Giada
After nearly a decade of persistent rumors, multiple denials, and continued professional collaboration, what’s the real story?
All evidence suggests Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis are exactly what they claim to be: close friends and professional collaborators who have never been romantically involved.
The timing of their divorces was coincidental. The hand-holding in restaurants was exaggerated or misinterpreted. The chemistry on screen is professional rapport, not romantic tension.
Giada has been happily with Shane Farley since 2015. Bobby has dated multiple women since his divorce from Stephanie March and says he’s done with marriage entirely.
Their friendship has survived an eight-month silence, countless romance rumors, and the pressures of working together in the spotlight. That’s actually more impressive than a romance would be.
As Giada told Andy Cohen, she’s smart enough not to date another chef. And Bobby, with three divorces under his belt, probably learned his lesson about mixing friendship with romance.
Sometimes two people really can just be friends, even if they’re attractive, successful, and work together constantly.
Bobby and Giada seem determined to prove it, no matter how many times fans ship them together.
