Giada de Laurentiis' Husband, Todd Thompson, Files for Divorce After Split Announcement: Get the Details

Petition was filed Dec. 30 in L.A. Superior Court after Food Network star revealed they had separated after 11 years

By Natalie Finn Dec 31, 2014 3:00 AMTags
Giada De Laurentiis, Todd ThompsonMichael Kovac/WireImage

Giada De Laurentiis's marriage is now on its way to being officially over.

The celeb chef and restaurateur's husband, Todd Thompsonn, filed for divorce Tuesday, less than 24 hours after she revealed that they had been separated for months.

To be exact, according to the petition filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, their date of separation was July 15 after 11 years and two months of marriage.

Thompson, who has not commented separately on the split, cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the breakdown of their union. The fashion designer has also asked that the court not have the jurisdiction to award his future ex-wife spousal support, noting that the division of their assets is to be determined.

He and De Laurentiis tied the knot on May 25, 2003, and are parents to 6-year-old daughter Jade Marie De Laurentiis Thompson.

"After an amicable separation since July, Todd and I have decided to end our marriage," De Laurentiis wrote on Facebook yesterday. "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 together," the Giada at Home host continued, "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."

RD/Kabik/Retna Digital

In 2009, De Laurentiis—who despite having been a celebrity tastemaker for years just opened up her first restaurant, GIADA, in Las Vegas—talked to Redbook about the ever-shifting dynamic between her and Thompson, whom she met when she was 19.

"In the beginning, I was there to help him in his career," the Food Network star recalled. "Now he's where he wants to be, and he helps me in mine. I think it's such a wonderful evolution of a relationship. And it's so cool how we can kind of divvy it up. You know, most men want to be in the limelight and have the woman take care of them. You have to balance that.

"There have to be times where it's about Todd, when I'm Todd's wife and that's just who I am at that moment. And then there are times when it's about me."