In the two and a half years since Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis started dating producer Shane Farley, she's stayed pretty mum about their relationship. De Laurentiis' social media feeds are filled with pictures of food, her daughter, and her friends, with just a few glimpses of her romance with Farley sprinkled in. But now, she's opening up about what makes them work and how she moved on after her 2014 divorce from Todd Thompson.
De Laurentiis spoke to PEOPLE magazine for this week's issue, telling the magazine Farley is "a lot of fun," and that one her favorite parts of their relationship is that "he's very spontaneous and loves to laugh." Farley returned the feelings, telling PEOPLE De Laurentiis is one of the most positive people he knows.
The couple ironically met through Bobby Flay, who De Laurentiis was rumored to be dating after her divorce. Farley was hired to produce a talk show featuring De Laurentiis and Flay, and while the show didn't end up happening, a relationship later did.
While the two met in 2013, De Laurentiis was still with Thompson until 2014, and spent about a year and a half alone post-divorce, reflecting on hew new life after the end of a 25-year relationship.
"I didn't know what it meant to not be married," she said. "Once I got settled, [Shane and I] reconnected and I felt like a kid again."
Now, Farley is a big part of De Laurentiis and her daughter Jade's lives, though he's respectful of her ex-husband's presence, too. "Jade has got two amazing parents, so I can be a part of her life without any pressure," he told PEOPLE.
De Laurentiis' relationship isn't the only thing thriving — her new fast-casual restaurant just opened in Las Vegas, and her upcoming cookbook, Giada's Italy, comes out in March.
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