Giada De Laurentiis Finally Explains Why She Pronounces Italian Dishes The Way She Does

Let's face it, we all love to hate on celebrities every once in a while, and famous chefs are no exception. Whether we don't like their shows or there's something about their persona that just irks us, some of the best cooks out there can draw criticism from the public — and even Giada De Laurentiis can't hide from it. The TV star and author has talked about some of the online hate she gets, especially when it comes to her weight and eating habits, but the number one thing that has confused viewers over the years actually has nothing to do with food – it's how she pronounces certain Italian words. Now she's finally addressed that, too: It's because English isn't her first language. 

De Laurentiis was born in Rome, but she mostly grew up in California. In general, her accent sounds pretty American, but every so often she'll gain an Italian twang, especially when she's talking about traditional Italian dishes and ingredients. De Laurentiis discussed the topic in a recent Instagram video, where she responded to questions from the public. She explains, "Honestly I moved here in elementary school from Rome and I really didn't speak any English. I couldn't practice at home because my parents insisted that we speak Italian."

Of course, her English improved over the years, but De Laurentiis never lost her accent when it came to Italian words. Both of her parents were Italian, and she learned how to cook from her grandfather, Dino De Laurentiis, who was from Naples. She returns to Europe frequently, for family trips, filming, or just to share tips for eating in Italy with her fans.

In her Instagram video, De Laurentiis says that her family would "kill her" if she pronounced any Italian words the American way on TV. In fact, the idea of doing so didn't even occur to her when she was first starting out. She says, "I had to pronounce them the way they had taught me."

The chef, who has since built a hugely successful empire that includes her own products, says that it still surprises her how much emotion her accent elicits from the people who watch her shows. "I get asked all the time to pronounce words and dishes. It's hilarious to me," she says in the video. So there you have it. It might annoy you — but at least you know her accent is authentic.