After turning down the invitation an astonishing ten times across her illustrious television career, beloved celebrity chef and Food Network icon Giada De Laurentiis is finally trading her chef’s knives for dancing shoes. The 56-year-old culinary star has officially been confirmed as part of the star-studded celebrity roster for Season 35 of ABC’s cultural phenomenon, Dancing With the Stars (DWTS). Paired with fan-favorite professional dancer Alan Bersten, De Laurentiis enters the ballroom during a milestone era for both her personal life and the long-running reality competition series.
The announcement, made on September 2 during an exclusive joint interview at Disney Headquarters in New York City, immediately sent ripples through the entertainment industry. For years, producers had courted the Giada at Home alum, only to be met with a polite but firm refusal. However, a major life transition—specifically, her 18-year-old daughter Jade heading off to college—created the psychological and physical space necessary for De Laurentiis to step entirely outside her comfort zone.
What makes this casting particularly compelling is the stark contrast between De Laurentiis’s decades-long dominion over professional kitchens and the unforgiving, highly physical demands of a competitive ballroom. Bereft of her signature culinary tools, spatial authority, and culinary confidence, the culinary entrepreneur is embarking on a daunting new adventure. Season 35 promises high stakes, launching with a special two-night premiere event on September 15 and 16 at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC, where De Laurentiis and an eclectic group of competitors will vie for the coveted Mirrorball Trophy.
Detailed Chronology: From Culinary Icon to Ballroom Novice
The path to Giada De Laurentiis’s historic casting on Dancing With the Stars spans nearly two decades of persistent networking by reality television producers, punctuated by profound personal milestones.
The Decade-Long Refusal
According to De Laurentiis, the overtures from the Dancing With the Stars casting department began almost concurrently with the rise of her early Food Network programs. Over the course of 18 seasons and roughly ten distinct production cycles, network executives approached her team with offers to join the celebrity cast. Every single time, the answer was a definitive rejection.
"Funny enough, Dancing With the Stars has come to me maybe 10 times over the years," De Laurentiis revealed to E! News. "And I was always like, ‘No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.’"
For years, the calculus was simple. Balancing a sprawling media empire, cookbook writing, product lines, and relentless television production schedules left little room for the grueling, multi-month rehearsal commitments required by a show like DWTS. Furthermore, De Laurentiis was a dedicated single mother, prioritizing the daily routine and upbringing of her daughter, Jade, whom she shares with ex-husband Todd Thompson.
The Empty Nest Catalyst
The turning point arrived in the summer of 2025. With Jade reaching adulthood and preparing to embark on her first semester of college, De Laurentiis faced the classic, often daunting reality of the empty nest. This massive domestic shift acted as a psychological catalyst, prompting the culinary star to reevaluate her personal boundaries and professional comfort zones.
"This time, I thought, with my daughter pushing me and with my daughter out of my house," De Laurentiis explained, "this is a really good time for me to go on a new adventure and push myself to do something I’ve never done."
Cold Feet and the Final Push
Even after finally agreeing to sign the contract, the sheer magnitude of the commitment nearly caused De Laurentiis to pull out at the eleventh hour. In a candid admission that highlights her human vulnerability, the chef confessed that the reality of the impending separation from her daughter—coupled with the terrifying prospect of live ballroom dancing—almost derailed her participation entirely.
"I tried to get out of it," she admitted with a laugh. "Right before I dropped her off, I was like, ‘I can’t. This is just too much.’ And she’s like, ‘Mom! Pull up your boots and let’s go. Get it together.’"
Heeding her daughter’s tough-love advice, De Laurentiis cemented her commitment. By early September, she was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with her partner, Alan Bersten, at Disney’s New York headquarters, ready to tackle a discipline fundamentally alien to everything she has mastered throughout her professional life.
Supporting Context & Metrics: Stepping Out of the Kitchen
To fully appreciate the magnitude of Giada De Laurentiis’s entry into Season 35, one must examine the distinct universe she is leaving behind and the physical toll of the ballroom environment.
The Kitchen vs. The Ballroom
For millions of viewers worldwide, De Laurentiis is synonymous with effortless culinary mastery, bright Italian flavors, and the warm, controlled environment of a television kitchen. Her career has been built on precision, timing, knife skills, and sensory execution. Dancing With the Stars, conversely, strips away all familiar securities.
"It’s totally different," De Laurentiis noted, drawing a sharp contrast between her two worlds. "I do not have a stove. I do not have any of my tricks and any of my tools in my toolbox. So this is way, way out of my comfort zone."
Instead of stainless-steel countertops and copper pans, her new workspace is a hardwood floor surrounded by judges, cameras, and millions of critical live viewers. The physical transformation required for this shift has been immediate and punishing. De Laurentiis has already reported experiencing intense physical fatigue, noting the sudden awakening of musculature she never knew she possessed.
"I already learned a lot and I already have a lot of sore muscles, muscles I didn’t even know I had," she joked. "I’m trying to tell myself even at this stage, you can do something new. You can conquer something new."
Season 35 Landscape and Partner Dynamics
De Laurentiis is joined on her journey by professional dancer Alan Bersten, a seasoned veteran of the franchise whose tactical guidance will be crucial. Bersten is coming off a fifth-place finish with actress Elaine Hendrix in Season 34 and brings both technical rigor and emotional support to the partnership. Bersten expressed immense enthusiasm for his new celebrity partner, predicting rapid growth and a transformative experience.
As Season 35 gears up for its September 15 and 16 premiere event, the competition features one of the most diverse and high-profile casts in the history of the franchise. The roster bridges generations of pop culture, reality television, sports, and internet stardom:
- Julia Stiles & Ezra Sosa: The iconic 10 Things I Hate About You star brings silver-screen pedigree to the dance floor.
- Jenna Dewan & Val Chmerkovskiy: Marking a poetic full-circle moment 20 years after starring in the dance film Step Up.
- Harry Shum Jr. & Jenna Johnson: The Glee alum brings elite musical theater and dance training to the competition.
- Taylor Hanson & Britt Stewart: The beloved ’90s pop heartthrob aims to channel his rhythm into leaderboard dominance.
- Tatyana Ali & Jan Ravnik: Bringing the classic style and energy of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to the ballroom.
- Amber Glenn & Pasha Pashkov: The 2026 Olympic figure skater transitions her spatial awareness and ice artistry to the wooden floor.
- Ezra Frech & Daniella Karagach: Representing Team USA, the Paralympic track and field star aims to showcase boundary-pushing athleticism.
- Connor Wood & Rylee Arnold: The viral comedian (known online as Fibula) looks to convert digital laughs into ballroom applause.
- Maura Higgins & Mark Ballas: The Love Island UK alum famously manifested her spot on the show by aggressively updating her annual vision board, adding multiple entries for DWTS to ensure her dream became reality.
Official Statements and Industry Reaction
The announcement of Season 35’s cast has generated substantial media buzz, positioning the upcoming run of episodes as a major ratings juggernaut for ABC. Network executives and participating talent alike have emphasized the themes of reinvention, personal growth, and the dismantling of comfort zones.
In her remarks at Disney HQ, De Laurentiis focused heavily on the philosophical implications of accepting the challenge at age 56. Rather than resting on the laurels of her culinary empire, she views the show as a public exercise in continuous personal evolution.
"You can do something new. You can conquer something new," De Laurentiis stated, summarizing her personal manifesto for the season. Her willingness to embrace vulnerability—sharing her initial panic attacks and her daughter’s stern encouragement—has resonated deeply with fans and media commentators, humanizing a celebrity who has spent decades maintaining polished television personas.
Alan Bersten reinforced this sentiment, publicly validating his partner’s dedication during their joint interview. "You’re gonna learn so much. It’s gonna be amazing," Bersten assured her, setting an optimistic tone for their grueling rehearsal schedule.
Future Outlook: What Lies Ahead for Season 35
As the countdown to the September 15 and 16 premiere ticks down, all eyes will be on how De Laurentiis translates her legendary work ethic from the culinary arts to athletic choreography.
The two-night premiere event on ABC will set the baseline for the competition, introducing the 15 celebrity-pro pairings to America and the judges’ table. While culinary icons have occasionally graced reality competition stages in the past, few possess the household recognition and cultural footprint of Giada De Laurentiis. Her journey represents a compelling narrative arc: a master of her domain choosing to become a novice again, propped up by the next generation of her family and guided by one of the show’s top choreographers.
Whether De Laurentiis can chop, change, and cha-cha her way to the ultimate prize—the Mirrorball Trophy—remains to be seen. However, one outcome is already guaranteed: by stepping out of the kitchen and onto the ballroom floor, she has successfully written an entirely new and unexpected chapter in her remarkable career.
