Celebrity Chef Buys and Sells in Palisades

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

Celebrity chef and television personality Giada De Laurentiis is making moves in Pacific Palisades.

In August 2019, Variety reported that De Laurentiis purchased a 3,610-square-foot home in The Riviera, boasting five bedrooms and five-and-a-half bathrooms. She purchased the “low-slung bungalow,” spread across a .31-acre triangular corner lot, for $4.86 million.

The home is secured behind a gate and tall hedges, offering privacy, with a two-car garage located in the southern corner of the residence.

“Built in 1958, the midcentury cottage sports renovated interiors, though the exterior and original architectural details remain mostly unaltered,” according to Variety. “Those include a uniquely curved dining room with a wall of windows facing the front yard, and a variety of skylights throughout the residence.”

An upgraded kitchen features a center island and high-end, stainless steel appliances, as well as hardwood floors throughout both the living and family rooms.

Part of the home is a master retreat, which includes a fireplace, walls of glass, a walk-in closet and a renovated bathroom, complete with a glassy shower and built-in soaking tub. An additional space is designed to serve as a private office or sitting room.

The outdoor offerings include a front lawn and a half-court basketball court, as well as a swimming pool with an inset spa with fountain features. Also outside is a glass-walled guesthouse, which boasts an additional bedroom and bathroom.

When De Laurentiis purchased the home, it was unclear what it would be used for, as she already owned a larger, 6,500-square-foot home in the neighborhood—but as of early December 2019, is has been widely reported that she sold the five-bedroom, five-and-a-half-bathroom residence for its full list price of $7 million.

De Laurentiis had reportedly purchased the home for $6.9 million three years ago.

“She decided to quietly put it on the market this year. She was looking to downsize and focus on a space for her and her daughter,” listing agent Smith Cho of Compass told Realtor.com.

The home was built in 2015—with the kitchen fittingly being the highlight. The residence features a bright and open floorplan, with a double-sided fireplace and wall of glass that encourages indoor-outdoor living.

De Laurentiis is a Daytime Emmy Award-winning television personality of Food Network’s “Giada at Home,” which aired from 2008-15. She has also served as a judge on “Food Network Star” and a correspondent on NBC’s “Today.”

De Laurentiis led the 2017 Fourth of July parade, featuring the theme “Palisades on Parade” and marking the 69th year, as grand marshal. She told the Palisades American Parade Association that she was “proud to lead her hometown parade this year.”