I love Giada but I don't really agree with her dissing her peers ESPECIALLY Lidia! I do agree that both shows are a little more drab but I think maybe its because there is more emphasis on the food than the personality of the chef?

I like Michael Chiarello (sp?), but his stuff is not always Italian.

I used to like Giada up until I've seen her judging and commenting on "next food network star" - I couldn't believe that someone who was so bad when she started (oh yes, she was quite bad, small shaking voice, insecure, etc.) could talk that way to those poor people and not feel/show empathy at all.

As far as her "Italian" cooking, I'm sorry to say but it's only pseudo italian, it's quite americanized. Showing a Sofia Loren cleavage does not make your food italian! Plus, what's with those "Ohs" she's making, is that supposed to show her food is tasty or that she's having an orgasm?!

Give me any day Mario (the absolute genuine italian food), Lidia (delicious italian cooked at home) or even Chiarello (modern twists on italian food)

I think it was rude for her to put down those that paved the way for her, but I do think her show is the best. Mario and Lidia is just a bit too out there for me, its not something I can do on a daily basis or even find the ingredients for all the time!

Plus my opinion of Mario really went down after reading the book Heat.

her food looks good, but I'm ambivalent about the sexy format. it doesn't make me enjoy her show any more or less. I just find it kind of weird, like she's making sweet love to the camera! Men I know who don't even cook watch her show, though, so she definitely has a marketable niche

I'm really surprised that she would put down another chef. She and Mario used to be very good friends, makes you wonder if they had a falling out. I love Lidia, I think her recipes represent true classic Italian cooking.

I really don't like Giada, I think she makes it too sexy (and she smiles WAAYYY too much!) About the comments, I think she should have a bit more class!

Lidia is so much more professional and doesn't use sex to sell her show (although maybe she would if she could...)

I agree that Giada smiles too much during her cooking show, but her meals are always so light and fresh looking. I'd eat her food any day of the week.

I love Giada!

Lidia is boring and nothing she has made has peaked my interest. (is that the right peaked? LOL)

I agree Lidia is boring and i cant stand looking at her balding head. and Mario is disgusting to look at so i cant watch him prepare food.

Nigella Lawson! I miss her shows~

Mario. He cooks like a "real" Italian... (I'm 1/2). Sometimes I watch him and I'm like, "Hey, my Nonna does that/makes that/ told me that!".... He wins my vote.

Eh, I picked Mario because he really is very authentic, even though his attitude can be pretty snotty sometimes (remember that show that was in the loft area?). There used to be a guy on PBS a number of years back named Nick Stellino (from Seattle via Italy, he had cookbooks and everything) who was my favorite, though. My brother and I have a drinking game we sometimes play for whenever Giada says a sentence that ends with like a question? And when she says something is creamy? Or delicious?

You'll get drunk kinda quickly if you play, though.

i don't think she put down Mario as much- she didn't call him boring- just not romantic.. well lets face it- he's not. I like Giada. I do like Michael Chicarello too (sp?) though he doesn't always do italian!

Omg... Nick Stellino! I used to LOVE him! ( I always thought he was sorta hot...lol)

i miss nick stellino! have several of his cookbooks and everything that i've made has not disappointed. i've always been on th fence w/giada and now that she has dissed lidia, i'm not really caring for her.

Although, I do watch Lidia and her recipes are fairly easy to follow she is quite boring. I've always liked Giada and her recipes are so easy, light and delicious.

I love Mario - his food is aspirational and he has such amazing knowledge of the country and cuisine. Giada is for beginners, which is great if you're learning to assemble basic meals, but as a demonstration as skill goes, it's all about Mario.

(I know of Lidia, but I've never watched her show... can't really comment on that.)

Giada has no substance--and she uses short cut cooking techniques. Mario and Lidia are more technical and authentic and I like that.

Giada's a perky puppet cooking blase Italian for middle class housewives. She may not want to qualify the camera work used on her food as porn, but the super lowcut tops she wears don't exactly lend themselves to her (or her food) being taken seriously. Just tellin' it like it is.

I love all three!!!

Whatever happened to "David Rocco's La Dolce Vita"?? I loved that show, truly Italian cuisine.

Giada drives me nuts! I am sorry I have tried multiple times to watch her show I have nothing against her recipes or anything but she comes off as so fake to me I just cannot bring myself to watch a whole episode, I inevitably flip the channel! Also, I really detest public arrogance such as the above interview shows Paula Dean would never do such a thing!

Deen* hehe

i really like giada! of all the shows on the food network i always will look at her recipes first and use them. her, sandra lee, ellie krieger and michael chiarelli. they all cook great easy food. sometime's i'll go for the barefoot contessa too.

I've never liked her, or her cooking. This just reaffirms my feelings about her. How b*tchy!

Flyingroo said it.

SHE MAKES IT EASY

hmmm...see this is one of the things that i don't like about giada - she doesn't necessarily mean to put down other chefs but she's kind of doing that - and i don't think that it's in the spirit of things. i don't know. i guess though that she still is one of my favorites - her foods always look really good and i think that most of her recipes are easy to replicate for the common person.

I thought it was rude of Giada, too. To me, she comes across as conceited and overly self-impressed. Yes, I think she's beautiful, but she seems ugly on the inside.

Truthfully, I sensed this about her when I was watching her show. That's why I became disinterested, and put-off by her.

Mario, hands down...I can't believe that people would vote for Giada over Mario?! Amazing.

Well, if I was picking a show based solely on breasts, I'd have to go with Mario.

atomicspin - hilarious.

I love watching Lidia, it reminds me of having my grandma teach me how to cook something. Mario I really like too. Not romantic, but I get that from my husband not a cooking show. I don't like Giada at all. Well I don't really trust skinny cooks anyway. She's just sex appeal nothing else.

Knowing her, this is taken out of context.

I think Mario's recipes are more flavorful than hers...

ok here's the thing:

1. Mario is obviously the better Italian show, he cooks authentic Italian food that hasn't been Americanized (like Giada), he brings the warmth and energy of an Italian kitchen (he always has friends there to taste and participate) and he is known for his Italian cooking. One downside to Mario is that although he is cooking authentic delicious Italian food, it's not realistic for everyday people to go home and make a wild boar stuffed with imported cheese and drizzled with truffle oil. ya know?!

2. Lidia is NOT EVEN ITALIAN!! I worked for her years ago at one of her restaurants in NY. She is form Croatia or Istria she is not Italian and her show is boring! You can see her subtle b*tchiness when she has people on the show. But man do the old ladies love her. You do have to give her props for doing a show on PBS out of her home that she doesn't get paid for as PBS is some non-profit situation.

3. Giada is doing the only thing that she could do to make it in the food tv world. She realized that she was hotter than Rachel Ray so she said ok this is all I have going for me. My name is Italian, I'm hot, I know how to cook pretty well, so I guess I'll make an Italian cooking show and sex it up a bit for some male viewers and there you have it. Americanized Italian because she is like third-generation Italian.

ok sorry Im done!