Giada de Laurentiis Gets Emotional as Daughter Jade Graduates High School
Giada De Laurentiis is celebrating a major milestone for her daughter Jade Thompson.
The former Food Network star shared an emotional Instagram tribute after Jade, 18, graduated from high school on May 29. The moment was especially meaningful for De Laurentiis, who has often spoken about her close bond with her only child.
"She did it! What an unbelievable milestone for our girl, our world changer, our graduate," De Laurentiis wrote on Instagram. "Keep shining Jadey, we love you more than you will ever know."
The post included photos from the celebration, including a sweet family moment with Jade and her parents. De Laurentiis shares Jade with ex-husband Todd Thompson.
"Wow! Can't believe we have a Graduate! I am so Proud of our Jade!" Thompson wrote in the comments of the post.
Giada De Laurentiis Prepares for Jade's Next Chapter
Jade's graduation comes as De Laurentiis prepares for an emotional transition at home.
Earlier this year, the celebrity chef told Good Housekeeping that Jade is heading to New York University in the fall. The milestone marks a major shift for De Laurentiis, who said that much of her daily life has revolved around Jade's schedule for the past 18 years.
De Laurentiis said she was already thinking about what life would look like once Jade leaves for college.
"I think it's going to be very hard for me," De Laurentiis told Good Housekeeping in a previous interview. "I'm going to have to figure out how to fill my time."
The chef also credited Jade with helping her take risks in her own career. In that same interview, De Laurentiis said her daughter's influence helped push her out of her comfort zone and encouraged her to keep going professionally.
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A Mother-Daughter Bond Fans Have Watched for Years
Fans have watched Jade grow up through De Laurentiis' social media posts, cooking videos, and public family updates.
Just days before the graduation tribute, People reported that De Laurentiis shared a new cooking video with Jade, writing that she does not take those "chaotic" kitchen moments for granted. In the video, the mother-daughter duo cooked together, joked around, and showed the kind of easy back-and-forth fans have come to love.
De Laurentiis has also shared other recent milestones, including Jade's 18th birthday in March and her senior prom in April. Those posts drew plenty of reaction from fans who commented on how much Jade has grown up and how much she resembles her mom.
For De Laurentiis, the graduation tribute seemed to capture both pride and disbelief.
After years of sharing small glimpses of Jade with fans, the chef is now watching her daughter step into adulthood.
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This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 11:35 AM.