Giada's professional kitchen skills were initially not taken seriously by her fans, who regarded her as a beautiful face who could cook. She stopped trying to force her degree onto other people and decided the best route she could take in life was to continue to show what she could do, deliver great recipes, and make the shows she wanted to make.

"I don't look the part and they don't believe that I've done it, even though I've said I've done it. Trying to break down those stereotypes. That's my journey. It's not everybody's but it's mine," she said of being a classically trained chef (via Eater).

"I stopped trying to fight it and just say, 'Okay, fair enough, try my recipes. See if you like them. If they work for you, and you feel good doing them, and you fall in love with them, then let's have a bigger conversation," she concluded.