Giada De Laurentiis moves daughter Jade into NYU dorm
Giada De Laurentiis moved her 18-year-old daughter Jade into her New York University dorm in an emotional Aug. 28 Instagram post captioned "It takes a village." The Food Network star was joined by ex-husband Todd Thompson and boyfriend Shane Farley as Jade began college in New York City, far from their California home.
The Giadzy founder documented Jade settling into campus life with photos, video, and a Noah Kahan soundtrack—turning a milestone millions of parents recognize into a very public moment for Giada De Laurentiis fans.
Key Takeaways
- Giada De Laurentiis shared Jade's NYU dorm move-in on Instagram on Aug. 28, 2026.
- Ex-husband Todd Thompson and partner Shane Farley joined the send-off, underscoring a co-parenting "village."
- Jade, De Laurentiis's only child, is attending NYU after years of milestones documented on social media.
- De Laurentiis already owns a New York apartment and has discussed buying a home outside the city to stay nearby.
- The chef has described the transition as exciting and deeply emotional as her day-to-day parenting chapter shifts.
What did Giada De Laurentiis share about Jade's NYU move-in?
On Aug. 28, De Laurentiis posted a carousel showing Jade, 18, smiling on a lofted dorm bed beside vinyl records including Radiohead's In Rainbows and Fleetwood Mac. Another slide captured her crouching to help unpack a suitcase of clothes amid half-filled drawers and dorm furniture.
She set the post to Noah Kahan's "End of August" and wrote, "It takes a village.. my heart❤️." A final image showed the group smiling for a selfie at a restaurant after the move.
Two days earlier, on Aug. 26, she shared a "home movie" filmed by Farley. In the car en route to the airport, De Laurentiis said she was "excited for Jadey," while Jade replied she felt "excited and nervous." The clip continued through the airport and boarding a flight to New York City.
Who joined Giada for Jade's college send-off?
De Laurentiis shares Jade with ex-husband Todd Thompson, whom she married in 2003 and divorced in 2015. Thompson appeared alongside De Laurentiis, Farley, and another woman in dorm and restaurant photos—a visible show of blended support at move-in.
On Aug. 9, before the New York trip, the family celebrated on a balcony overlooking a beach. De Laurentiis posted, "Celebrating our girl yesterday before we send her off… we are sooo proud of you. It's time to go to college!" A video from that day showed her thanking loved ones and pulling Thompson and Jade into a group hug.
How is Giada De Laurentiis planning to stay close from New York?
For parents tracking celebrity real estate moves, Jade's NYU enrollment ties directly to De Laurentiis's existing footprint in the city. She told PEOPLE in January that Jade would attend NYU and that she already has an apartment in New York.
De Laurentiis also said she was considering buying a house outside the city, possibly in the Hamptons, so she could be nearby without appearing to hover on campus. That plan reflects how high-profile families often pair a child's dorm life with a second home within reach—a pattern we cover often in our Luxury Real Estate & Dream Homes hub.
Why does Jade's dorm move resonate beyond the photos?
De Laurentiis, 56 and California-based, has been open about the emotional weight of the transition. In January she told PEOPLE that milestones with Jade now feel like "one of the last times" in a familiar way, noting that holiday visits are not the same as daily life under one roof.
Speaking to Us Weekly in July, she described alternating sad and happy days and spending much of the summer with Jade. "It's almost like your purpose is done. It's weird," she said of watching her only child leave home for a school across the country.
From prom and her 18th birthday to a viral NYU acceptance video last December, Jade's path to campus has unfolded in public. The Aug. 28 dorm post marks the latest chapter—one where New York real estate, co-parenting, and a mother's pride share the frame.