Giada's Tips On the Perfect Fall Dinner Party

During her four-course luncheon at Cecconi's in West Hollywood during the Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival, celeb chef and dinner party hostess with the most Giada DeLaurentiis took time out of the bustling event to give ETOnline an exclusive interview. A lover of entertaining friends and family, Giada divulged fall dinner party tips and dished on some of her own guilty food pleasures. The petite powerhouse also talked about her ballet-loving three-year-old daughter and whether or not she and hubby, fashion designer Todd Thompson, are planning to have another little one.

In the interview, Giada gushed about her three-and-a-half year old daughter Jade, "She's now become my best buddy. ... I look forward to a friend for life." The Food Network host also revealed that Jade's favorite eats are meatballs (sweet or savory) and savory mac and cheese cupcakes.

Giada also gave some pointers on how to make the perfect dinner party: pick a theme, pick a couple of ingredients and create your menu around those ingredients and, finally, pick a cocktail of the night to be featured.

The super chef noted that an important tip for any partygoer is to bring something with you as a memento of appreciation to your host. "I always say, you always want to bring a treat of some kind ... it can be anything from a single flower to a little candle. Just something to say thank you."

For more tips on how to throw a killer soiree, watch the exclusive video.