Lidia Bastianich facts for kids
Lidia Bastianich at the 2014 Texas Book Festival
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| Born | Lidia Giuliana Matticchio February 21, 1947 Pula, Croatia |
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| Cooking style | Italian Italian-American |
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Felice "Felix" Bastianich
(m. 1966; div. 1998) |
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Current restaurant(s)
Felidia, Becco, Lidia's Kansas City, Del Posto
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Television show(s)
Lidia's Italy in America, Lidia Celebrates America, Lidia's Italy, Lidia's Family Table, Lidia's Italian–American Kitchen
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Lidia Giuliana Matticchio Bastianich, born on February 21, 1947, is a famous Italian-American chef. She is also a popular television host, author, and restaurant owner. Lidia is known for her delicious Italian and Italian-American cooking. She has been a regular on public television cooking shows since 1998.
Lidia was born in Italy. Her family moved to the United States when she was a baby. This happened during a time when many people from her region had to leave their homes. In 2014, she started her fifth TV show, Lidia's Kitchen. She owns or has owned many Italian restaurants across the U.S. She often works with her daughter, Tanya Bastianich Manuali, and her son, Joe Bastianich. Some of her famous restaurants include Felidia, Del Posto, and Becco in New York City. She also has Lidia's Kansas City. Lidia is also a partner in several Eataly stores. These large food markets celebrate Italian food and traditions.
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Contents
Early Life and Moving to America
Lidia Giuliana Matticchio Bastianich was born on February 21, 1947. Her family was from Istria, a region that was part of Italy. Soon after she was born, her hometown of Pola became part of Yugoslavia. Today, it is in Croatia.
Lidia lived in Yugoslavia until 1956. During this time, her family's name was changed to Motika. Like many other Italian families from Istria, Lidia's family had to leave their home. They went to Trieste, Italy, pretending to visit an aunt. Her father later joined them.
For a while, Lidia and her family lived as refugees. This means they had to leave their home and seek safety elsewhere. They stayed in a refugee camp. Two years later, they were allowed to move to the United States. In 1958, Lidia and her family arrived in New Jersey. They later settled in Astoria, New York City.
Lidia often talks about how Catholic Relief Services helped her family. This organization helped them find a home and a job for her father. Lidia believes that if people are given a chance, they can succeed in the United States.
Lidia started working part-time when she was 14. She worked at a bakery for a short time. After high school, she began working full-time at a pizza place. A DNA test showed that Lidia's family has some Eastern European roots. This is because Istria has a mix of different cultures. Lidia says, "I feel very Italian, but I do have some Slavic in me, and I relate to that as well; so that forms the mixture that is Lidia."
Lidia's Amazing Career
Starting Restaurants in New York (1971–1981)
In 1971, Lidia and her husband opened their first restaurant called Buonavia. It means "good road" in Italian. It was a small place in Queens, New York. Lidia was the hostess. They copied popular Italian recipes and hired a great chef.
After her second child, Tanya, was born in 1972, Lidia started training as an assistant chef. She learned to cook many Italian dishes. Soon, they added traditional Istrian dishes to their menu.
Buonavia was very successful. This led them to open a second restaurant in Queens, called Villa Secondo. Here, Lidia started getting noticed by food critics. She also began giving live cooking demonstrations. This was a hint of her future career on television.
In 1981, Lidia's father passed away. The family sold their two restaurants in Queens. They bought a building in Manhattan and turned it into their main restaurant, Felidia. The name Felidia is a mix of "Felice" (her husband's name) and "Lidia". They spent a lot of money on renovations. When Felidia opened, it was a huge success. The New York Times gave it three stars, which is a big honor.
Growing the Business
Lidia and Felice wanted their children to go to college. They didn't expect them to join the restaurant business. But their son, Joseph, who had worked odd jobs at Felidia, decided to change his career. In 1993, he convinced his parents to open a new restaurant with him. This restaurant was called Becco, which means "peck, nibble, savor" in Italian.
Becco was also an instant hit. Its success led to more restaurants opening outside New York City. These included Lidia's Kansas City in 1998 and Lidia's Pittsburgh in 2001.
In 1993, the famous chef Julia Child invited Lidia to be on her TV show. It was called Julia Child: Cooking With Master Chefs. This experience gave Lidia the confidence to expand her family's business even more.
By the late 1990s, Lidia's restaurants were truly a family effort. Lidia's mother, Erminia, grew fresh ingredients in her garden for Lidia's recipes. Joe became the main wine expert for the restaurants. Lidia's daughter, Tanya, used her knowledge of Italian art history. She partnered with her mother to create a travel agency called Esperienze Italiane. They offered tours all over Italy. Tanya's husband, Corrado Manuali, became the restaurant group's lawyer.
In 2010, Lidia and her son partnered with Oscar Farinetti. They opened Eataly, a huge Italian food market in Manhattan. It's like a giant grocery store and restaurant combined. Lidia teaches cooking classes at Eataly's school, La Scuola. Eataly's motto is "We sell what we cook, and we cook what we sell." Eataly now has locations in many cities, including Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, and Dallas.
Lidia also launched her own line of cookware and food products called Lidia's Kitchen. She sells sauces and other items nationwide. With her son Joseph, Lidia also makes wine at their vineyards in Italy.
Television Shows (1998–Present)
In 1998, Public Television offered Lidia her own TV show. It was called Lidia's Italian Table. This show made her a popular figure on cooking TV. Since then, she has hosted many other public television series. These include Lidia's Family Table, Lidia's Italy, Lidia's Italy in America, and Lidia's Kitchen.
She also hosts special hour-long shows called Lidia Celebrates America. These shows started in 2011. In this series, Lidia explores different cultures across the United States. She learns about the experiences of immigrants in America. Some of her specials include Holiday Tables & Traditions and Freedom & Independence. Lidia always ends her shows with a warm invitation: Tutti a tavola a mangiare! This means "Everyone to the table to eat!" in Italian.
For the 2010 holiday season, Lidia's company created a children's animated special. It was called "Lidia's Christmas Kitchen: Nonna Tell Me a Story." It went along with a book Lidia wrote with the same title.
In 2013, Lidia's Kitchen returned to Public Television. It is a popular 26-part series. The tenth season started in 2022, and the eleventh season launched in 2023.
Lidia has also appeared as a guest judge on other cooking shows. She was a judge on MasterChef USA in 2000. Her son, Joseph Bastianich, later became a judge on the Gordon Ramsay version of MasterChef. Lidia has also been a judge on Junior MasterChef Italia and La Prova del Cuoco in Italy. In 2020, she was a judge on Family Food Fight with her son Joe.
Cookbooks (1990–Present)
Lidia Bastianich has written many cookbooks. These books often go along with her television series. They share her delicious recipes and cooking tips. Some of her popular cookbooks include:
- La Cucina di Lidia
- Lidia's Family Table
- Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen
- Lidia's Italy
- Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy
- Lidia's Favorite Recipes
- Nonna Tell Me A Story (a children's book)
- Lidia's Mastering the Art of Italian Cuisine
- My American Dream: A Life of Love, Family, and Food (her autobiography)
- Lidia's a Pot, a Pan, and a Bowl: Simple Recipes for Perfect Meals
Awards and Honors
Lidia Bastianich has received many awards for her cooking and her work. Here are some of them:
- (1999) Named "Best Chef in New York" by the James Beard Foundation. This is a very important award in the food world.
- (2002) Named "Best Outstanding Chef" by the James Beard Foundation.
- (2002) Called "The First Lady of Italian Cuisine and Restaurants in the United States" by Senator George Onorato.
- (2009) Her show Lidia's Italy was named "Best Cooking Show" by the James Beard Foundation.
- (2013) Won an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Culinary Host."
- (2013) Was added to the Culinary Hall of Fame.
- (2016) Her show Lidia Celebrates America: Home for the Holidays won "Best Special" by the James Beard Foundation.
- (2018) Won another Daytime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Culinary Host."
- (2019) Received the Master of the Aesthetics of Gastronomy Award.
- (2023) Received an honorary degree from Manhattan College.
Lidia has also received other special honors:
- (1999) Honored as "Commendatore" of the Republic of Italy. This is a high honor from the Italian government.
- (2008) Cooked for Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to New York City.
- (2007) Was the Grand Marshal of the Columbus Day Parade in New York City.
- (2015) Cooked for Pope Francis during his visit to New York City.
Personal Life
Lidia met her future husband, Felice "Felix" Bastianich, at her sweet sixteen birthday party. He was also an Italian immigrant from Istria. They got married in 1966. Their son, Joe, was born in 1968, and their daughter, Tanya, was born in 1972.
Lidia and Felice ended their marriage in 1998. Lidia continued to expand her business. Felice passed away in 2010.
Lidia lives in Douglaston, Queens. She lived with her mother, Erminia Motika, until her mother passed away in 2021. Lidia's own kitchen is often used as the set for her TV shows. Her mother's garden provided many ingredients for the recipes. Erminia, who was known as "grandma" on the show, often helped Lidia cook.
Joe Bastianich sometimes appears on his mother's shows to share his knowledge about wine. He lives in New York City with his wife and three children.
Tanya Bastianich Manuali lives in Arizona with her husband. Tanya is very involved in producing Lidia's TV shows. She also works daily in the family restaurant business.
Lidia believes it's important to pass on family traditions. She once said that food connected her to her grandmother and her past. She feels that for everyone, food helps connect them to their roots and gives them a sense of who they are.
Giving Back to the Community
Lidia Bastianich is very active in helping her community. She supports many foundations and organizations. She is a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier and a founding member of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs. These groups are for women leaders in the food industry.
Lidia also supports the United Nations Association of the United States of America's Adopt-A-Future program. This program helps refugee children get an education. She is on the board of Arrupe College, which helps students from less fortunate backgrounds. Lidia often hosts fundraisers for this program at Eataly in Chicago.
She also works with BoysGrow, a program that teaches job skills to young people. Lidia hosts yearly dinners to raise money for them. She has also helped raise funds for UN Women, an organization that supports women's rights. Lidia is also involved with Jesuit Refugee Service and The Child Center of NY. She visits schools to speak to students.
Lidia is also involved with groups that celebrate Italian and Italian-American culture. She is on the board of the National Organization of Italian American Women. This group works to preserve Italian heritage. In 2010, Lidia's family was honored for their contributions to Italian culture in America.
She supports the Columbus Citizens Foundation, which promotes Italian-American heritage. In 2007, she was the Grand Marshal of the Columbus Day Parade in New York City. Lidia has also worked with the Italian American Committee on Education (IACE). She visits elementary schools to talk to students about Italian language and culture.
