Lidia Bastianich is the star of the 52-part television series, Lidia’s Italian American Kitchen and the 39- part PBS show, Lidia’s Italian Table, Lidia Matticchio Bastianich is widely regarded as the “First Lady of Italian cuisine and restaurants in the United States.”

She was born in Pula, Istria, a region formed by the Gulf of Trieste and the juncture of Italy and the former Yugoslavia, and she came to New York in 1958. Her television show, Lidia’s Italian American Kitchen, began airing in January 2001. Her third cookbook by the same name as her television show was released in September 1998. In addition, Lidia is the author of the monthly column, Lidia’s Italian Table. Lidia was also one of the five top television chefs to be featured in a Julia Child hosted millennium cooking special, An American Feast, which aired in December, 2000 in every television market in the U.S.

Lidia is also considered an acclaimed chef and restaurateur. She is the owner of the award-winning Felidia restaurant and, with her son Joseph, runs the very popular theatre district eatery Becco. Lidia is also a partner in Esca Restaurant with her son Joseph and Mario Batali. Lidia and Joseph’s first venture outside of New York City was at Lidia’s Kansas City. The restaurant, which has now also expanded to Lidia’s Pittsburgh, combines the cuisines of both Felidia and Becco restaurants. The concept of Lidia’s will continue to expand in other mid-size cities across the U.S. during the upcoming years. Lidia developed her own line of pasta sauces, Lidia’s Flavors of Italy, with one of her television sponsors in 1998. Currently the sauce is found nationwide, and she is working on an exclusive product for Williams Sonoma stores.