Lidia Bastianich believes that "food is life and must be shared." Since she opened her first restaurant in Queens, New York, in 1971, she has shared not just recipes, but her passion for the culture and history of Italy.
By 1981, she had moved uptown to open the stylish Felidia in Manhattan and began putting her stamp on the interpretation of Italian cuisine across the nation. The Bastianich eating empire, overseen by Lidia and her children Joseph and Tanya, includes three more restaurants in New York as well Lidia's Italy Pittsburgh and Lidia's Italy Kansas City. But that tells only part of the story.
Lidia's well-loved cooking programs on public television have made her a household name, and a string of successful cookbooks have won widespread praise and recognition. Recently, she has teamed with Mario Batali to open Eataly on New York's Fifth Avenue. It's a 50,000-square-foot emporium where visitors can shop for the freshest Italian ingredients, buy fine Italian wines and housewares, take cooking lessons, or dine in a choice of several on-site restaurants.
Lidia and Tanya, an art historian, also partner in a travel agency, offering tours throughout Italy to view historic architecture and sample genuine regional cuisine. Together with Joseph, Lidia operates Bastianich Vineyards in Friuli and La Mozza Vineyards in Maremma. Lidia also offers a food product line that includes six varieties of homemade sauce and eight cuts of pasta. They are available nationally.
All the latest news about Lidia Bastianich is available at www.lidiasitaly.com.
- Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy | Read Review
- Lidia's Italy | Read Review