Lidia Matticchio Bastianich is an Emmy award-winning public television host, best‐selling cookbook author, successful restaurateur, and owner of a flourishing food and entertainment business. Most importantly, she has accomplished all of this by marrying her two passions in life—her family and food—to create multiple culinary endeavors alongside her two children, Joseph and Tanya.
Lidia has published numerous cookbooks, co-authored with her daughter Tanya, and companion books to her Emmy-winning television series Lidia’s Kitchen, Lidia’s Italy in America, and Lidia’s Italy. Her most recent book is Lidia’s A Pot, A Pan, and a Bowl, a companion to her new 26-part public television series, Lidia’s Kitchen. She is also the author of the English and Italian version of her memoir: My American Dream: A Life of Love, Family, and Food. Lidia’s cooking shows air nationwide in the U.S. on public television and CREATE, internationally, and on various digital networks including Amazon Prime, Tubitv, and Xumo. Her cooking segments are also part of her TUTTOLIDIA YouTube channel.
Lidia is a celebrated chef and restaurateur and a partner in Eataly NYC, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Dallas, Las Vegas, Toronto, and Sao Paolo, Brazil. Together with Tanya and son-in-law Corrado, she also developed a line of artisanal pastas and all-natural sauces called LIDIA’S.
Lidia is a member of Les Dames D’Escoffier and founding member of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, two non-profit organizations of women leaders in the food and hospitality industries. She is also a champion for the United Nations Association of the United States of America’s Adopt-A-Future program, in support of refugee education.
Among the numerous awards and accolades Lidia has earned are seven James Beard Awards (Outstanding Chef, Television Food Show, Best Chefs in America, Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America, Specials 2016, Special 2017 and 2018) and two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Culinary Host (2013 and 2018). In 2022 Lidia received the Silver Award from APT for 25 years on Public Television.
This event does not contain a cooking demonstration.
The Blauvelt Speaker Series is funded in part by the generosity of the late Bradford Thomas & Eleanor G. Blauvelt and The Wintrode Family Foundation.
The Makin Waves Song of the Week is "ICE SS" by the Central Jersey punk act Sally Draper.
