Lidia Bastianich

Lidia Bastianich is an Italian-American celebrity chef, television host, author, and restaurateur, recognized for her expertise in Italian and Italian-American cuisine. Since 1998, Bastianich has contributed to public television cooking shows and has authored over 15 cookbooks, including notable titles such as "Lidia's Italian American Kitchen," "Lidia’s A Pot, A Pan, and a Bowl," and "My American Dream: A Life of Love, Family, and Food."

In 2014, Bastianich launched her fifth television series, "Lidia's Kitchen." She also owns several acclaimed Italian restaurants in the U.S. and is a partner in the internationally renowned Eataly locations across cities like New York City, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Dallas, Las Vegas, Toronto, and Sao Paolo, Brazil. Additionally, she has developed a successful line of artisanal pastas and all-natural sauces under her brand, LIDIA’S.

Bastianich's television appearances have extended beyond her own series; she served as a celebrity judge on "MasterChef USA" in 2000, appeared on "Junior MasterChef Italia" in 2014 and 2015, and was a judge on "La Prova del Cuoco" in 2016 and 2017. In 2020, she was a judge on the cooking competition show "Sky, Family Food Fight." Her significant accolades include seven James Beard Awards and two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Culinary Host. In 2022, she received the Silver Award from APT for her 25 years of contributions to Public Television.