Lidia Bastianich Biography
Lidia Giuliana Matticchio Bastianich is well known as an Italian-American celebrity chef, author, television host, and restaurateur. Focusing in Italian and Italian-American cuisine, she has as well been a regular contributor to public television cooking shows since 1998.
How Old is Lidia Bastianich? – Age
Born on 21 February 1947 in Pula, Croatia, Lidia is a vibrant 76-year-old celebrity chef and television host.
How Tall is Lidia Bastianich? – Height
The Italian-American celebrity chef, television host, author, and restaurateur stands at an average stature of 5 feet 5 inches (Approx 1.65m).
Lidia Bastianich Mother, Father, Siblings – Family
Rooted in Pola, Istria to her parents Erminia (1921-2021) and Vittorio Matticchio ( born 1911-1980). Besides, Lidia’s family resides in Yugoslavia until 1956, during which time the family’s name became Croaticized from Matticchio to Motika.
Is Lidia Bastianich Married? – Husband
During her sixteen birthday party, she got introduced to her future husband, Felice “Felix” Bastianich, a fellow Istrian Italian immigrant and restaurant worker from Labin, as well on the eastern coast of Istria, Croatia. Likewise, the couple got married in 1966 and she gave birth to their son, Joe, in 1968. Later, their second child, Tanya, was born in 1972.
Lidia Bastianich Salary and Net Worth
An Italian-American chef, restaurateur, and author has an estimated net worth of around $16 million.
Lidia Bastianich’s Career
The Bastianiches opened their first restaurant, the tiny Buonavia, meaning (good road), in the Forest Hills section of Queens, along with Bastianich as its hostess in 1971. In addition, they created their restaurant’s menu by copying recipes from the most known and successful Italian restaurants of the day, and they as well hired the best Italian-American chef that they could find.
In 1972, after a brief break to deliver her second child Tanya, Bastianich started training as the assistant chef at Buonavia, gradually learning enough to cook several Italian dishes on her own, after which the couple started adding traditional Istrian dishes to their menu.
The success of Buonavia as well led to the opening of the second restaurant in Queens, Villa Secondo. It became here that Bastianich gained the attention of local food critics andas well began to give live cooking demonstrations, a prelude to her future career and also as a television cooking show hostess.
Books (1990–present)
- La Cucina di Lidia
- Lidia’s Family Table
- Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen
- Lidia’s Italian Table
- Lidia’s Italy
- Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy
- Lidia’s Italy in America
- Lidia’s Favorite Recipes
- Lidia’s Commonsense Italian Cooking
- Nonna Tell Me A Story
- Nonna’s Birthday Surprise
- Lidia’s Egg-Citing Farm Adventure
- Lidia’s Mastering the Art of Italian Cuisine
- Lidia’s Celebrate Like an Italian
- My American Dream: A Life of Love, Family, and Food
- Felidia, Recipes from My Flagship Restaurant
- Lidia’s a Pot, a Pan, and a Bowl: Simple Recipes for Perfect Meals
Follow her on Twitter @LidiaBastianich