It goes without saying that Lidia Bastianich is a bonafide living legend. With numerous cookbooks, years of restaurant experience, endless television appearances and awards, plus a stunning personal story, Bastianich is a matriarch within the Italian-American culinary landscape — and at large.
When I spoke with Bastianich earlier this year, she spoke about the deep importance of immigrant communities, the ways in which her upbringing impacted her outlook and her cooking and the vast importance of varying cultures coming together, both at the table and in general.
