She’s known throughout the world as a prize-winning chef, ownerof celebrated Manhattan restaurants, cookbook author and host ofher own cable show, but when Lidia Matticchio Bastianich returnshome at night from her busy schedule, it’s to Queens.
“I love the ethnicity of Queens, the Istrian community, themarkets,” said Bastianich, who spent most of her childhood inAstoria, later moved to Bayside and since 1985 has lived inDouglaston Manor.
She came to the United States with her family at the age of 12from Istria, an area in northeastern Italy that is now part ofCroatia. She learned her love of food through her grandparents, whooperated a trattoria and grew most of the food they sold andate.
In Astoria, Bastianich got a part-time job in the Walken Bakery,owned by the parents of actor Christopher Walken. Soon, she leftthe register to learn the art of baking from the Walkens, whobecame family friends. “Christopher loves to cook, too. Sometimeshe comes to my restaurant,” she said.
Her best-known restaurant, the one she was referring to, isFelidia, the elegant East Side establishment she started with herformer husband in 1981.
Bastianich also own Becco with her son, Joseph, and is a partnerin Esca, both in Manhattan, and also operates Lidia’s Kansas Cityand Lidia’s Pittsburgh.
She and her former husband, Felix Bastianich, opened their firstrestaurant in Forest Hills in 1971. Called Buonavia and located onQueens Boulevard, it was a success and slowly Bastianich added herregional specialties such as polenta and risotto. “People loved mypolenta and risotto. It was a novelty and little by little weintroduced food served in Italy, not just Italian-American cuisinethat everyone was used to.”
She started by working out front at the restaurant. Later,Bastianich gravitated to the kitchen where she learned to cookother dishes by working with the Italian-American chef she hadhired.
Bastianich has fond memories of her first restaurant and said ittaught her a lot.
“We picked Forest Hills because it was a more affluent area andpeople went out to eat,” she said. “There was a whole Jewishexperience in Forest Hills. I promoted my culture but got to knowtheirs. It is really a melting pot.”
Later, the couple opened Villa Secondo in Fresh Meadows, also ahit. Eventually, both Queens restaurants were sold and Felidia wasopened in Manhattan.
Bastianich credits her mother, Erminia, with giving her thefreedom to pursue her dreams. “I had my two children when I wasyoung and never would have been able to work without herbabysitting.
“We owned a three-story house in Astoria and she liveddownstairs and kept her door open. The kids were the better forit.”
On holidays, such as Mothers Day, Lydia’s mother would bring thetwo children to the restaurant to celebrate. Then they would gohome with grandma and Bastianich would work.
Her mother still lives with her in Douglaston Manor anddaughter, Tanya, and her family live within walking distance.Bastianich and her daughter operate Esperienze Italiane, an upscalefood, wine and cultural tour company to Italy.
“My kids went to college and I thought they would do otherthings but when they graduated, they both wanted to work with me,”she said. “They saw I had a great time and saw my passion. Yes, Iwas tired but there was tremendous satisfaction for me.”
This busy chef just taped 26 shows for her PBS show, “Lidia’sItalian-American Kitchen.” All segments are taped at her Queenshome, with Little Neck Bay visible from her kitchen windows. “We dothree recipes per show that come from the cookbook.”
Bastianich is the author of three cookbooks, the latest of whichis “Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen,” published in 2001 (Knopf,$35). This year, it was named the best ethnic cookbook by theInternational Association of Culinary Professionals. Besidesrecipes, the book includes photos of the author’s family andsnapshots from her youth. It also features remembrances of hergrowing up and working in Queens as well as e-mails that Lydia hasreceived on her Web site: www.lidiasitaly.com.
She is already at work on her next two cookbooks. The first willbe on holiday foods and memories and will be published in 2004. Ayear after that she and her daughter will write one on special foodexperiences and how people can have them, “a sort of traveloguethrough taste.”
In between her travelling, lecturing and writing, Bastianichfinds time to visit the various ethnic neighborhoods of Queens toeat and shop. “It’s a great source for groceries and to findingredients. I love Flushing for the Chinese cuisine, Greek food(in Astoria) for the grilled fish and Spanish food in JacksonHeights,” she said.
“Vietnamese is starting to come in and there is a littlemom-and-pop-style Egyptian place on Steinway Street that is like anextension of their home kitchen.”
Admitting she loves all food, Bastianich is as comfortable witha cheeseburger as she is with her special shrimp scampi. She alsolikes to experiment with ingredients, especially at home. “I lovebraised bok choy (an Asian green) and I make it Italian styleinstead of broccoli rabe. I also use Chinese cabbage in soups forflavor.”
Family comes first for the Douglaston chef and holidays arespent around her festive table. “My mother acts as sous-chef(second in command) and gets the stocks going for me. It is alsotremendous satisfaction for me that my children are involved.”
It’s not uncommon for her mother or one of her oldergrandchildren to appear on her PBS series, helping with the cookingor lending support. Son Joseph is a wine specialist, who also showsup on the programs.
“On Christmas eve I make the traditional bacala (dried salt cod)and I know my (late) father is with me. Putting food on the tablekeeps you straight and gives you security.”
Earlier this year, Bastianich was named outstanding chef by theJames Beard Foundation, an award compared to the movie world’sAcademy Awards.
Not one to rest on her laurels, Bastianich would like to spendmore time in the future promoting her foundation to help theindigent, abandoned and neglected through academic and vocationaltraining. In addition, she works with the United Nations promotinga peace project for women in third-world countries.
“No one can replace mothers. We want to encourage them,” shesaid. “I also believe that women would make a difference in peacenegotiations.”
She wants to begin that effort with a dinner in Washingtonprepared by Israeli and Palestinian women.
In her little spare time, Bastianich likes to go museum-hoppingwith her daughter, (who is an art historian), sailing, listening toclassical music and attending the opera and the ballet.
Here is one of Bastianich’s signature recipes:
Strawberries With Balsamic Vinegar
3 pints ripe strawberries
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-fine sugar
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
Wash and stem berries and slice into a bowl. Add vinegar, mixwell and marinate for 15-20 minutes. Add sugar and orange juice,mix thoroughly and serve.
