New Canaan Library at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 25 is hosting celebrity chef, TV host, author and restaurateur Lidia Bastianich. “An Evening with Lidia Bastianich” (tickets here) will include a discussion, Q&A and book-signing in the Jim & Dede Bartlett Auditorium.
We put some questions ahead of the event to Ellen Crovatto, the library’s vice president of external affairs and philanthropy. Crovatto will moderate the Q&A with Bastianich.
Here’s our exchange.
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For those just learning about her, please tell our readers about Lidia Bastianich as well as her new book.
Lidia Bastianich is an Emmy award-winning public television host, a best‐selling cookbook author, restaurateur, and owner of a flourishing food and entertainment business. She is the owner of Becco in New York City and Lidia’s in Kansas City. She is also a partner in Eataly, with locations in New York, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Dallas, Toronto, San Jose, and Sao Paolo, Brazil. Lidia has authored over a dozen books, including her memoir, My American Dream: A Life of Love, Family, and Food, and her newly released cookbook, a collection of 100s of her family’s favorite recipes, Lidia’s: From Our Family Table to Yours. 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. Among the numerous awards and accolades Lidia has earned are seven James Beard Awards.
How did Thursday’s discussion, Q&A and book signing come together?
I am a very big fan of Lidia’s, her ability to weave her family history and traditions into her wonderful television programs and cookbooks makes me feel like I am at home with my Italian family. I reached out to her daughter, Tanya Bastianich Manuali, to request that she consider coming to our new library to discuss her latest book and share her extraordinary journey as a world famous chef and entrepreneur with us.
What are you personally most looking forward to?
I can’t wait to discuss her childhood in Istria, her experiences as a young restauranteur in Queens, her rise to culinary heights and fame with her beloved PBS programs and maybe a chance to share a recipe or two!
This is a fundraising event for the library. How important are programs like this for the organization?
We host three to four events like this each year to support the Annual Fund, including the Literary Luncheon for which we are so grateful to the community for their generous support. These philanthropic opportunities enable us to keep our adult and children’s programming free and accessible to all. We must privately raise over $800,000 each year in order to fund the 25% of our budget not covered by the town. With the recent reduction in our town budget request for next year, our ability to keep up with the demand for services and programs will be under strain.
What else, if anything, would you like to tell our readers about Lidia or the event on Thursday?
There will be a lot of time for Q&A with Lidia and some fun giveaways for the audience. I am told that Lidia will stay for booksigning until the last volume is signed! She loves her fans as much as they love her. A few tickets are still available at https://www.newcanaannewlibrary.org/lidia-bastianich.