Renowned celebrity chef Lidia Bastianich runs a culinary empire—she owns 11 Italian American restaurants in the United States. She has her own television series, Lidia’s Kitchen. She has written 16 Italian cookbooks, and created a line of Italian pastas and sauces.

She is a member of the international woman’s culinary group, Les Dames d’Escoffier, and was a founding member of the national group, Women Chefs and Restaurateurs. Not surprisingly, she has won countless culinary awards and honors that number well over 70. And throughout her successes, she thanks her two children, Tanya and Joe, for their loving support.