Chef Lidia Bastianich is a living symbol of the American dream. A refugee from Isitria, this self-taught chef made a name of herself by introducing the country to the regional flavors of her homeland of Italy. Before Chef Lidia opened her first Manhattan in 1981 — and it's still going strong — risotto was not on the map. Julia Child and James Beard came to try the dish, which spawned lifelong friendships and her first invitation to appear on PBS. Bastianich hasn't been off the air in two decades.

Ahead of the 40th anniversary of Felidia, Chef Lidia decided to look back on her extraordinary journey. The result is her latest cookbook, which shares her flagship restaurant's name. Inside the pages are the storied history of the Italian eatery, as well as its most timeless recipes adapted for the home chef.