Watching Lidia Bastianich cook on her PBS show, “Lidia’s Kitchen,” makes you wish you were in the kitchen alongside her. Filmed in her own home in Queens, N.Y., Bastianich is calm and reassuring, sharing tips, wisdom, and stories about her grandmother, giving viewers the confidence to cook Italian cuisine.

Her dishes look simple but they offer complex flavors and textures. Bastianich is not just a TV chef; she’s a restaurateur, author, and philanthropist who runs a food and entertainment company and raises money for charity.