25 Years with Lidia: A Culinary Jubilee

- Pasta, pasta, pasta!

- [Narrator] She's a familiar face to millions of Americans.

- [Host] Please welcome, Lidia.

(audience applauds) - I wanna invite you.

- Lidia's like Madonna, you don't have to say her last name.

- [Director] Action.

- [Narrator] An icon of Italian food.

- Lidia became queen mom of authentic Italian cooking.

- Big flavors here.

- [Host] 13 bestselling cookbooks, several restaurants, her own line of pastas and sauces.

(bright music) - [Narrator] For 25 years, she's encouraged Americans to gather together around the table.

- I don't think there's anything that makes her happier than seeing people enjoy food.

(both laughing) - [Narrator] Shared stories of fellow immigrants and refugees.

- She's been the voice for so many of us that had that kind of background, that kind of experience.

- [Narrator] And paved the way for women in the restaurant industry.

- Back in the late seventies, people thought we were housewives having fun and not really serious about our craft.

- [Lidia] Whoa!

- A lot of people tell me that watching her growing up, it's like having her as their grandma.

I'm like, "No, no, no, that's my grandma."

- And the Emmy goes to- - Lidia Bastianich.

(audience cheers and applauds) - Salute.

- [Narrator] Join us as we celebrate 25 years of Lidia.

- So, as we say at my house, "Tutti a tavola a mangiare."

(bright music fades)