"Lidia Bastianich" news and stories

In Lidia Bastianich's latest starring role, the queen of Italian restaurants, cookbooks and television programming plays herself in a short documentary, released this week, as part of Liberty Mutual's Responsibility Project. The insurance company is producing an ongoing series of documentaries featuring artists who, according to the website, strive to make us "think about -- and discuss -- what it means to do the right thing." As self-serving as that may sound (flashback to your little white lie about that prom night fender-bender), the film's storyline is not buried beneath product pitches. It's actually rather moving. In our interview, Bastianich talks about what she views as her public responsibility, the state of food television today, and why we should stop letting corporations drown us in sugary cereal.

What drew you to the Responsibility Project?
Lidia Bastianich: I need to be given a forum where I can feel responsible and committed to my viewers, give them the quality they want. That's why I have stayed with PBS so long, done my cooking shows there rather than elsewhere. This documentary also gave me that opportunity. They really put together such a top team for this film, like the cinematographer, who also did "The Wrestler". So you know it's going to be a magnificent piece.

Lidia Bastianich the famed restaurateur (Felidia) and host of "Lidia's Italy," on PBS, has a new year's resolution and it's not to cut calories. Rather, it's not to waste food.

Lidia says she wants to rekindle the adage, "Waste not, want not," the phrase that, if repeated to a tween would probably get you a major eye roll. But in these days of tightened budgets and worries about global warming, it's not so fusty after all.

In her blog post and call for a commitment from fans to join her, Lidia quotes some disturbing facts, such as how one third of the world's gas emissions are produced by wasted food. Let's be honest: How many times a week do you throw away perfectly good food because you can't be bothered turning it into leftovers?

So far, she tells Slashfood, she's been amazed by the response.

I like to give one of my cookbooks, which I sign with a personal note and add a sticker to a recipe that would best fit the personality of the person I'm giving it to. With that I also pair one or more of the items on the ingredients list.
• A magnum of the Bastianich wine that would best pair with the recipe.
• A Lidia-designed platter that the dish from that recipe could be served on.
• A cluster of products to make that recipe...for example, if the sticker is on the Truffle Risotto page, then I'd give Carnaroli Rice and a fresh truffle.

Mario Batali has been busy lately.

In recent weeks he opened his Italian food emporium Eataly in Manhattan and launched the inaugural issue of his new promotional magazine Viaggio. He's also working on a new online cookbook project, The Celebrity Pasta Lovers Cookbook, created with actress Julianne Moore and sponsored by Barilla pasta (through it's Share the Table project, featuring pasta recipes from film and television stars like Jimmy Fallon and Meryl Streep).

So we felt very lucky (and knew we had to talk fast) when Batali took the time to sit down with Slashfood in New York City to chat about pasta, pizza and all things Italian.

Remember when we sat down with Mario Batali last month? Among candid talk of his many, many projects, he gave us a little insight into the much-awaited, many-times-delayed Eataly, which is now set to officially open August 31.

This is the first U.S. outpost of the gargantuan flagship market in Turin, Italy, which combines the feel of an outdoor market with the finest restaurants in the country. Batali -- along with partners Joe Bastianich, Lidia Bastianich and Oscar Farinetti (the franchise's founder) -- gave the New York press a sneak preview of the 50,000-square-foot, bi-level mecca on Tuesday.

Time Out New York calls it a "gastro-playground" and advises food nerds to start their engines; the New York Post describes it as "ambitious, sprawling"; while the Gothamist imagines it's a "haven for Italian ex-pats."

"This is the Italy of Vespas and stilettos," the Gothamist says, while Batali tells them: "It could be the cornerstone of Italian gastronomic culture."