RESTAURANT ROW — Celebrity chef Lidia Bastianich grew up knowing the importance of food and of the Catholic faith.
Born in Italy two years after World War II ended, Bastianich and her family lived in Istria, a part of northern Italy that was absorbed into Yugoslavia in 1947 under communist rule. Religion was forbidden, but her grandmother used to sneak her into church, where a young Lidia learned that church could be a haven and a source of comfort in tough times.
“I was little, but I sensed this feeling my grandmother had about the faith and the Church, and I saw how much support and strength it gave her,” she recalled as she sat in the dining room of Becco. Bastianich is the owner of the eatery on Restaurant Row in the Theater District, where diners clamor for her famous, unlimited pasta tasting menu.
She recently spoke with The Tablet as theatergoers streamed into Becco in search of a hearty lunch before they headed out to a matinee.
Bastianich said her family’s tough times continued when they fled Yugoslavia for Italy and lived in a refugee camp where charitable organizations served food to hungry refugees.
“We were there for two years,” she recalled. “The refugee camps were run by the Italian government, and they got supplements from the United States but also from Catholic Relief Services. I would go with my little plate in line for food.”
When her family came to the U.S. to start a new life, Catholic Charities USA helped them settle in New York City by providing financial assistance and finding them a place to live.
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For several years, she lived in Astoria and attended Most Precious Blood Church. After her family moved closer to St. Joseph’s Church, she started going to Mass there.
“I loved living there,” she said. “It’s a nice neighborhood. And the churches are beautiful.”
Bastianich said she grew up with a deep Catholic faith and a desire to help others.
“God has been good to me. It’s time to give back by using whatever talent you’re given,” she explained. “I feel I was given a gift of food and a gift of communicating. It’s not mine to keep; I have to share it. I know the feeling of those who are receiving help.”
She is active with Catholic Charities USA, donating food or providing catering services to fundraisers that the organization holds. In addition, Bastianich is a member of the board of Jesuit Refugee Service/USA, a ministry of the Society of Jesus (commonly known as the Jesuits) that helps refugees rebuild their lives.
“Because I was a refugee, I known what people go through,” she said.
Bastianich is one of the most well-known chefs, gaining fame on various Emmy Award-winning public television shows she has hosted over the past 28 years — including “Lidia’s Kitchen,” “Lidia’s Family Table,” “Lidia’s Italy,” and “Lidia’s Italy in America” — as well as best-selling cookbooks she co-wrote with her daughter Tanya Bastianich Manuali, including “Lidia’s From Our Family Table to Yours.”
Her culinary reputation has even reached two popes, as she had the pleasure of cooking for Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis when each came to New York City during their apostolic journeys to America in 2008 and 2015.
For the German Pope Benedict, she made goulash, sauerkraut, and strudel. The visit coincided with his birthday, so she also baked him a cake and helped him cut the first slice.
She kept the menu light for Pope Francis, given that he had stomach ailments at the time. She prepared soup, fish, and risotto.
“He loved sweets,” she recalled. “I made him a peach tart. He loved that.”
There is another memory of that night that she cherishes. After dinner, when Bastianich was sitting in the kitchen with the staff, Pope Francis came out of his room and humbly asked to sit with them. He gave out rosaries and asked the staff to pray for him.
Whether she is serving popes or regular folks, Bastianich said that what she loves most is sharing food with others. She loves seeing diners come into Becco, which she co-owns with her son Joseph Bastianich, and cooking their many dishes.
“When you sit down at a table to eat, it’s a sacred thing,” Bastianich said. “You’re being nourished. And you are connecting with other people.
“I love that connection.”