Lidia’s life: Celebrity chef Bastianich reflects on career with ‘Culinary Jubilee’

Compared to other species in the vast and varied animal kingdom, human beings have a uniquely personal relationship with food. Sure, we hope the things we eat provide sustenance in terms of our required daily needs, but for many (particularly for those unencumbered by finances, diet or regional restrictions), the choice of food we consume extends far beyond the simplicity of biological requirements.

Despite its ties to culture, religious practices, family economics, environmental concerns or political statements, food has a distinct way of bringing people together and encouraging conversation. Few people know this better than chef, author, restaurateur and TV personality Lidia Bastianich, whose catchphrase, “Tutti a tavola a mangiare” -- or “Everyone to the table to eat,” in English -- has united people for the past 25 years. Best known for her countless shows and specials on public television during the past three decades, PBS releases an up-close-and-personal look into the life and work of the celebrated chef in “25 Years With Lidia: A Culinary Jubilee,” which premieres Monday, Dec. 18.

In honor of this quarter-century milestone in her career, Bastianich welcomed the opportunity to speak with me about her childhood, her career, her own personal relationship to food and culture, and the moments that have meant the most to her throughout her journey thus far.

Caught in what was no doubt a rare moment at her home in Long Island, New York, Bastianich joins our video call clad in a vibrant pink sweater and scarf that provide a cheerful contrast to the white bookcases and potted palm behind her. Easy to see why North American audiences have been captivated by her for 25 years, Bastianich begins sharing memories of where her close kinship with food began.

“25 Years With Lidia: A Culinary Jubilee”

Airs Monday, Dec. 18, on PBS

“My grandmother used to make a soup [I loved],” Bastianich reminisces. “It’s called yota, and it’s unique to the region that I come from, [Pula, Istria], which is right on the border in [what] now is Croatia. ... It’s a bean and pasta soup, but instead of the pasta, she would put in sauerkraut, and I loved it.”

While this may be one of her most formative childhood food experiences, the association between food and family was just beginning for young Bastianich. Now 76 years old, the celebrity chef is quick to note that cooking, for her, “goes beyond just nourishing the body.”

“It’s [about] nurturing the person, the soul and the sentiments that come with it,” Bastianich says. “Food is a communicator ... no matter what culture, if you sit down, and you eat each other’s food, somehow doors open. You are accepting that person -- through that food -- for what they are.“

And there is no denying that this Italian food ambassador knows about people. As PBS’s “25 Years With Lidia” shows through interviews with friends, family and colleagues of hers from throughout the years, Bastianich is an excellent communicator herself and values meaningful, deeply human connections above all else. To support this, the hour-long documentary features moments with fellow chef/restaurateurs Jacques Pepin (“Jacques Pepin Heart & Soul”), Mary Sue Milliken (“Too Hot Tamales”), Elizabeth Falkner (“The Next Iron Chef”) and Geoffrey Zakarian (“The Kitchen”). Perhaps the most surprising appearance in “25 Years With Lidia,” though, is that of celebrated actor and fellow Astorian Christopher Walken.

“I came [to the United States] at 12 years old, as an immigrant, and we lived in Astoria, Queens. ... Right across the street was Walkens’ Bakery,” explains Bastianich as she elaborates on the sense of community among immigrants to New York City at the time.

“Christopher [Walken]’s father was a German immigrant and he was a great baker, so [then] a 16-year-old immigrant ... I applied ... and he took me on weekends,” Bastianich says. “Christopher’s job was to fill the jelly doughnuts with jelly and he used to press them and make a mess. We were friends, you know, the weekends we were there.”

Reflecting on the evolution of their friendship over the years, Bastianich quickly adds, “We still see each other.”

“You know, [for] the holidays, the families visit. But now his parents are gone. My parents are gone. But we do still see each other, and we are still friends.”

Beyond the interviews with Bastianich and those closest to her, “25 Years With Lidia” also features “rare and never-before-seen video and photographs” from the now-established chef’s journey to celebrity, including recollections of milestone moments such as her and her husband’s critically acclaimed first restaurant, Buonavia, which opened in 1971, and her career-solidifying dinner with Julia Child and James Beard at her third restaurant, Felidia.

Since her humble beginnings, Bastianich has created several Emmy-winning cooking series -- “Lidia’s Kitchen,” “Lidia’s Family Table,” “Lidia’s Italy” and “Lidia’s Italy in America,” to name a few -- and has earned three James Beard awards for her work on “Lidia Celebrates America.”

An emblematic figure of traditional Italian cooking in America, Bastianich is honored for her contribution to the culinary arts “with a celebratory meal, held at Lidia’s family-owned restaurant, Becco, in Manhattan. Sharing in the special occasion are longtime friends Jacques Pepin, Christopher and Georgianne Walken, Geoffrey Zakarian, NYC restaurateur Angelo Vivolo, and Geoffrey Drummond, who was Julia Child’s producer and helped Lidia get started in television (per PBS).