Lidia Bastianich divorce, husband, married, affair, boyfriend, net worth, salary, hair

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<a href="/biography/lidia-bastianich">Lidia Matticchio Bastianich</a> is known as an American celebrity chef, author, television host, and restaurateur. She is most famous for owning multiple restaurants and her television show "Lidia's Italy In America." Born on February 21, 1947, in Pula, Croatia, Lidia is the <a href="/biography/lidia-bastianich">daughter</a> of Erminia and Vittorio Motika. At a very young age, while living under <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josip_Broz_Tito">Marshal</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josip_Broz_Tito">Tito</a>'s Communist regime in Yugoslavia, Lidia, along with her siblings and their mother, fled to Trieste, Italy. After a few years, her father also fled Yugoslavia and joined the family in Italy. Two years later, the Immigration office granted their application to migrate to the United States, and in 1958, twelve-year-old Lidia and her family arrived in New York City.

Bastianich gives credit for the family's new roots in America to their sponsor, Catholic Relief Services, saying: "Catholic Relief Services brought us here to New York; we had no one. They found a home for us. They found a job for my father. And ultimately, we settled. And I am the perfect example that if you give somebody a chance, especially here in the United States, one can find the way." Lidia started working in restaurants at the age of fourteen, first at a bakery and then later at a pizzeria on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

<h2>Marriage/Husband</h2>

At the age of nineteen, Lidia married Felice "Felix" Bastianich, a fellow Istria-Italian immigrant and restaurant worker from Labin, Istria. She met her husband on her sixteenth birthday, and they got married in 1966. The couple had two children, a son named Joseph and a daughter named Tanya. After their marriage, they opened two restaurants in Queens. The first restaurant, which opened in 1971, was called Buonavia, meaning "good road" in Italian.

The restaurant served Italian cuisine created by the most talented Italian-American chef they could find at the time. The success of Buonavia led to the opening of the second restaurant two years later, Villa Secondo, which quickly became popular. After the massive success of their restaurants, the couple wanted to create something on a grander scale. In 1981, they sold the restaurants in Queens and opened a new restaurant in Manhattan named Felidia. This restaurant was also a huge success, earning three stars from The New York Times, and they eventually made it into an all-family business. Despite all the hard work the husband and wife did in building a family business, the couple divorced in 1997 after thirty-one years of marriage.

The reasons for the divorce were not clear, but it was presumed that the couple got divorced because of differences in ideas about business expansion. The biggest argument was that after being successful in their restaurant business, Lidia Bastianich wanted to expand her restaurant, but her husband had something else in mind. In 1993, when the thriving restaurant Becco was opened in Manhattan's theatre district by Lidia and her son Joseph, Felice Bastianich diversified into different areas. He started his travel agency specializing in culinary tourism and began acquiring vineyards in Northern Italy. After his divorce, Felice remarried and transferred his shares in the family business to his two children. Lidia went back to Queens to live with her mother and concentrate on expanding her restaurant business.

<h2>Networth</h2>

Lidia Bastianich is an accomplished American chef, restaurateur, and author. She has achieved great success in her career, amassing a net worth of $16 million. She is well-known for her Italian cuisine and her many cookbooks and television shows.

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<h2>Career</h2>

<a href="/biography/lidia-bastianich">Lidia Matticchio Bastianich</a> specializes in Italian-American cuisine and owns many restaurants in the United States, some in partnership with her children and ex-husband. After opening a few restaurants and going through a divorce, Lidia started her television career. In 1993, before her divorce, Lidia got an opportunity from PBS to be on an episode of Julia Child: Cooking with Master Chefs. Lidia's appearance was well received, and she enjoyed the experience. In 1998, Lidia got an offer from PBS to start her television show and jumped at the opportunity. Now, she stars in the famous television show, Lidia's Italy in America. Lidia has also appeared as a judge on America's Master Chef. Many awards have been given to her, with a recent one being the Daytime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Culinary Host" for Lidia's Italy in 2013.

In addition to her media career, Bastianich has authored several books, including Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy and Lidia's Italy, both companion books to the Emmy-nominated television series, Lidia's Italy, as well as Lidia's Family Table, Lidia's Italian- American Kitchen, Lidia's Italian Table, and La Cucina di Lidia.

One of her most recent and successful books, titled "Lidia's Mastering the Art of Italian Cuisine," promises right on its cover to provide "everything you need to know to be a great Italian cook." When asked to comment on the book, Bastianich said: "This is information that makes you understand how and why you cook, techniques and all of that. It is my comprehensive philosophy of Italian cooking; they make a person a better cook." The title made a bold claim that all readers could become masters of all Italian cuisine. Lidia spoke of the title, saying, "That's why it's 'Lidia's Mastering the Art of Italian Cuisine' What I do is quite doable. It's common sense. People can relate to it."

Lidia is also the <a href="/biography/lidia-bastianich">founder</a> and president of Tavola Productions, an entertainment company that produces high-quality broadcast productions. Lidia also has her line of pasta and all-natural sauces called <a href="/biography/lidia-bastianich">LIDIA'S</a>.

While Lidia's persona is that of the loving Italian grandmother, the restaurateur had faced some alarming public controversy when a lawsuit was filed against her in 2011 by a family helper who said that Lidia held her in indentured servitude. Another case was issued the following year where Bastianich restaurant employees claimed the owner withheld a portion of their tips from their earnings.

Her children are also successful in their respective fields. Following his mother's footsteps, Lidia's son Joseph created his success by becoming a successful restaurateur, accomplished food writer, experienced winemaker, and famous television personality. He often comes to his mom's show to offer his wine expertise. Lidia's daughter, Tanya, lives a few blocks away from her mom's home in Queens and holds shares in the restaurants owned by her mom, including the four acclaimed New York City restaurants, Felidia, Becco, Esca, and Del Posto. She also holds a share in Lidia's Pittsburgh and Lidia's Kansas City.

The Italian cuisine chef also uses her culinary talents to help generate support for humanitarian causes. Lidia has helped raise funds for the less fortunate throughout her career, often working with UNICEF and Unifem. In 1999, she created the Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Foundation to support the abandoned, oppressed, and neglected by promoting their health, welfare, happiness, and academic development. Lidia is also actively involved with various non-profit organizations that focus on promoting and celebrating Italian and Italian-American culture. Lidia is also affiliated with the National Organization of Italian American Women, an organization that focuses on preserving Italian heritage, language, and culture.

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