Lidia is the Italian mama we all wish we had, but in truth, she was born in Croatia. Her family emigrated to Italy when she was ten (as refugees, fleeing the Tito dictatorship) and that's when she began her love affair with Italian cuisine. She eventually moved to America and began building an empire as an ambassador of Italian food. She's published five cookbooks and is the TV host of Lidia's Family Table. She is also owner chef of four widely acclaimed restaurants in New York, Pittsburgh and Kansas City. Renowned Chef, Mario Batali swears her cooking is the authentic real deal “ Italian food as it should be made and as it should taste.