'Lidia' of public television fame to cook for pope in New York

Published: 2008-04-15

NEW YORK (CNS) -- Lidia Matticchio Bastianich has cooked for her fair share of VIPs, including first lady Laura Bush and the presidents of Japan and Chile. Nothing, however, comes close to cooking for Pope Benedict XVI. Bastianich, better known as simply "Lidia" to the fans of her public television cooking shows, is working her magic in the kitchen the two nights, April 18 and 19, the pope will spend in New York during his U.S. visit. "I would say in my life this is the pinnacle," she said in an April 15 telephone interview with Catholic News Service in advance of her papal assignment. The Italian-born chef and restaurant owner, 62, said she was "flabbergasted" last winter when Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the Vatican's representative to the United Nations, asked her if she would consider cooking for the pope. Both meals will be served at Archbishop Migliore's Manhattan residence, where Pope Benedict is staying.

Copyright (c) 2008 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .