Queens resident and public television chef Lidia Matticchio Bastianich will be one of the participants in the fundraising event WLIW21 Autumn Gourmet Classic on Wednesday, September 9.
The event will include chef appearances, food and wine tastings and “culinary theatre.”
Bastianich, from the show “Lidia’s Italy,” has been on WLIW since her television career began. She said she wanted to be on public television because of the quality of culture and education it brought to homes, and WLIW was her home station.
As a resident of Queens, Bastianich said that the borough has had an impact on her cooking.
“I love the ethnicity of Queens and the flavors,” she said.
Because of her connection to WLIW, Bastianich takes part in fundraisers for the station about twice a year. At the upcoming Autumn Gourmet Classic, she will be signing copies of her books and will be available for photos.
“I’m looking forward to actually meeting some of the people that watch the show, that support [me], that come to my restaurant,” Bastianich said. “I am their neighbor, really.”
Public television chefs Jacques Pépin of “Fast Food My Way” and John Barricelli of “Everyday Baking for Everyday Food” will also participate in the Autumn Gourmet Classic. Both Pépin and Barricelli will conduct demonstrations.
Participating in the food tastings will be DiPaloSelects.com, the French Culinary Institute, Industria Argentina, Paladar, SoNo Baking Company & Café, CoolFish Grille & Wine Bar and Stone Creek Inn.
Wines from Italy, Spain, France, Argentina and Chile will be part of the wine tasting.
The WLIW21 Autumn Gourmet Classic will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, September 9 at The Astor Center, which is located at 399 Lafayette Street in Manhattan.
Single tickets cost $250 and a pair costs $450. A cookbook by Bastianich or Pépin is included in the ticket price.
There is an attendance limit for the event of 250 people.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.wliw.org or call 800-767-2121. To find out more about Bastianich, visit www.lidiasitaly.com.
