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LIDIA
BASTIANICH, FIRST LADY OF ITALIAN CUISINE,
TO LEAD 2007 COLUMBUS DAY PARADE IN NEW YORK “ Innovator Helped Introduce Fresh Italian Cuisine to America New York, NY, October 2, 2007 – Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, the Italian-born émigré to America who has brought an appreciation of fresh Italian cooking and of Italian culture to the homes of millions, will be Grand Marshal of the 2007 Columbus Day Parade in New York City. “We are delighted that Ms. Bastianich has accepted our invitation to be Grand Marshal of the Columbus Day Parade,” said Louis Tallarini, President of the Columbus Citizens Foundation in New York, which organizes the event. “Ms. Bastianich’s great love of Italian cuisine and culture, as seen in her cookbooks, nationally broadcast television programs, syndicated column, restaurants and travel company, have inspired countless Americans to explore the great pleasures of Italian dishes and the beauty of her native country. Her passion for her art, for life, and for the people of Italy, of her native Istria and of her adopted land of America make her the ideal person to lead our pageant of Italian and Italian-American culture. She is an enormously warm, genuine person who selflessly gives her time and efforts to numerous humanitarian and philanthropic causes. We are proud to count her as part of our community and among our friends.” “I was thrilled when the Foundation asked me to serve as Grand Marshal, an honor previously bestowed on many great Italians and Italian Americans,” said Ms. Bastianich. “The United States welcomed me as an Italian immigrant nearly 50 years ago, and it has been a joy and a pleasure to share with the women and men of America secrets from my grandmother and mother’s kitchens as well as more recent confections. I am deeply grateful for the opportunities I have received in my adopted country and for this wonderful honor presented to me by the Columbus Citizens Foundation.” New York City’s 2007 Columbus Day Parade will be held on October 8 and will be broadcast by NBC affiliates and by the Italian broadcasting companies RAI and RAI International. The Columbus Citizens Foundation is a non-profit organization in New York City committed to fostering an appreciation of Italian-American heritage and achievement. The Foundation, through a broad range of philanthropic and cultural activities, provides opportunities for advancement to deserving Italian-American students through various scholarship and grant programs. During the 2007-2008 academic year, the Foundation is providing scholarship support for 849 students. It has organized New York’s Columbus Day Parade since 1929. For more information about the Foundation, please visit www.columbuscitizensfd.org For additional information, including a bio and images, please contact: Andrew Decker, Andrew Decker Communications, 212.222.4688, andrew.decker@att.net HOME PRESS RELEASES |