An Evening with Lidia Bastianich

Donna Rapaccioli, Ph.D., dean of the Gabelli School of Business, invites you to join her for a conversation with Lidia Bastianich and Stephen Katsouros, S.J., founding dean and executive director of Arrupe College at Loyola University Chicago.

Lidia Bastianich is an Emmy Award-winning public television host, a best-selling cookbook author, a restaurateur, and owner of a flourishing food and entertainment enterprise. The conversation will touch upon a range of topics including Bastianich’s career trajectory and philanthropic priorities, notably her service on the Arrupe College Founding Board of Directors. Arrupe College is a two year college of Loyola University Chicago that ensures affordability while providing care for the whole person to a diverse population, many of whom are the first in their family to pursue higher education. Father Katsouros, a member of the Northeast Province of the Society of Jesus and former president of Loyola School in Manhattan, founded Arrupe College in 2015.

Autographed copies of both Father Katsouros’ new book, Come to Believe: How the Jesuits Are Reinventing Education Again, and Bastianich’s new cookbook, Celebrate Like an Italian: 220 Foolproof Recipes That Make Every Meal a Party, will be available for purchase.

About Lidia Bastianich

Lidia is an Emmy award-winning public television host, a best‐selling cookbook author with a dozen books published to date, a successful restaurateur, and owner of a flourishing food and entertainment business. Most importantly, Lidia has accomplished all of this by marrying her two passions—her family and food—to create multiple culinary endeavors alongside her two children, Joseph and Tanya. Lidia’s cookbooks, co-authored with her daughter Tanya, include Lidia’s Celebrate Like an Italian, Lidia’s Mastering the Art of Italian Cuisine, Lidia’s Commonsense Italian Cooking, Lidia’s Favorite Recipes, Lidia’s Italy in America, Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy, and Lidia’s Italy—all companion books to the Emmy-winning and four-time nominated television series Lidia’s Kitchen, Lidia’s Italy in America, and Lidia’s Italy. Lidia’s most recent book is her memoir, My American Dream: A Life of Love, Family, and Food, which was released on April 3, 2018. Lidia is the owner/co-owner of four acclaimed New York City restaurants: Felidia, Becco, Esca, and Del Posto. Along with her daughter Tanya, she owns Lidia’s Pittsburgh and Lidia’s Kansas City, as well as Felidia. She is also a partner in Eataly NYC, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Sao Paolo, Brazil. Together with Tanya and son-in-law Corrado, Lidia also has developed a line of artisanal pastas and all-natural sauces, LIDIA’S, which are sold at fine food stores nationwide. Lidia is a member of Les Dames D’Escoffier and founding member of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, two non-profit organizations of women leaders in the food and hospitality industries. She is also a champion for the United Nations Association of the United States of America’s Adopt-A-Future program, in support of refugee education. Among the numerous awards and accolades Lidia has earned are seven James Beard Awards (Outstanding Chef, Television Food Show, Best Chefs in America, Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America, Specials 2016, 2017, and 2018), and two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Culinary Host (2013 and 2018).

About Stephen Katsouros, S.J.

A member of the United States Northeast Province of the Society of Jesus, Steve Katsouros, S.J., is the founding dean and executive director of Arrupe College at Loyola University Chicago. Arrupe is a two-year college at Loyola’s Water Tower Campus that continues the Jesuit tradition of offering a rigorous liberal arts education to a diverse population, many of whom are the first in their family to pursue higher education. Arrupe College has graduated two classes since opening in 2015. Prior to arriving in Chicago, Father Katsouros served as the director of the Institute for Catholic Educational Leadership and associate dean of the School of Education at the University of San Francisco. From 2002 until 2011, Father Katsouros was president of Loyola, a coed Jesuit high school in New York City. His doctorate, from Columbia University Teachers College, is in organizational leadership; his research interests are leadership, governance, and institutional performance. He has worked as a service program director, dean of students, and advancement director. Father Katsouros counseled runaways at Covenant House in Times Square, taught at the first Nativity-model school on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, and co-founded another Nativity school in Harlem. He was ordained in 1998. Currently, Father Katsouros is a trustee on the boards of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Chicago; Regis University, Denver; Saint Mary’s College, South Bend, Indiana; and Sacred Heart Schools, Chicago. He delivered the Cardinal Bernardin lecture at Georgetown University in March 2017. His book about the launch of Arrupe College, Come to Believe: How the Jesuits are Reinventing Education (Again), was published by Orbis Press in June 2017.