For Bastianich, humanistic philosophy and food are intertwined.

Question: Do you have a personal philosophy?

Lidia Bastianich: Yes. I think that I am very . . . I am philosophical. I am very spiritual. I am also philosophical because food is keep . . . keeps us alive. And therefore to be able to excel and produce something that, at the very basis, keeps people alive, it’s . . . it lets me think about many more things. You know what else does food do? Communicates socially. It communicates . . . So my philosophy on dining, ___________, families eating together, which is sort of hopefully coming back; and respect of food; and eating and not wasting food because there is so much hunger out there. There is a humanistic philosophy that cannot be . . . for me, cannot be detached from being a cook or a chef. Because I can use the gift that I have for spectacular and expensive meals. I can use the gift that I have to nurture somebody if they’re ill. I can use the gift that I have to spread so that I can nourish where there is less to eat. So I feel blessed, but also with a responsibility in what I do.