(steady music) - To cap off my 25th anniversary, I couldn't resist hosting a celebratory dinner.

(gentle music) My son, Joe, offered his restaurant Becco.

To talk about a legacy that's maybe for somebody else to talk.

Hi Kathy.

- Hi Lidia, how are you?

- All right.

But I know that I feel committed.

That my art, my profession, goes beyond just a kitchen and a stove and a pot.

How you doing Billy?

- Getting ready.

- Okay, oh this looks great.

Now, you went fishing.

- [Billy] I went fishing.

- And you caught this beautiful fish.

- Beautiful fluke.

- Wow, so we'll have a roasted fluke.

- And we're gonna serve it with broccoli rabe.

- Okay.

- Cooked your way.

- That's what we gonna, yeah nice.

"Strascinati" as they say in Italian, dragged in the pan.

- Dragged in the pan, exactly.

Lightly steamed.

- All right and a little meat?

Did you decide?

- We're gonna do porterhouse.

- A nice porterhouse?

- Nice porterhouse for like two, nice thick cut, beautiful.

- Okay.

Whatever was given to me and I learned and the gifts and along the way, they're really not mine to keep.

I feel a duty to pass it on.

I'd like to thank you all very much for coming.

You've been a part of my life ever since, you know, I came as a young girl, here.

Joining me for this intimate meal are a few dear friends representing different chapters of my life.

Salute, and thank you for coming.

- [All] Salute.

(glasses clinking) (upbeat music) - Okay, cin-cin Cin-cin, cin-cin (upbeat music) It's not just me, it's not a solitary journey, everybody is part of who I am today.

- Very low, I cook it 14 hours.

- Nice, so all the water evaporates.

- It makes a lousy tomato, beautiful.

- Yeah, yeah.

(laughs) - And it- - Delicious.

Christopher Walken, who I've known since childhood and his wife Georgianne.

- A happy anniversary, Lidia.

I love you and I'm so happy for you and your success.

- How do you cook octopus?

- I put it in cold water.

Geoffrey Zakarian, a fellow restaurateur.

- Thank you for all you've taught me.

No one does it as good as you do.

- I mean, it was 1983 and I think you had just opened Felidia and they selected this group, and Lidia, you were one of two women and you were there and I remember Felidia being- - Young woman, Italian, I was unique in that group.

(laughs) Geoffrey Drummond, my first television producer.

- 25 years, congratulations, Lidia.

It's an amazing run and I'm sure it will continue.

(bright music) - People stop and say, "Do you know Lidia?

How, is she really that way?"

And I say, "Absolutely."

- Absolutely.

- [Lidia] Angelo Vivolo, we've cooked together for two popes and a variety of charities.

- I can't tell you how honored I am to congratulate you on this very special occasion.

(bright music) - I know each time I look at your show I will learn something.

- And Jacques Pépin, my dear friend and idol.

- Sometimes you learn what not to do but- (all laughing) We love you, keep cooking.

We are so happy to be here, Lidia.

- We just get together (glasses clinking) and continue to enjoy, eat, and share.

- I love you.

- Oh, thank you.

(laughs) - Thank you.

- Cheers, very sweet.

- Wonderful.

Food is a history.

(bright music) It is not in a vacuum.

Food is not out of a pan.

Food is a life history of people, of places, events, of memories.

(bright music) - Smile!

(all laughing) (bright music continues) - [All] Tutti a Tavola a Mangiare!

(glasses clinking) All right.

(bright music fades) - Salute.

- Salute.

- Salute.