Lidia Celebrates America

August Dannehl is a retired navy sailor who, after being honorably discharged, trained as a filmmaker. With a passion for cooking, August works to create feasts that celebrate other vets. Here, he and Lidia have created a meal to honor veterans Edith Casas, Mike Dowling and Bryan Anderson.

Bryan Anderson served two tours of duty in Iraq before he lost both legs and his left hand to an IED. In this clip he and Lidia Bastianich cook a shrimp pasta meal together.

Veteran Bryan Anderson explains the army tradition of creating desserts from leftover dessert rations, for their comrades celebrating birthdays. Lidia then shares her dessert, Limoncello Tiramisu with him – a fanciful homage to the MRE (Meals Ready to Eat) birthday cakes created by his platoon.

Yonas Hagos (Yorkville, IL) is a retired army staff sergeant who came to the USA from a refugee camp in Sudan at 10 years-old; he is also a Purple Heart recipient. In this clip Lidia tries Yonas's mother's wonderful cooking.

Marlene Rodriquez served three tours of Iraq before sustaining injuries that forced her to retire; she is one of only 500 women to be awarded the Purple Heart. In this clip she shows Lidia Bastianich her medal, and talks about what it means to her.

During the meal aboard the U.S.S. George Washington, veterans share with Lidia Bastianich and Bob Woodruff the difficulties involved in finding a purpose after the military. Lidia also tries her first MRE–Meals Ready to Eat.

Bob Woodruff, the acclaimed ABC news anchor injured by an IED in Iraq, talks about his experience.

In the moving documentary special, 'Holiday for Heroes', internationally-acclaimed chef and food ambassador Lidia Bastianich pays homage to the men and women of our military and the truly life-saving sacrifices they make daily for our freedom.

Growing up, cooking was always a part of daily life for Carlo Ponti Jr. His mother, Sophia Loren, was a skilled cook, and the author of several cook books, while Sophia’s mother and sister were also fantastic cooks. Here, Lidia Bastianich and Carlo make pasta together in honor of his mother. Carlo Ponti Jr, is a former actor, now award winning conductor.

American cookbook author, actress, model, television host and executive producer Padma Lakshmi is a food lover and a friend of Lidia Bastianich. She invited Lidia to her birthplace in Chennai, India. In a Chennai marketplace, Padma explains to Lidia why flowers are an important part of Indian culture.

Japanese-American journalist, Ann Curry, shows Lidia around one of her favorite spots in New York City, the Sunrise Mart in Manhattan. She explains why she feels close to her late mother when she visits the market, and talks about how she and her family stay connected to her Japanese heritage.

What makes actress and singer Rita Moreno want to dance? Watch as she shows her friend, Lidia Bastianich, one of her favorite childhood dishes from Puerto Rico, a Picadillo recipe she makes herself when she has guests.