Lidia Bastianich journeys through Italy to sample local specialties from Rome, Naples, Padua, Sicily, Trieste and Istria. Back in her US kitchen, the warm and engaging host demonstrates 2 or 3 recipes she encountered during her travels. Throughout the series, friends and family join Lidia in the kitchen. Her daughter Tanya introduces some of Lidia's favorite hidden cultural treasures, while her son Joseph frequently stops by to discuss regional wines.