Joe Bastianich Speaking Topics

• May be combined and customized with paired wine/food tastings.

• Artisanal Hospitality: Thinking Globally Within Your Community

  Learn the secrets of delivering extraordinary food experiences to a hungry public from a master of the craft. Joe Bastianich knows how to bring it all together: the taste of the food, the story of its origins, the desire for healthfulness, the complex interplay between international allure and local homemade honesty. His restaurants and retail establishments integrate an Italian and European sensibility, whether the food is made on the premises or imported from Trieste. Joe shares his secrets to marketing good food and pleasing the customer – while also turning a profit. After all, as Joe says, “Quality without a margin is a hobby, not a business.”

A Passion For Balance: One Man's Health Transformation

In his late thirties, Joe Bastianich’s passion for food and wine, including legendary middle-of-the-night feasts with Mario Batali, was killing him. He was overweight, with high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and sleep apnea. His doctors told him diabetes was around the corner. So Joe turned around. He started walking, then running – marathons! He lost 60 pounds. His secret? Good food and wine, in balance. Banish pasta? You’ve got to be kidding! Instead, Joe favors moderate portions of the delicious, artisanal foods that made him famous. He shies away from saturated fat, favoring plenty of vegetables, grains, and lean protein. He no longer eats late at night, and always has breakfast. Learn his secrets of his passion for balance, no dieting necessary.

In Vino Veritas: Italy's Finest Wines

As the owner of three vineyards, restaurateur Joe Bastianich knows a bit about wine. After all, he has been curating wine lists since he opened his first restaurant at age 23. He speaks about the history of the business in Italy and America – differences by region, the abandonment of the vineyards after World War II, resurgence with a younger generation in the ‘90s. Joe introduces the audience to wines that are considered Italian classics and discusses wines that are not just pleasing to the palate but that transformed the industry. This man knows wine. He is the author of Vino Italiano: The Regional Wines of Italy (2005), and Grandi Vini: An Opinionated Tour of Italy's 89 Finest Wines (2010), and a regular wine contributor to the Today Show.

Restaurant Man: The Culinary Adventures of an Entrepreneur

For Joe Bastianich, the restaurant business is not just a way to make a living: it’s a way of life. His parents opened their first restaurant when Joe was 3 years old, and he grew up in the kitchen. He shares anecdotes from his early days, when he did everything from scour the produce and meat markets to wash dishes. He discusses the challenges of opening and successfully running a restaurant, maintaining a successful business partnership, the importance of carrying on his Italian-American heritage in his restaurants, and why it’s essential to do what you love.