Celebrity Chef Lidia Bastianich travels across the country visiting the men and women serving on the front lines, from firefighters in rural California battling wildfires, to medical workers fighting the coronavirus pandemic on the outskirts of New York City.
Lidia meets first responders who’ve work quietly in the shadows, and now find themselves thrust into the spotlight by crises facing the country in 2020.
From coast to coast, Lidia follows dedicated police officers, firefighters, paramedics, military and medical workers — looking to find out how they were trained, what motivates them, and capture the true spirit of what it means “to serve.” Lidia observes first-hand, the prominent role that food plays in these first responders’ lives, all while working tirelessly 24/7 caring for others.
“It’s incredibly emotional for me,” says Lidia, “Seeing these individuals who are devoting themselves to the well-being of their communities. Many of them endure emotional scars, and yet they continue to get up day after day to serve. I am in awe of them.”
“A Salute To First Responders” is a celebration that is long overdue, and uniquely suited to the times. Almost everyone has a story about how they, or someone they know has been helped by a first responder.
As Denver Fire Chief Eric Trade so aptly puts it, first responders “make tremendous personal sacrifices while serving quietly and with heart. They show up for others during their most stressful times, or what often is felt to be the worst day of their lives.”
The special includes a variety of every day heroes: a group of paramedics in The Bronx who were responding to the first wave of COVID-19 infections as the pandemic broke in the Big Apple, a nurse at Holy Name Medical Center overseeing five emergency ICUs to accommodate the flood of patients and the hospital staff photographer, who felt compelled to document it all.
Lidia also meets a firefighter in Sonoma County, California, after his return from fighting the Wallbridge Fire, one of more than 400 wildfires that devastated the state, this summer.
She pays a visit to a retired New York police officer who worked in rescue and recovery during 9-11, and has since struggled with PTSD. As they break bread together he shares the story as how cooking has been instrumental in getting on the road to recovery.
Lidia also follows the first Latina pumper truck driver at the fire station in Bridgeport, Connecticut as she strives to diversify their forces, by helping women train for the physical exam portion of the fire test.
As she moves from story to story, Lidia becomes overwhelmed by the critical need to give thanks to these every day heroes. She visits Operation Gratitude, an organization that sends care packages to military overseas and to our first responders here in the United States. Lidia writes her own personal letter to be added to one of those packages.
The special culminates with a gesture of food, Lidia’s favorite breakfast risotto delivered to the hostpital workers at the Holy Name Medical Center.
“Food is my love language,” says Lidia. “I hope that I can inspire viewers to reach out to thank the first responders in their communities, or even to become first responders themselves.”
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