"Bastianich moved to Astoria in Queens, New York, as a child after her family was forced to flee from their Italian home during World War II. Having developed a deep passion for baking and cooking, the young Bastianich eventually got a part-time job at Walken's Bakery, a local business operated by the parents of none other than Christopher Walken. The bakery was located right across the street from Bastianich's home, and the families actually had something in common. Paul Walken, Christopher's father, was also an immigrant, having moved to the U.S. from Germany, In an interview with GBH News, Bastianich says, "He was a great baker. Walken's Bakery was really popular.""
"Paul Walken opened Walken's Bakery with his wife Rosalie in 1931. The bakery was a huge success, with a team of pastry chefs who started in the back at 3 a.m. every day. There were also a half a dozen women, including Bastianich, who would keep everything running at the front of the shop. Bastianich would sell cakes and make boxes, while Christopher Walken and his brothers would do deliveries. Walken was also often tasked with filling jelly donuts as a child, and there's even evidence of him making a pie crust or two. The bakery really was a family affair - so much so that Bastianich's mother also worked at the register for a spell."
Lidia Bastianich moved to Astoria, Queens, after her family fled their Italian home during World War II and developed a passion for baking and cooking. As a teenager she worked part time at Walken's Bakery, a local shop run by Paul and Rosalie Walken that stood across the street from her home. The bakery, opened in 1931, employed early-morning pastry chefs and front-of-shop staff including Bastianich and her mother. Christopher Walken and his brothers handled deliveries and kitchen tasks like filling jelly donuts. The bakery operated for over five decades before the younger generation pursued other careers.
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