2009 Super Chef interviewed Lidia Bastianich about hosting the James Beard Award Gala.

This year’s gala on May 3 at Lincoln Center will again feature Lidia, this time joined by Wolfgang Puck and Alton Brown.

The theme of this year’s ceremony is “The Legacy Continues,” a nod to the lasting impact that James Beard and his successors have had on American cuisine.

The three hosts’ careers illustrate a few of the many different ways chefs and entertainers have come to dominate American food:

• Wolfgang Puck has exploited media from television to books, opened multiple restaurants, from fine dining to fast casual, and introduced dozens of product lines. He has based his empire in Los Angeles, spreading to the East through catering and franchising.
• Lidia Bastianich has also opened numerous restaurants, endorsed product lines, and added travel, wines, and a focus on Public Television. She has also partnered with her son, Joseph Bastianich and Mario Batali
• Alton Brown has focused on the Food Network programs and cookbooks as well as product lines, without opening any restaurants.

Sounds like the makings of an interesting show.