[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 206 (Thursday, December 19, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1635]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    IN RECONGNITION OF BIBA CAGGIANO

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DORIS O. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 19, 2019

  Ms. MATSUI. Madam Speaker, it is with profound sadness that I rise to 
honor the life of beloved Sacramento chef and my dear friend Biba 
Caggiano. The legacy that Biba leaves in Sacramento will be forever 
felt through her restaurant and her acclaimed Italian cook books. Biba 
not only invigorated Sacramento's food culture but was also a symbol 
for hospitality and hard-work. As her husband, Vincent, and their 
children Carla and Paola, gather to remember her life and legacy, I ask 
my colleagues to stand with me in her memory.
  Biba Caggiano was born in October of 1936 in Bologna, Italy. In 1960, 
Biba moved to New York and found work with an Italian bank. Soon after, 
Biba moved to Sacramento, where she made homemade Italian dishes, a 
rare cuisine in the region at the time. Her love for traditional 
Italian cuisine was popular in Sacramento, and she soon found herself 
cooking and teaching others. In 1986, she opened the now iconic midtown 
restaurant Biba, beginning the movement that revolutionized Sacramento 
cuisine. She continued to grow as a successful chef, cookbook author, 
TV personality, and restaurateur.
  Since Biba has graced our region with her inspiring dishes, 
Sacramento has become an important place for food. She opened a path 
for more chefs to pursue their own culinary careers in Sacramento. It 
cannot be overstated the influence she has had on our city. Over her 
career, Biba has received the Robert Mondavi Culinary Award of 
Excellence, Northern California Chef of the Year, and the Sacramento 
Business Journal's Women Who Mean Business Award.
  Madam Speaker, today we honor the incredible life of Biba Caggiano; a 
wife, mother, friend, teacher, and most importantly, a true Sacramento 
treasure. Biba will be fondly remembered by all in our community for 
her creative spirit and her kind hospitality. I will remember her for 
her spirit, talent, and courage.

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