No sooner had I returned from my tour exploring the south of Italy than the 2023 edition of the World Week of Italian Cuisine kicked off. It was the perfect opportunity to continue the story of Italian flavors even after the journey ended because, luckily, this is the remarkable power of taste: it brings people together, beyond borders and time. The World Week of Italian Cuisine truly achieves this, being an event celebrated simultaneously around the globe at the initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its embassies abroad.
This year marks the eighth edition of the event, and the theme is one particularly close to our hearts: “At the Table with Italian Cuisine: Well-Being with Taste.” The event features a rich program, which in Romania runs until November 23rd, including special events, workshops, culinary training activities, as well as discounts, special menus, and tastings at participating restaurants.
The launch of the World Week of Italian Cuisine took place at the Kaiamo restaurant during a press conference organized by the Italian Embassy in Romania and the Italian Trade Agency – Bucharest office. I had the honor of attending the event, which was opened by a speech from His Excellency Alfredo Durante Mangoni, the Italian Ambassador to Romania. During the event, we also learned that this June, Italian cuisine was proposed for inclusion on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, thirteen years after the Mediterranean diet was inscribed on the same list.
This is an initiative I can only applaud because Italian cuisine, with its vast array of components, is a model of healthy and balanced living (not just physically), closely linked to the Mediterranean diet, with which it is often associated. However, Italian cuisine has its own specific characteristics, and gastronomy and oenology are among Italy’s most treasured calling cards, not only for the diversity of ingredients and recipes (did you know Italy has the highest number of DOP and IGP products in Europe?), but also for the collection of social practices, traditions, and gestures rooted in local knowledge—a collective ritual of a people who see food as an essential element of identity and cultural belonging.
Another key topic discussed was the efforts to protect original DOC, DOP, and IGP products from what has been termed the "Italian sounding" phenomenon—a situation where an overwhelming number of Italian products are counterfeited and sold as authentic.
As mentioned earlier, Italy holds the European record for the highest number of agro-food products with protected designation of origin and geographical indication recognized by the European Union (852, of which 325 are agro-food products and 527 are wines), a testament not only to the quality of these products but also to the deep connection between Italian agri-food excellence and its place of origin.
However, because of the renowned quality for which they are celebrated, Italian agri-food products are also the most counterfeited worldwide, with the "Italian sounding" phenomenon surpassing 120 billion euros annually, double the value of Italy’s yearly exports of these products. This should give us pause and make us more aware of the importance of buying from trusted producers and distributors who can guarantee the quality and authenticity of their products. Especially when it comes to taste and cuisine, product quality is essential for culinary success.
Not just me, but also Enrico Derflingher, the special guest of the World Week of Italian Cuisine in Bucharest, said it as well. He was present for both a culinary demonstration at the press conference and the gala dinner, where he teamed up with Chef Radu CM Ionescu, the founder of Kaiamo.
Enrico Derflingher is one of the most important Italian culinary masters in the world and, to date, the only Italian to have served as the personal chef to the British Royal Family. He also worked as a chef at the White House during the presidency of George H. W. Bush, and has cooked for numerous heads of state, leaders, and celebrities such as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. His professional projects, both in Italy and abroad, like the Armani restaurant in Tokyo Ginza, have earned him Michelin stars and prestigious international awards, such as Best Chef in the World in 2008.
At the press conference, Chef Enrico prepared his famous risotto recipe in front of the guests – the one that won over the Queen of England, who declared it the best risotto she had ever eaten (and rightly so: after tasting it myself, I said the same). The dish comes with a wonderful story: the moment the Queen enjoyed this perfect risotto, she asked to see the chef and told him she wanted to give him a gift of his choosing, as a token of gratitude. Chef Enrico jokes that, initially, the unexpected gesture made him hesitate, unsure whether to ask for a castle, a horse, a painting, or a boat. In the end, what he wished to receive was a pan with the royal crest, the same one that was on the uniform he wore every day.
Chef Enrico a fost prezent, așa cum aminteam, și la cina de gală a evenimentului, unde a oferit invitaților o experiență gastronomică de excepție alături de Chef Radu Ionescu, la Kaiamo.
Activitațile din cadru Săptămânii Bucătăriei Italiene însă sunt în plină desfășurare și continuă până pe 23 noiembrie, atât în București, cât și în alte orașe ale țării. Iată lista completă a evenimentelor:
cină de promovare a bucătăriei mediteraneene la Restaurantul Sara Sarroglia, organizată de Camera de Comerţ Italiană pentru România (14 noiembrie);
masterclass care include o demonstrație culinară adresată studenților cursurilor de gătit și patiserie, operatorilor din sector și proprietarilor de restaurante, axat pe lupta împotriva Italian sounding, organizat de Confindustria România la Institutul Clinar Disciples Escoffier de la Săftica (14 noiembrie);
activitate de formare de către Roberto De Santis, maestru pizzar al ICIF (Institutul Culinar Italian pentru Străini), destinată profesioniștilor restaurantelor italiene din România și organizată de ICE-Agenția București la GastronoMetro, centrul de formare Metro cash & carry (14 noiembrie);
cină cu chef Valerio Aprea şi pastry chef Eleonora Cavaleri, axată pe promovarea produselor siciliene, cu participarea criticului de vinuri Carmine Sgandurra, organizată de Consulatul Onorific din Cluj-Napoca în colaborare cu Comites, la restaurantul Rodizio din Cluj-Napoca (18 noiembrie);
spectacol muzical „Kiss Me Kate” la Teatrul de Operetă din București, urmat de un moment festiv cu degustări de produse alimentare și vinicole italiene organizate de Academia de Gastronomie cu sprijinul Confindustria România (19 noiembrie);
activitate de conștientizare destinată elevelor şi elevilor de școală asupra importanței unei diete echilibrate și a unui stil de viață activ, în prezența medicului nutriționist și gastroenterolog Luca Piretta la Școala „Aldo Moro” din București în colaborare cu Federalimentare (21 noiembrie);
activitate de instruire de către chef Patrizia Paglieri adresată profesioniștilor din restaurantele italiene din România, organizată de ICE-Agenzia București la centrul de instruire Gastronometro Metro cash&carry, cu accent pe utilizarea brânzeturilor DOP și DOCG italiene în restaurante (21 noiembrie);
eveniment de promovare a dietei mediteraneene, în colaborare cu Ambasada Libanului, organizat de ICE -Agenția București la restaurantul Roberto’s al hotelului Intercontinental Athénée Palace Hilton unde, pe lângă specialități gastronomice și vinuri tipic italiene, vor fi oferite mâncăruri libaneze pregătite cu produse autentice italiene, cu scopul de a arăta versatilitatea acestora din urmă (23 noiembrie).
pe toată durata evenimentului, restaurantele participante vor pregăti inițiative ad-hoc (reduceri, meniuri speciale, degustări) pe întreg teritoriul României. Restaurantele participante sunt următoarele: Italo’s, Brisée, Osteria Galletto, Sardin, La Bottega dei Sapori, Il Mulino, Tosteria, LuxGarden, La Dolce Milano).
Commentaires