Chef Massimo Bottura was the star of the Italian Cultural Society of Washington DC’s (Ics) annual gala, which honored him with a special evening as an ambassador of Italian culinary excellence. This was not a random choice: the Ics gala is an occasion to celebrate the excellence of Italian culture in all its facets, welcoming internationally renowned guests of honor, and this year the theme revolved around Italian cuisine, a candidate for inclusion in the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Each November, Italian embassies and cultural institutes from around the world also gather to celebrate the flavors, traditions and stories that make Italian gastronomy a global treasure.
The gala, hosted at the Embassy of Italy in Washington in the presence of Chief of Mission Marco Peronaci, was an opportunity for guests to learn more about Bottura, considered one of the world’s most innovative and influential chefs, not only for redefining Italian cuisine through creativity and passion, but also for using food as a powerful tool for social change, sustainability and cultural dialogue.
Interviewed by Sara Gay Forden, journalist and author of the book House of Gucci, Bottura talked about his vision of cooking, which must “tell the chef’s story,” “use local ingredients,” and “convey emotions,” but which must not forget a commitment to sustainability and the vulnerable. So he gave some anecdotes, such as when Giorgia Meloni called him to cook for the world’s greats at the last Italian G7 and he shielded himself by reminding her of his friendship with the then Democratic governor of Emilia-Romagna, Stefano Bonaccini. “I don’t care, you have to come, you have to represent Italy,” she replied to him, the chef recounted, also revealing that he improvised as an “introduction” to the Borgo Egnazia summit menu a bruschetta ice cream that won everyone over, starting with Macron: “we were in Puglia, I wanted to pay homage to the local tradition of bread and tomato, but I couldn’t serve a hot bruschetta with 38 degrees.”
Presenting the evening was Amy Riolo, award-winning and best-selling author, chef and TV personality. Also on stage to present a number of awards to various students was Francesca Casazza, executive director and Ceo of Ics, an organization founded in 1953 and recognized as a managing body and promoter of Italian language and culture by the Italian government since 1974.
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Dining and Cooking