Events dedicated to the 10th Week of Italian Cuisine in the World have just concluded in major Australian cities. One of the most successful and polycentric festivals of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, this year’s Cooking Week celebrated the links between tradition, innovation, health and sustainability.
Through ‘La cena del Gattopardo’ – which came to life in Sydney in the presence of more than 130 international guests – the Italian Embassy in Canberra and the Ice Agency paid tribute to the strength of Made in Italy and Italian cuisine, enhancing Sicily’s attractiveness and recognizability in the world, the island’s export excellence, its entrepreneurial fabric, as well as its immense historical, landscape and artistic-cultural heritage. Canberra also hosted a screening of Davide Minnella’s film ‘The Perfect Dinner’: a story of ambition and rebirth, interweaving the frenetic pace of cooking with the intimacy of culinary creation.
In Adelaide, more than ten restaurants and gourmet stores joined the Consulate-sponsored edition of the event, with dedicated menus and curated selections of high-quality products highlighting the best of our country’s excellence. Among the events was the live cooking demonstration ‘Flavors of Italy: a Celebration of Made in Italy,’ presented by chefs Gabriele Pezzimenti and Luca Guiotto and renowned Italian excellence retailer Bottega 1995, organized in collaboration with the Consulate of Italy.
Five events were organized in Brisbane, four by the Consulate and one by the local branch of the Italian Academy of Cuisine. Two in particular were the themes proposed by the Ministry that found their place in a dedicated event: ‘Bollicine, Sparkling Italy’ – with tastings of prosecchi, Franciacorta and Asti Spumante – and ‘The World of Rice,’ which combined the tasting of dishes prepared with Carnaroli, Arborio and Vialone Nano rice with a visual storytelling through explanatory panels.
Perth hosted an event at the prestigious Maritime Museum in Fremantle, built on the very landing area of migrant ships arriving from Europe in the late 19th century until the mid-1970s. The meeting offered the opportunity to promote the excellent food and wine productions of a consortium of producers from eastern Sicily, including through original recipes developed by Italian-Australian chefs; the initiative was also enriched by the presentation of Prof. Mario Siervo, full professor of Public Health at Curtin University in Perth and originally from Cilento, who illustrated to the more than 150 participating guests the benefits of the Mediterranean diet for the health and well-being of the population.
In Melbourne, the Consulate General and Institute of Culture, together with all the actors of Sistema Italia, proposed a rich program of initiatives, developed over three months. From the presentation event of the book ‘La Pizza. Una storia contemporanea’ by journalist Luciano Pignataro, hosted last September 4 by chef Michele Circhirillo, to the ‘Dish Italy Up’ culinary competition, held during the Italian Festa&Expo on October 19; from the ‘Il Piatto è Servito’ initiative – which involved the city’s 19 restaurants recognized by the ‘Ospitalità Italiana’ seal – to the Business Award Gala Dinner of the local Italian Chamber of Commerce dedicated to the promotion of the Italian food and wine supply chain.
Among the various events organized in Sydney by the Consulate General in collaboration with the Institute of Culture, the evening dedicated to the Italian aperitivo stands out. It began with a boat tour of Sydney Bay and ended in Manly with a tasting of typical Italian products, protected geographical indications, accompanied by Aperol Spritz to enhance the traditional flavors of Italian cuisine.
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Dining and Cooking