The tenth edition of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World, with the theme “Italian cuisine between health, culture and innovation,” presented a program coordinated by the Italian Embassy in Brussels in support of the candidacy of Italian Cuisine as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Site, which will cast its vote on December 10 in New Delhi. Eight events, organized from Nov. 7 to 28, involved about a thousand participants, highlighting the Italian food model as healthy, sustainable and deeply rooted in cultural tradition.
The Week opened with the Fresh-Italia campaign, promoted by ICE and FreshMed, together with the Italian Weekend, a series of promotions that will continue until Christmas to celebrate Italian culinary excellence in the Belgian market. On Nov. 11, the Italian Cultural Institute presented Che spettacolo le DOP e le IGP dell’Emilia-Romagna, a theatrical event highlighting the region’s PDO and PGI products, followed by tastings, a fresh pasta workshop and an exhibition dedicated to Pellegrino Artusi.
On Nov. 12, the Lombardy Region Delegation to the EU hosted From Forest to Table, focused on the nutritional and environmental value of game meat, biodiversity protection and food safety. Experts and Michelin-starred chef Igles Corelli contributed to the discussion and offered a tasting inspired by local ingredients. From November 17-30, several Italian restaurants recommended by the Gault&Millau guide in Brussels offered special menus in line with the values of authentic and innovative Italian cuisine, strengthening the visibility of Made in Italy in the Belgian capital. Enit’s Bus Gourmet Italia also made a stop in Brussels. On November 20, the Ambassador’s Residence hosted an evening dedicated to Italian plant-based cuisine, co-organized with ICE Brussels and with the participation of influencers Carlotta Perego, Silvia Goggi and Simone Secchi, founders of the Planter platform. On November 23 and 24, the Federation of Italian Chefs in Belgium organized two days at the Palais d’Afrique in Tervuren with competitions, master classes and tastings, supporting the internationalization of Italian producers and countering the phenomenon of Italian sounding. The Week continued on Nov. 26 at the Italian Cultural Institute with GELATOn the Road – Pop-Up Museum, an immersive exhibition curated by the Belgian-Italian Chamber of Commerce, which celebrated the history and innovation of artisanal ice cream and awarded prizes for the Local Flavour Competition. On Nov. 27, a luncheon at the Residenza brought together foreign ambassadors and Italian-speaking Belgian diplomats, further promoting Italy’s Unesco candidacy and strengthening institutional ties.
The review concluded on Nov. 28 with the final event of the “Un Cuoco a Scuola” project, sponsored by the Consulate General, in which 150 pupils from six Brussels schools participated in cooking classes with volunteer Italian chefs and Consulate teachers and prepared traditional recipes, receiving “Little Chef Diplomas.” Ambassador Favi reiterated the role of Italian gastronomy as a powerful cultural, economic and diplomatic resource, enhancing Italy’s visibility and supporting its strategic trade objectives.
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Dining and Cooking