The Week of Italian Cuisine in the World ended with great success in Turkey, which from November 15 to 28 offered a rich program implemented by the Italian Embassy in Ankara, the Consulate General in Istanbul and the Consulate in Izmir in collaboration with the realities of the Italian food and wine system present in the country. The initiative enhanced the excellence of Italian cuisine through events, tastings, master classes and cultural activities that involved a wide and heterogeneous audience. In Ankara, more than 50 restaurants, cafeterias and distribution entities joined the initiative by promoting products, menus and events exclusively dedicated to Italy and Made in Italy products, in collaboration with leading figures from the Italian food and wine scene. These included Chef Nicole Scandella of the Monteverdi restaurant at the Conrad Hotel in Istanbul, who also held a masterclass on fresh pasta at Bilkent University, while Chef Pamela Paredi of the La Lanterna osteria in Valsolda (CO) curated three culinary events in Eskisehir. Successful participation was also achieved for the coffee workshop, the event dedicated to Italian gin, and the Ankara Gastronomic Association’s evening that offered a gourmet dinner of high-end Italian food and wine products for a carefully selected audience.
In Istanbul, the event opened with a masterclass by the Consulate General and the local Gastronometro cooking academy for about 100 students, flanked by a dinner for industry professionals with Chef Andrea Canton of La Primula restaurant in San Quirino (PN). There was great participation in the event dedicated to the Italian aperitivo at the Istanbul Modern, an iconic contemporary art museum designed by Renzo Piano, organized with the ICE Office, which drew about four hundred people. This was followed by activities for students at the Italian High School (IMI), a workshop by Chef and Director of Eataly Istanbul Claudio Chinali at Doğuş Üniversitesi, and a press event on board the MSC Lirica cruise ship. Wide visibility for the review was also ensured by a special episode of Masterchef Türkiye dedicated to Italian cuisine. In Izmir, the Comites inaugurated the program with an Italian breakfast at Casa Italia, followed by an “Italian-style apericena” organized with the local Italian-Turkish Chamber of Commerce, which was attended by numerous guests. Three Italian chefs presented some excellent gastronomic products, and dairy entrepreneur Cosimo Rotolo held a workshop on mozzarella cheese for children from the Italian School. The prestigious Swissotel Buyuk Efes dedicated an entire week to Italian cuisine. The large public participation in the events spread across the country’s main cities and the partnership between Italian excellence and Turkish business entities in the sector confirm the positive impact in Turkey of the initiative promoted by the Farnesina.
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Dining and Cooking