By
Citizen Reporter
Published on: November 26, 2025 06:35 (EAT)
Ambassador-designate of Italy to Kenya, Vincenzo Del Monaco, speaks during the launch.
Audio By Vocalize
Italy has kicked off the tenth
edition of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World with a grand cultural
showcase in Nairobi, unveiling an elaborate exhibition that blends gastronomy,
art, and history.
The event, themed “Dining with Italy: 100 Years of Taste and Innovation,”
opened on Thursday at the Hall of Kenya inside the Nairobi National Museum.
It was hosted by the Ambassador-designate of Italy to Kenya, Vincenzo
Del Monaco, in partnership with the Italian Institute for Culture and the
Italian Trade Agency.
A first for Africa, the exhibition
brings together 50 historic Italian menus curated by Biblioteca e Museo della
Cucina “Garum” and Menu Associati, institutions known for documenting Italy’s
culinary evolution.
The collection traces Italy’s gastronomic journey from the
post-unification era through the monarchy and into the republic, capturing
historic ingredients, shifts in cultural identity, and the contemporary push
toward sustainability and regional uniqueness.
The event drew an influential
cast of guests, including Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano,
who served as Chief Guest; MP Farah Maalim representing the Speaker of the
National Assembly; officials from the State Department of Correctional
Services; senior leadership from the National Museums of Kenya; world-renowned
Italian artist Tommaso Cascella; and Olympic marathon bronze medalist Benson
Kipruto.
In her keynote address, CS Miano
praised the exhibition as a symbol of enduring cooperation between Nairobi and
Rome.
“Our two countries share a
long-standing partnership in cultural exchange, agriculture, food innovation,
sustainability, and tourism development. This exhibition is a testament to that
collaboration – beautifully symbolised by Maestro Cascella’s sculptural table
created alongside Kenyan artisans here in Nairobi,” said CS Miano.
She encouraged Kenya to borrow
inspiration from Italy’s globally admired wine routes by elevating its own
agricultural heritage through premium agro-tourism offerings.
The CS pointed to Fairview Coffee Estate, Karunguru Coffee
Farm, Kiambethu Tea Farm, Gatura Greens, and the Teita Sisal Estate as strong
foundations for global-standard destination experiences.
Ambassador-designate Del Monaco
noted that the exhibition’s themes – innovation, biodiversity, terroir, and
cultural continuity – mirror ongoing Kenya–Italy cooperation, including support
to 30,000 Kenyan coffee farmers under the Mattei Plan for Africa.
He also reiterated Italy’s push to have its cuisine inscribed
on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
The evening also featured the
unveiling of Cascella’s sculptural table, “Arch, Bridge, Scale, Rainbow
of Peace and Work,” crafted in Nairobi in collaboration with Kenyan
artisans. The artwork will join the permanent collection of the Embassy of
Italy.
The celebrations continue with a
series of Italian wine tastings in Nairobi, Watamu, and Malindi, each aimed at
spotlighting the country’s regional diversity and centuries-old craftsmanship.
The exhibition runs until December
10, 2025 and is expected to draw thousands of visitors eager to explore the
rich cultural and gastronomic history of Italy.
Dining and Cooking