A rich series of initiatives dedicated to Italian food traditions, organized by Italian Schools and University abroad.
The Week of Italian Cuisine in the Italian Schools worldwide
On the occasion of the VI Week of Italian Cuisine in the World, many Italian Schools worldwide promoted initiatives dedicated to Italian culinary tradition, also in collaboration with Embassies and Consulates.
Córdoba, Castelfranco Bilingual and Bicultural School. ‘Un viaggio attraverso l’Italia’ (A trip around Italy): students of Class V, A and B, e of Class I of Middle School, A and B, made a trip around Italy, its Regions, traditions and typical dishes. They presented what they learnt, during the presentation ceremony of The Week of Italian Cuisine in Cordoba, Piazza Italia, on 17 November 2021.
Buenos Aires, Escuela Dante Alighieri. ‘Pasta al vero uso italiano’: Dante Alighieri School organized a masterclass, which was followed on Zoom by the students of the institute venues in Las Flores and San Rafael. The two venues shared Italian typical ingredients, which are produced in their regions, to realize pasta recipes during the masterclass. Several initiatives on Italian DOP, DOC, and IGP products, the Slow Food, and Italian Regional recipes were proposed to the students attending the school and the courses of Italian language. All information is available on the school website.
Fribourg, Association Vivace Freiburg e. V. ‘La cucina vivace: 7 spaghetti per 7 giorni’: Chef Alessandro Spagnuolo organized an entire week dedicated to spaghetti, which he prepared in many different ways, with video recipes of simple Italian traditional dishes. The Association Vivace made these videos available to its teachers of Italian language. Unable to organize cooking classes in presence, teachers used the videos to work with their students on Italian cuisine vocabulary, as well as on the history and geography of Italian recipes.
Istanbul, Italian State High School IMI. ‘Workshop on Italian Cuisine’: I.M.I. High School organized a series of workshop on Italian food, which emphasized the biodiversity of Italian regional products, the authenticity of Italian excellences, and the seasonality of ingredients. During the entire week, Chef Gioacchino dell’Aquila and Chef Alessandro Grieco taught courses of Italian cuisine. The inauguration event involved students of 60 Turkish school. Information on the event is available on the school website.
Lyon, Lycée général Cité scolaire internationale, Italian Section. ‘100% italiano’: on 24 November, the CSI Italian section proposed a menu aimed to promote Italian tradition of balanced and healthy food, with respect of typical and sustainable products, as well as of Mediterranean Diet principles.
London, Bilingual School SIAL and Consulate General of Italy. ‘Storia della cucina italiana a fumetti. Dalle tagliatelle etrusche al tiramisù’: on 24 November, SIAL School hosted the presentation of children’s book “Storia della cucina italiana a fumetti. Dalle tagliatelle etrusche al tiramisù”, published by Accademia Italiana della Cucina (Italian Academy of Cuisine). The Consul General, Marco Villani, and the Vice-President of the Academy, responsible for the U.K., Maurizio Fazzari, participated in the event, which was organized by the Consulate General of Italy in London. School Principal, Ines Saltalamacchia, moderated the debate.
Madrid, Italian Lecturer, Complutense University. ‘La cultura italiana del cibo: origini, stili e prospettive’: Italian Section at the Department of Romance, French, Italian Studies, and Translation of Complutense University in Madrid organized a cycle of seminaries, titled “La cultura italiana del cibo: origini, stili e prospettive” (Italian Food Culture: Origins, Styles, and Perspectives). Prof. Pietro d’Alessio, specialist in Food History and Culture, and teacher of Gastronomic Science at the University of Parma, was invited as a lecturer. Presentations focused on the history of the extraordinary success of Italy’s cuisine model abroad, through the analysis of events, protagonists, and products, which have made the Italian taste for food a unique lifestyle, to imitate and export. Further information is available on the dedicated web page of Italian Studies Department.
Madrid, Italian State School and State-authorized Nursery School. ‘Masterclasses and presentations’: on 22 and 23 November, Chef Marco Bozzolini organized some masterclasses for children of Madrid State-authorized Nursery School, aimed to promote the principles of a balanced diet. On 25 November, Chefs Gioacchino Sensale and Nino Mosca gave a lecture in the auditorium of Madrid Italian State School, reflecting on culture, identity, cuisine and healthy diet.
Moscow, Consulate General of Italy, Education Office, in collaboration with Italian School ‘Italo Calvino’. ‘De gustibus’: the Education Office at the Consulate General of Italy in Moscow organized the third edition of the project “De gustibus”, aimed to promote quality Italian cuisine abroad. The contribution of Italian chefs in Moscow, the collaboration of Italian educational institutions for the promotion of Italian territory abroad, and the participation of Italian School “Italo Calvino” in the initiative were significant. This year, young and older participants were engaged in the preparation of Italian recipes, with the analysis of cultural, social and historical aspects of Italian cuisine. All the activities were broadcasted on the platform of P.R.I.A. Program.
Paris, State Italian Institute Leonardo Da Vinci. ‘Tra versi e pietanze prelibate. A tavola con Dante e Sciascia’: some high-school students of the class IV participated in the Conference “Tra versi e pietanze prelibate. A tavola con Dante e Sciascia”, which took place in Paris, at the Lycée Hôtelier Tirel, on 26 November. As part of the celebrations for the seven hundred years since Dante Alighieri’s death and for the one hundred years since Leonardo Sciascia’s birth, the students chose and read some passages of the two authors. The selected texts were inspired by Italian traditional cuisine.
Tashkent, Italian Lecturer, University of Uzbek State World and Embassy of Italy. ‘Matrimoni culinari tra Uzbekistan e Italia’ (Cuisine Marriages between Uzbekistan and Italy): three students of Italian language at the University of Uzbek State World in Tashkent interviewed Chef Daniele Citeroni Maurizi, from Italy, and Chef Giacomo Pontecorvo, who works in Tashkent, during an event organized by the Embassy of Italy and the Association Slow Food. The interview podcast is available on Facebook and YouTube channels.
Network of The Dante Alighieri Society: the Dante network around the world organized many initiatives. All information is available on the official website.