During the 4th edition of Italian Cuisine in the World Week, there will not only be time for sampling delicious Italian food and drinking fine Italian wines – there will be much to say. Since the US government is making decisions on international trade that may also affect Italian products, it’s time to STAND WITH MADE IN ITALY. This is the rally cry of I Love Italian Food, the non-profit cultural association and network that promotes and defends authentic Italian food and wine culture in the world.
#ISTANDWITHMADEINITALY is not an Instagram hashtag for fancy pics, it is the real message that all Italian food lovers should support. The purpose of the initiative declared by I Love Italian Food is “to defend our products by relying on our food and wine patriotism and, at the same time, to make it clear through a practical lesson on food cost, that quality remains the true convenience that lies at the base of our cuisine. It’s a figure that unites our past, present and future at the table.”
Today, Nov. 20, the prestigious Institute of Culinary Education of New York will be the location of an important event organized with the Italian Chef Association of New York and with the participation of the Consortium of Asiago, Pecorino Romano, Pecorino Sardo, Gorgonzola, Pecorino Toscano, and the New York Chamber of Italian Commerce. The event is furthermore in partnership with Authentico, Sogno Toscano, Montanari & Gruzza, Pentole, Agnelli e Urbani Truffle, Dissapore.
With 90 years of experience, of course La Cucina Italiana gives its wholehearted support and join the event as Media Partner. Raising awareness from the point of view of communication will be our Web Editor and Digital Expert, Sabina Montevergine. As the Web Editor of La Cucina Italiana websites for both Italian and American audiences, she is the right person to give an in-depth assessment of the situation from a digital angle.
The message is so important that many experts and opinion leaders of the Italian food sector have decided to participate actively. The program is quite full and will undoubtedly generate interest: Federico Tozzi, general secretary of the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce of New York will give a snapshot of the US market, one month after the entry into force of the duties. Followed by Alessandro Schiatti, founding member of I Love Italian Food who will explain why #istandwithmadeinitaly. To support him Michele Casadei Massari, chef and founder of Lucciola NYC, with a practical simulation of food cost, pushing restaurant owners not to give up the original products. It will then be the turn of the contributions of the representatives of the Consortiums protecting the supporters of the initiative: Marco Invernizzi for the Consortium for the protection of Gorgonzola PDO cheese, Marco Forte for the Consortium of Pecorino Toscano DOP, Gianni Maoddi will bring the point of view of the Consortium for the protection of Pecorino Romano, and again Luca Cracco for the Consortium for the Protection of Cheese Asiago DOP and Annalisa Uccella, on behalf of the Consortium for the protection of Pecorino Sardo PDO. The contributions will then give space to the world of entrepreneurs and distributors with Sogno Toscano, partner of I Love Italian Food association.
Then, it will be the turn of Giuseppe Coletti, founder of Authentico, partner of I Love Italian Food in the protection and promotion of original Made in Italy. To close the talks is one of the leading representatives of the Italian Association of Chefs in NY: Fabrizio Facchini, chef and member of the board of the Association alongside Francesco Panella, who now a symbol of Made in Italy and has been recently appointed Global Communication Director of the Association. Both will bring the point of view of restaurateurs, and entrepreneurs in the sector for the reason that if consumers could stop taking authentic Italian products from supermarket shelves, restaurateurs must instead continue to share our cuisine, our land and our culture, right through our typical products, transforming this possible criticality into a distinctive value, in the choice of final field, #ISTANDWITHMADEINITALY.
The event will conclude with a kind of food game: there will be a tasting of pure 100% Italian products versus the “fake” products from overseas in order to compare flavors, consistency, colors and smells. Betting is open!
p.s. the event is by invitation only