The Italian Ambassador to the United States kicked off the annual Settimana della Cucina Italiana nel Mondo (Week of Italian Cuisine in the World) in Washington, DC, with a dinner starring Chef Giancarlo Morelli last week with bipartisan dinner guests from the nation’s capital.
Italy’s Ambassador to the U.S. Mariangela Zappia opened the dinner with some prepared remarks, “Italian cuisine is not just food or a recipe book, but a set of social practices, habits, and gestures: it is a central element of our identity and for this reason, we promote the candidacy of Italian cuisine as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. But promoting Italian cuisine also means supporting Italian restaurateurs, operators in the sector, and our agri-food companies, which export products worth more than 7 billion dollars a year to the USA, as well as our tourism industry.”
Over 50 events are organized nationwide to celebrate the “Week of Italian Cuisine in the World” promoted by the Italian government’s network of embassies, consulates, and ICE – Italian Trade Agency offices abroad to promote quality Italian cuisine and agri-food products. Here are some events in the U.S. to celebrate the Italian Cuisine Week in the World. The official week is celebrated between November 18-22, although there were events across the country a few days before and there will be programs after the official scheduled cultural program.
NOVEMBER 18TH
- MIAMI – Mediterranean Diet and Recipes from our Roots: Health and Tradition – Opening event of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World 2024 at the Italian Cultural Institute in Miami. Presentation of the book by journalist Gerardo Antelmo “Discovering Italian gems in Florida.”
NOVEMBER 19TH
- MIAMI – Mediterranean Diet and Recipes from our Roots: Health and Tradition- Masterclass with Chef Arcangelo Dandini – Masterclass with Chef Arcangelo Dandini at the Miami Culinary Institute. The Chef will hold a Masterclass for the students of Miami Dade College on the preparation of various dishes of the Roman culinary tradition, in their process of adapting to local ingredients and products.
NOVEMBER 20TH
- AUSTIN – The sweetness of tradition – The Department of French and Italian at UT Austin is organizing a meeting with two Italian entrepreneurs who, keeping Italian culinary traditions alive in the United States, reflect on sustainability and gastronomic culture. Silvia Zolfanelli, pastry chef, and Marco Silvestrini, ice cream maker, will discuss their experiences and offer tastings of their products.
- HOUSTON – Mediterranean Diet – The Consulate General of Italy in Houston is organizing an evening dedicated to the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, focusing on preventing cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases. The event will be attended by two illustrious Italian doctors, Luigi Ricciardiello, Professor of Medicine at the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition of the UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Angelo Nascimbene, Associate Professor at the Center for Advanced Cardiopulmonary Therapies and Transplantation at UTHealth Houston, who will delve into the fundamental principles of the Mediterranean diet and present scientific studies to support its benefits.
- TAMPA – Mediterranean Diet and Recipes from our Roots: Health and Tradition – Masterclass with Chef Arcangelo Dandini who will hold a Masterclass for the students of the University of South Florida on the preparation of various dishes of the Roman culinary tradition, in their process of adapting to local ingredients and products.