JEDDAH: A press conference was held on November 20 in Jeddah at the Italian Cultural Club to reveal details of Italian Cuisine Week which will run from November 22-27.
Elisabetta Martini, the consul general of Italy in Jeddah, invited the main sponsors to tell the media about this five-day event.
The sponsors including restaurants, hotels representatives, and distributors introduced their plans for the week where each sponsor will be organizing an Italian event in a different location.
This is the second edition of the Italian cuisine week as the first one was in 2016. The Italian government wanted to help Italian restaurants with Italian chefs who are the best ambassadors of Italian culture all over the world in promoting Italian food.
Seetaff, PIATTO restaurant. Assila Hotel, Shurbatlu Fruits, Ferrero, Park Hayat Hotel, Hilton Hotel, Luacker, the University of Business and Technology are partners and sponsors.
Martini said: “Our aim of this event is not only to promote our own products and restaurants, but also to help local realities and universities to develop the know how to do better in supporting Vision 2030.”
She added: “Diplomacy is not only parties and visas, but also in economic development.”
There are many Italian restaurants operating here in the Kingdom, but according to Martini, it is important to differentiate between the authentic ones which have Italian chefs and use Italian ingredients, and those that just have Italian names.
Last year the Italian Culture Club hosted special guest Chef Marco Martini from Rome. Chef Marco is owner of The Corner restaurant, and in 2013 was named the best emerging chef in Italy.
This year, Chef Eleonora Galasso, an Italian food interpreter and a well-known social media figure in Italy, will be the special guest. She will appear on a cooking show and participate in the week’s activities.
The events available for the public are as follows:
November 21 1:00 p.m.: Ribbon cutting for PIATTO’s new menu
November 22 1:30 p.m.: Ribbon cutting for Lallo’s Italian Restaurant’s new menu.
7:00 p.m.: Safina Hilton will celebrate Italian Cuisine Week.
November 23 1:30 p.m.: Chef Gallasso will be at Tartufo and for the public to enjoy tasting the menu.
7:00 p.m.: A ribbon cutting for new Italian products to be provided at Manuel Supermarket
Also at the same day a work shop by the Chef Gallaso and Saudi Chef Basma Al-Kareji, the work shop is under the title “Women and gastronomy between East and West,” at the Social Kitchen.
November 24 1:00 p.m.: Park Hayat Hotel