The 10th edition of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World in Los Angeles featured a rich program of events developed in collaboration with prominent partners, including the Italian Academy of Cuisine, Eataly, GialloZafferano, the La Jolla Institute for Immunology, and ISSNAF, highlighting the connection between Italian cuisine, science, and culture.
The initiative opened on 17 November at the Italian Cultural Institute in Los Angeles with a cooking show dedicated to Piedmontese cuisine, organized in partnership with GialloZafferano as part of the MAECI collaboration, and led by chef and influencer Aurora Cavallo (“Cooker Girl”). The event welcomed around 100 selected guests and was followed the next day by a hands-on cooking class at Eataly Los Angeles, also conducted by Chef Cavallo.
On 20 November, in San Diego, the Consulate General of Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles, in collaboration with the La Jolla Institute for Immunology—a global leader in immunology research—and ISSNAF, hosted a roundtable exploring the relationship between science and Italian gastronomy.
The event opened with remarks by Consul General Raffaella Valentini, Prof. Erica Ollmann Saphire, President and CEO of the La Jolla Institute for Immunology, and Prof. Alessandro Sette, world-renowned immunologist and recent recipient of the OMRI honor.
The panel, moderated by Dr. Clarissa Ceruti, ISSNAF Executive Director, featured contributions from Dr. Sonia Sharma (Center for Sex-based Differences in the Immune System), Dr. Jacopo Annese (Brain Observatory), and Chef Pietro Gallo (Civico 1845, Little Italy San Diego).
The program concluded with a reception curated by Chef Gallo, offering the more than 100 participants a culinary experience connected to the themes explored during the discussion.
To close the Week, on 21 November, the Los Angeles Delegation of the Italian Academy of Cuisine hosted a dinner in Santa Monica titled “Italian Cuisine between Health, Culture and Innovation,” featuring a menu crafted by Michelin-starred chef Antonio Murè.
Throughout the Week, eight retail locations in California and Las Vegas offered tastings of European extra virgin olive oil, promoted by the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce West (IACCW) as part of the Ecceamerica project, allowing visitors to discover the quality, sustainability and authenticity of Italian products.
