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CELEBRATION OF THE WEEK OF THE ITALIAN CUISINE IN THE WORLD (LOS ANGELES, NOVEMBER 18-22 2024)

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In Los Angeles, the ninth edition of the Week of the Italian Cuisine in the World was celebrated with an intense calendar of activities involving this Consulate General and the Italian Cultural Institute from Sunday, November 17, to Friday, November 22, 2024.

 

The contribution of all the local partners involved was fundamental : from the Italian-American Chamber of Commerce West (IACCW), to  Committee of Italians Abroad (COMITES) of Los Angeles and the local office of the Italian Government Tourism Board (ENIT), from the Los Angeles Chapter of Accademia Italiana della Cucina to the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) , from Pepperdine University to Eataly Los Angeles.

 

The events organized in Los Angeles, Malibu and Orange County, in line with this year’s theme, highlighted the role of Italian communities in spreading Italian food heritage in the world as well as the widely documented health benefits of the Mediterranean diet through cooking shows, academic debates, B2B meetings, theater performances and special tastings.

 

The celebration of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World started last November 17th during the annual Gala of the IACCW, which celebrated the culinary and cultural heritage of Sicily, represented by the consortium “Italian Fancy Food Brokers” and the Valle dei Templi district, honoring the city of Agrigento, Italian Capital of Culture in 2025. IACCW then organized, on November 19th, in collaboration with “Italian Fancy Food Brokers” and the local ENIT office, a B2B event focused on the promotion of Sicilian  food and wine products at Alessandro Del Piero’s restaurant “N10”.

 

The official opening of the ninth edition of Los Angeles Cuisine Week took place on November 18 at the Italian Cultural Institute with a cooking show on the art of preparing Italian panini by Chef Alessandro Frassica, owner of the “Ino Panino” sandwich shop in Florence, and the award-winning American Chef Nancy Silverton. On the occasion, Consul General Valentini conferred to Nancy Silverton, on behalf of the President of the Italian Republic, the recognition of Knight of the Republic (“Cavaliere OSI”) for her significant role in promoting the internationalization of Italian food and wine through collaborations between US and Italian chefs, including Frassica himself.

 

Another highlight of the Week was the panel discussion organized in collaboration with Comites last November 20 at Pepperdine University in Malibu. The round table, which gathered an audience of about 150 people including students and members of the local Italian community, focused on the use in cuisine and the health benefits of two Italian products of excellence: olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Speakers included: Dr. Maura Fanti, researcher at USC Longevity Institute of Prof. Valter Longo; Chef Tommaso Iorio, founder of the catering company “Tuscany at Home”; Dr. Fabrizio Cuomo representing the historic Italian vinegar company De Nigris; and Sunnie DeLano, Professor of nutrition at Pepperdine. The discussion, moderated and co-organized by Professor Brittany Corbucci of the Italian department at Pepperdine, was preceded by a special tasting of products with Italian olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

 

On November 21, the Consulate General of Los Angeles brought the Week of Italian Cuisine to Orange County, where Chef Frassica presented the art of preparing gourmet panini at Antonello restaurant, a reference point for the Italian community in Orange County. This initiative was the result of a collaboration with the local representative of the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) and the ENIT office. On the same evening, the theater performance “Stories of egg and flour” by Gaia Mencagli took place in Los Angeles and was supported by the Italian Cultural Institute.

 

Finally, on November 22, the Los Angeles delegation of the Accademia Italiana della Cucina, in collaboration with the cultural association Azzurra, hosted the closing night of the Week at LA Puglia restaurant. Participants enjoyed a dinner focused on the Mediterranean diet and Italian culinary roots. The program also included a presentation of the book “The Garrubbo Guide” by Edwin Garrubbo, aimed at raising awareness among American readers on the importance of a healthy diet by exploring Italian cuisine.