The First "Italian Cuisine in the World Week" is going to celebrate Italian cinema and cuisine. Dinner with a movie, or movie-themed dinner?

Cooking demonstrations, master classes, tasting events, food-related movies and movie-inspired menus… If you love Italian food and culture, you don’t want to miss the First Italian Cuisine in the World Week (November 15-23).

The Italian Cuisine in the World Week is a new initiative of the Italian government to highlight Italian quality cuisine and food abroad. Italian consulates around the world are organizing special events aimed at showcasing individual Italian territories and DOP products. Chambers of commerce, cooking schools, certified Italian restaurants, professional associations, chefs… All are going to display the best that Italy has to offer. Not just food, also movies, concerts, art shows, design, and photography.

Here in LA, the Consulate General of Italy, under the direction of Consul General Antonio Verde, the Italian Cultural Institute, led by Director Valeria Rumori, the Italian Trade Commission, the Italian National Tourist Board, the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce West, and the Italian Academy of Cuisine cooperated to put together an especially interesting program, as you can see at the bottom of this page. Some of the events are open to the public, while others are by invitation only (marked with *). For more information, read here or contact the organizers.

The star of the First Italian Cuisine in the World Week Cristina Bowerman

Chef Cristina Bowerman, the guest of honor of the First “Italian Cuisine in the World Week” in Los Angeles, and our very own Roberto Croci

Italian Food & Cinema for the First Italian Cuisine in the World Week

If every major city in the world has its own Italian Cuisine in the World Week, Los Angeles is going to have a very special one.

Why? LA is the world capital of cinema, obviously, and cinema is one of Italy’s highest-valued exports, up there with food and wine. In fact, the First Italian Cuisine in the World Week coincides with Cinema Italian Style, the annual festival dedicated to the best contemporary Italian movies. The festival will also be the occasion to officially introduce Hollywood to Gianfranco Rosi’s “Fuocoammare”, Italy’s entry at the 2017 Academy Awards.

For this reason, the Italian Consulate in Los Angeles asked none other than Chef Cristina Bowerman to translate Italy’s excellence in the culinary and cinematic arts into an unforgettable experience. Besides earning a Michelin star for her restaurant Glass Hostaria in Rome, Bowerman is the President of the Association of Italian Ambassadors of Taste (read more here). She will prepare a special menu for the Cinema Italian Style Gala on November 17, and then again for the reception at the Consul General’s residence the following day.

Update: At the Consul’s reception, we met Prince Emanuele Filiberto. The grandson of Italy’s last king, he’s teamed up with Chef Mirko Paderno of Officine Brera to bring fresh pasta to the streets of LA. In this video, he talks about his favorite pasta recipe:

If you are not invited to these exclusive events, don’t worry! You can still celebrate Italian culinary and cinematographic heritage throughout the week of November 15-23. Thanks to the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce and the Italian Academy of Cuisine, some of the best authentic Italian restaurants will offer menus and recipes inspired by Italian cinema.

Here’s the list of the participating restaurants:

first_italian_cusine_in_the_world_week

 

The Schedule of The First Italian Cuisine in the World Week

November 16, 2016 (Italian Cultural Institute, Los Angeles): A virtual tour of Italy’s most beautiful villages, followed by a tasting of local recipes. Organized by Italian National Tourist Board in cooperation with the Association Borghi più Belli d’Italia and the Italian Cultural Institute.

November 16, 2016 (Italian Cultural Institute, Los Angeles): Screening from “Cinecittario – Italy’s dining table through the Luce Archives – When Italy dined in Black and White.” Organized by IIC in collaboration with Luce-Cinecittà.

November 16, 2016 (Italian Cultural Institute, Los Angeles): Opening of the photo exhibit “Stefano Guindani: Recipes and photos”, a special event connecting cinema, gastronomy, and photography. Organized by IIC in collaboration with Luce Cinecittà and RAI Cinema, with the support of Vinomatica.com.

November 17, 2016 * (Egyptian Theatre, Hollywood): Gala, with menu created by Italian Chef Cristina Bowerman, on the occasion of the official presentation of the Italian Oscar entry “Fuocammare” as part of the 2016 edition of Cinema Italian Style. In cooperation with MIPAAF, ICE Agency, and the Consorzio Grana Padano.

November 18, 2016 * (The Cordon Bleu of Pasadena; Culina Restaurant at Four Seasons Beverly Hills). Cooking shows and Master Classes on Italian cuisine and quality trademarks. Organized by the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce West.

November 18, 2016. * Cristina Bowerman will also be starring, together with Los Angeles based Italian Star Chef Antonio Murè (Barrique Restaurant), at the reception that Consul General Antonio Verde will have at his official residence. With the support of MIPAAF, ICE Agency and Consorzio del Grana Padano.

November 19, 2016 (Italian Cultural Institute, Los Angeles). A presentation on “Eating Healthy & Italian Series: Italian Gluten-Free”. Panel on gluten-free diet with nutrition experts and managers of CaliFoodItalia, organized by IIC and Lingua Viva.

November 21 and 23, 2016 (Leaps’Boundz Foundation, Los Angeles). Cooking classes for children run by celebrity chef Gino Campagna. Organized by IIC and Piccolo Chef Foundation.

* Event by invitation only

 

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