15-03-2016
Group photo with chefs and institutional representatives after signing the Protocollo per la cucina italiana. In the first row, Fulvio Pierangelini, Vincenzo De Luca (general director at Promozione del Sistema Paese for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), the president of the Agricultural Commission at the Chamber of Deputies Luca Sani, the undersecretary Ivan Scalfarotto, ministers Paolo Gentiloni and Maurizio Martina, Ice president, Riccardo Monti, and Antonio Santini
When you’re optimistic, you risk appearing naive, which is ultimately a nice way of saying foolish. Still there’s something changing. Not long ago there were doubtful smiles, scornful glances as we were telling the first steps taken by the Forum of Italian cuisine and the Food Act, here and here. This week, the third act took place, one year after the first one. And it gave some concrete results, in black and white: the Protocollo d’Intesa per la Valorizzazione all’Estero della Cucina Italiana di Alta Qualità was presented at Palazzo della Farnesina and signed by ministers Paolo Gentiloni (Foreign Affairs), Maurizio Martina (Agricultural Policies) and Stefania Giannini (Education).
It was a turning point, as Martina himself pointed out when speaking to the many chefs participating in the imposing Room of the International Conferences at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, from Davide Scabin to Carlo Cracco, from Davide Oldani to Giancarlo Perbellini, from Simone Padoan to Renato Bosco, from Cristina Bowerman to Marco Sacco, and then Francesco Apreda, Franco Pepe, Antonio Santini, Cesare Battisti, Pietro Zito, Francesco Salvo, Fulvio Pierangelini, Valeria Piccini, Giulio Terrinoni, Antonia Klugmann, Fabio Pisani, brothers Sandro and Maurizio Serva, Andrea Berton, Sal De Riso, Marco Stabile, Matteo Baronetto, Gianfranco Vissani, Marco Reitano. «I believe it’s the first time in history that the team of Italian cuisine is welcomed in such a way by such an important ministry», pointed out Martina.
Ambassadors from the G20 countries, institutions and cultural and economic organisations participated as well as many of the most acclaimed chefs in Italy and abroad, as we mentioned. Cracco explained: «It’s a beautiful day, today it’s the beginning of an important action to safeguard part of our heritage, through cuisine. We need to keep a team spirit, because united we can win. We have a great potential, as we’re basically starting only now with this kind of actions».
Giancarlo Perbellini, Carlo Cracco, Simone Padoan, Pietro Zito, Marco Reitano, Max Bergami, Paolo Marchi, Antonio Santini
His colleagues were not less so. «Farnesina will coordinate the promotion of fine dining and Italian high quality food and wine products in the world through our widespread diplomatic, consular and cultural network – said Gentiloni – Italian cuisine and our premium food products are an essential part of our culture and speak about Italy and our taste to millions of consumers in the world. Minister Giannini, on a mission to Africa with Mattarella, sent a video-message announcing the allocation of one million euros for 50 scholarships for young chefs under 30: «The activity we launch today reinforces the country’s strategy in the aftermath of Expo».
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journalist born in 1974, for many years he has covered politics, mostly, and food in his free time. Today he does exactly the opposite and this makes him very happy. As soon as he can, he dives into travels and good food. Identità Golose's editor in chief