Chefs, ambassadors of the Expo

Ugo Alciati milk, Enrico Bartolini aubergine, Cesare Battisti rice, Ernst Knam cocoa, Davide Oldani saffron. And then, Moreno Cedroni and extra virgin olive oil, Carlo Cracco and eggs and Pietro Leemann and buckwheat. Eight chefs, ambassadors of Expo Milano 2015, eight ingredients that compose the ideal menu of the World Fair in Milan, the ribbon cutting ceremony set on May 1st 2015.

The presentation took place at lunchtime, inside the Expo Gate, the construction in front of the Sforza Castle, directed by Paolo Marchi, creator and curator of Identità Golose and Giacomo Biraghi, digital pr manager for Expo Milano. Each of the magnificent chefs tried to give their take on the concept of “Feeding the Planet. Energy for Life” and the result is condensed in five online-video-interviews (in Italian and English) which as of today are in the Ambassador section of the Expo 2015 website.

The project was conceived thanks to a partnership between IG and Expo 2015 Spa, during the theme-lunches for the European Semester, a series of secret dinners that during the past months involved, among others, even Federica Mogherini, who since November 1st is the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Public Security.

The project aims at the creation of an international network of opinion leaders who will be willing to convey the values that are connected with the theme of the World Fair. Today, there are over 70 Ambassadors: since last April, dozens of men and women, writers, sportspeople, actors, architects, designers, chefs, musicians, singers, directors joined. They all have in common the desire to put themselves on the line in order to launch their point of view. «I’m happy and it was about time», explained Marchi himself «that chefs have been involved for the first time in an important institutional project».

And what do the chefs say? Oldani: «I was very keen on interpreting Milan with rice. First Moratti and then Pisapia welcomed my idea. Today, however, I’m here for saffron, produced close by, in Varedo, by excellent producers. It’s my way to say thank you to the city, to the earth and to the farmers working here». Bartolini: «I chose aubergines because I like to challenge myself with an ingredient that not everyone likes. From Sicily I can source some good aubergines almost all year round. Aubergine parmigiana is a masterpiece».

Alciati: «For me it is milk, because it is the food that gives life. We have always worked with respect for small producers, in this case those of the Piedmontese Cattle from alpine pastures, a very precious Slow Food presidium. We make a fiordilatte with 78% milk, creamed on the spot. As chefs, we need to instil confidence in heroic producers». Battisti: «Rice, for me, was a natural choice. It coincides with my identity and is a way of giving voice to producers, in particular those of carnaroli rice from Principe. It is one of the ingredients that are essential, around the world, for the survival of human beings. Wars were fought because of rice. In India, thousands of people committed suicide because they were no longer allowed to cultivate basmati».

German Ernst Knam, in Italy since 25 years ago: «When they asked me to become an ambassador I accepted with great enthusiasm. We have a great problem with chocolate: farmers are paid very little. And cocoa risks extinction because the demand always exceeds the offer. This is why I wanted to create Cioccolatino Expo, with saffron from a small producer in L’Aquila».