The tenth edition of Italian Cuisine Week in the World, the longest-running initiative of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) promoting Italy’s gastronomic heritage, officially opened in Los Angeles. The 2025 edition began with a special evening organised by MAECI in collaboration with GialloZafferano, Italy’s leading food media brand and global ambassador of Italian cuisine.
A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TO PROMOTE MADE IN ITALY
Italian Cuisine Week in the World continues to play a key role as a reference point for Italy’s cultural and economic diplomacy, contributing to the promotion of Made in Italy in the agri-food sector.
Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, commented: “We work to protect and promote Italian cuisine worldwide, starting from the production chain, through the International Export Plan, the task force on tariffs, and combating Italian sounding. We also highlight Italian excellence and foster a healthy food culture, based on innovation, tradition, and sustainability. Through hundreds of initiatives by our Embassies, Consulates, and Italian Cultural Institutes, we promote the excellence of Italian agri-food products every day and share the authenticity and values of our cuisine across the globe”.
The partnership with GialloZafferano, one of the most-followed food media brands worldwide with production hubs in Milan and New York, is a strategic step to amplify the reach and values of Italian cuisine globally.
The collaboration aims to present a modern vision of Italian gastronomy: creative, sustainable, health-conscious, and combining tradition with innovation while celebrating the culture of food and the warmth of Italian hospitality.
Antonio Porro, Chief Executive Officer of the Mondadori Group, said: “It is an honour to contribute, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to promoting Italian culture and cuisine worldwide. Through GialloZafferano, we can share Italy’s taste and creativity with a global community of over 70 million followers, engaging audiences across all generations. Bringing our chefs and creators to the world allows us to share stories and flavours that combine tradition and innovation, celebrating Italian culinary culture and conviviality”.
The opening dinner, A journey through Piedmont, was held on Monday, 17 November at the Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles under the auspices of the Italian Consulate General. The evening featured Aurora Cavallo – Cooker Girl, GialloZafferano US Ambassador and co-founder of Zenzero Talent Agency. Chef Cavallo presented contemporary interpretations of iconic Piedmontese dishes, showcasing local excellence in a gastronomic narrative that blends creativity, sustainability, and Italian identity.
The Los Angeles event was the first in a series of international initiatives by MAECI celebrating Italian cuisine through the talents of GialloZafferano. The initiative embodies the shared mission of the Ministry and the brand: using cuisine as a vehicle for cultural exchange and promoting a strategic asset for international exports.
Further events will take place between the end of 2025 and 2026 across four continents: On 20 November in Luxembourg City, Azzurra Gasperini – Azzuchef will present A journey through Sicily – Flavours and stories on the tracks of Andrea Camilleri, a gastronomic itinerary inspired by Sicilian tradition. On 28 November in Nairobi (Kenya), Lulù Gargari, Ambassador and resident chef of GialloZafferano, will offer a plant-based menu combining Italian inspiration with local ingredients, creating a dialogue between cultures and flavours.
In 2026, an event is planned at the Italian Embassy in Singapore, aimed at supporting and promoting Italian gastronomy in Southeast Asia.
EVENTS AND VIDEO RECIPED: THE TASTE OF ITALIAN WELLBEING
Live events are complemented by the digital project The taste of Italian wellbeing: three Italian menus, developed by MAECI in collaboration with GialloZafferano.
The project features ten video recipes by GialloZafferano chefs, made available to Italy’s diplomatic and consular network worldwide. The videos highlight the nutritional and functional properties of Italian ingredients, promoting a healthy, sustainable, and balanced food culture.
By disseminating these initiatives through Embassies, Consulates, and Italian Cultural Institutes, the project aims to promote the Mediterranean diet and Italian cuisine as a model of wellbeing, flavour, and tradition.
