The “Week of Italian Cuisine in the World” was celebrated across East China in the cities of Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou and Ningbo. The Consulate General of Italy in Shanghai coordinated a very rich programme of events in conjunction with Italian institutions and Italian and Chinese food and tourism operators.
“La Vigna di Leonardo” was one of the most important events that the Consulate General organized in Shanghai. It was the first time that it was presented abroad. Experts and academicians such as Prof. Roberto Miravalle (University of Milan) and Dr. Jacopo Ghilardotti (Vigna di Leonardo in Milan) illustrated the history of Leonardo’s vineyard, which the Portaluppi Foundation and the current owners of Atellani House brought back to life during Milan Expo 2015. The scientific work behind such an extraordinary investigation was also discussed.
The programme also included several dinners with the participation of Italian chefs, and particularly outstanding was the gala dinner held in Nanjing which was attended by 400 guests. Four Italian chefs, three of whom came from Italy especially for the occasion, decided the menu: Michelin star-winning chefs Giuseppe Aversa and Danilo Di Vuolo, Chef Enrico Cosentino (creator of the ‘scialatielli’, a fresh pasta originating from the city of Amalfi), and the Executive Chef of the Jinling Hotel, Antonino Scordo.
Among the thematic dinners on the agenda, “Tales of the Hills,” which was organized in Ningbo by the Italian Union for Economic and Cultural Development in East China (UISEC), was particularly successful. The event provided an opportunity to promote the Langhe area (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and its products.
Numerous other events confirmed the interest that the Italian culinary tradition never fails to raise in the East. An interest that was further supported by educational and informative initiatives designed to strengthen the awareness of the impact of food on health and the need to promote a sustainable food supply chain. Among them, mention should be made of the seminar entitled “Quality and Sustainability in Agriculture and Food Industry” organised by the Shanghai offices of the Italian Trade Agency – ICE for the China International Import Expo (CIIE) .
Optimizing synergies with this and other annual events, like the so-called “Creatività Italiana AllAround” (“Italian Creativity AllAround”), was precisely the most interesting aspect of this year’s coordination by the Consulate General, which made it possible to promote Italian food and wine in an integrated manner together with design, science, culture, sports and the Italian regions.
