A rich programme of gastronomic and cultural events will mark the 2019 Italian Cuisine Week in the World across the Netherlands. The programme is promoted by the Italian Embassy in The Hague in partnership with the Italian business community in the Country, restaurants, the Chamber of Commerce and the Italian Cultural Institute, along with international organisations and European agencies based in the Netherlands. The programme is designed to further boost the presence of Italian agri-food products in the Country.
“The Italian Cuisine Week in the World is a key event on the Embassy’s agenda. This year as well we chose to focus on working with European agencies and international organisations based in the Netherlands. We were able to win the support of a large number of Italian professionals based here in order to develop cultural and culinary initiatives to the benefit of the Dutch and international communities working in the Country. Our nationals living abroad are the first ambassadors of Italian cuisine and culture,”said the Italian Ambassador to the Netherlands, Andrea Perugini.
The programme will include a chamber music concert and a reception for the diplomatic corps at the Residence of the Italian Ambassador which will be based on Italy’s culinary and agri-food products of excellence.
Futhermore, at Europol, Chef Roberto Ilari will craft a sophisticated Italian menu to be served at the Agency’s canteen for three consecutive days (more than 650 meals per day). In conjuction with the event, Europol will host a concert of the young Apulian talent, pianist Daklen Difato, followed by a tasting of Italian products. The Embassy also organised, in conjuction with ESA-Estec, a concert of the Philia Duo (violin and cello) for the employees, to be followed by a food tasting session and a charity cooking competition among six European Ambassadors.
The Dutch Chapter of the Italian Chefs’ Federation will prepare a tasting menu at the venue of one of the major Dutch importers of Italian products, owner of the food retailers chain “Hanos”.
Chef Franco Giulio, who will come from Sicily, will be the guest chef for the entire week at the Hague’s Crown Plaza Hotel and will create a customised lunch at the prestigious Restaurant Des Juges, located in the International Court of Justice. His creation will complete the initiative promoted by the Italian Embassy in conjuction with the Chamber of Commerce to offer special menus in sixteen other restaurants spread out across the country’s large cities.
The programme will also feature other cultural, educational and culinary events dedicated to three Italian small towns (Oratino, Santa Severina and Vallo di Nera, in the Regions of Molise, Calabria and Umbria, respectively), which the Italian Cultural Institute organised. They are meant to combine culture, tourism and gastronomy. The Chamber of Commerce will also promote several gastronomic and business events, above all in Amsterdam (two of these events will see the participation of the Chamber of Commerce of Pavia and Unioncamere Calabria). Other events will take place in Eindhoven (with more than 60 Italian firms participating), but all of them will make the programme of the Italian Cuisine Week in the World also an opportunity for a truly integrated promotion of Italy in the Netherlands.
