Egypt hosted the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World 2019 from 1 to 7 December. This year’s edition was dedicated to the theme of “Food Education: Culture of Taste” and all the events on the programme were met with great public acclaim. The programme was put together by the Italian Embassy in Cairo with the participation of the Italian Cultural Institute, the Italian Trade Agency-ICE, the Honorary Consulates as well as the local Italian Community.
The events were held in the capital city of Cairo, as well as in the regions of Alexandria, Luxor, Hurghada, and Sharm El-Sheikh. The programme’s main events highlighted the elements that the Italian and Egyptian cuisine have in common and the fact they both belong to the “Mediterranean Diet”, organising special events dedicated to rice and olive oil.
Michelin-star winning Chef Peter Brunel shared the secrets of cooking rice – a typical food of both Italian and Egyptian tradition – with Egyptian and international chefs and rice enthusiasts.
Prof. Stefano Predieri and Roberto Golpe of the National Research Council – CNR, Department of Bio-agrofood Sciences and Biomedical Sciences of Bologna – delivered a lecture entitled “Experimenting with Olive Oil Tasting”. The event aimed at promoting the culture of oil by using an “experimental” method based on the benefits of olive oil and its contribution to the creation of a gustative and culinary balance. The experts of the National Research Council introduced those present to the world of olive oil, taking them on a journey through very specific terms and distinctive properties such as “first cold pressing”, or explaining the meaning of “monocultivar” as well as the relationship between oil’s flavours and biochemical components.
Prof. Bonucci, of ARTOI, a Research Association for Integrated Oncological Treatments, held two seminars highlighting the Mediterranean diet and its benefits for our health. He held an educational seminar at the Italian Cultural Institute and a specialist training workshop at the Umberto I Italian Hospital addressed to 50 Egyptian doctors and researchers. The workshop was an opportunity to illustrate the latest research data on the interaction between diet and oncological therapies, providing important guidelines for a “holistic” care of patients, focusing special attention on all the aspects of life with a view to maximizing the effectiveness of care.
