Italy: Consul General Danilo Guirdanella hosts 6th edition of Italian Cuisine Week in Karachi

Karachi: Consul General of Italy in Karachi Danilo Guirdanella hosted the 6th edition of Italian Cuisine Week from November 25 to 28.

The Consulate of Italy in Karachi organized The HoReCa summit during the Italian Cuisine Week. It show cased food ingredients and samples using Italian goods with the aim of engaging B2B and B2C customers for the hospitality sector.

Danilo Guirdanella, welcomed the audience and spoke about the benefits of Mediterranean diet as a balanced diet model for a healthy lifestyle, as well as, the protection and enhancement of products with a protected and controlled Italian Designation of Origin.

During this week, Italian Foreign Missions abroad collaborated with partners to promote Italian culinary traditions, local sustainable agri-food products and exports by organizing promotional activities like workshops, seminars and tastings.

One of the highlights of the event was the sampling of Italian artisanal cheese by Cheese expert, Antonio Fracciolla, who shared his expertise with artisanal cheese suppliers in the local market.

He also briefed the audience on the history and importance of cheese making in Italian culture, which they take great pride. The cheese samples brought by the Cheese expert from Italy are trademarked under the Protected Designation of Origin (DOP).

Chef Samuele Crestale conducted a live cooking demonstration for the visitors. He cooked PISAREI e FASO’, a classic bean and pasta dish from Emilia Romagna and a decadent semi-frozen dessert called SEMIFREDDO AL FONDENTE.

Blue mountain, Coffees Etc, Kohala, Horeca Systems and Pakeeza Kitchen Equipments. They also displayed recipe creations using the Italian products, while Real Cheese and The Vittles Company were present as local cheese vendors at the event.

The objective of Italian Cuisine week is to promote made in Italy around the world and aims at; the promotion of the Mediterranean Diet as a balanced diet model and as a healthy dietary lifestyle; the fight against the spread of front-pack labeling systems that hinge on nutritional profiles and algorithms, unsupported by solid scientific basis, that point to discriminate against foods by simply qualifying them as “healthy” or “unhealthy”, therefore likely to penalize the Mediterranean Diet and Made in Italy products; the protection and enhancement of products with a protected and controlled denomination, together with actions to combat the phenomenon of Italian sounding; the importance of the connection between biodiversity and food diversity.

Example of virtuous connection between these 2 themes is represented by the UNESCO MAB Reserves (Man and Biodiversity Reserves), places where UNESCO recognizes a relationship virtuous between man and nature, between business, development and growth and respect for biodiversity; promoting and enhancing supply chains abroad local Italian sustainable agri-food, promotion of gastronomic biodiversity, agri-food and local culture.

Danilo Giurdanella thanked all collaborators and sponsors for the entire cuisine week activities, namely Gerry’s Group, Emirates, Avari Towers, Casinetto by ROC, HBL and IDC for their support and collaboration to make the cuisine week a success.