On the occasion of the eighth edition of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World, the Italian Embassy in Canada organized on November 15 at the Rideau Club, a historic and prestigious venue in the Canadian capital, a dinner conceived and prepared by Michelin-starred chef – also awarded a Michelin “green star” for sustainable cuisine – and “Ambassador of Taste” Stefano Masanti. The dinner was attended by around 50 high-profile guests from Canada’s political, business, cultural, and media circles, including Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Peter Boehm, Federal Police Chief Michael Duheme, and the Business Council’s historic founder, of Italian descent, Tom d’Aquino. The menu focused on modern reinterpretations of some traditional Italian dishes, with products related to the Mediterranean diet, accompanied by quality Italian wines. Chef Masanti personally presented the various dishes, finishing some of them directly in the dining room in a special showcooking moment much appreciated by the guests.
On Nov. 16, the Embassy of Italy in Ottawa organized in the same location and in partnership with the Rideau Club the event “A Taste of Italy” dedicated to the theme “Mediterranean diet, health and well-being,” the focus of the 2023 edition of Italian Cuisine Week in the World. The event was attended by more than 150 guests, including the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, David Morrison, the Deputy Minister of Justice, Michael Sousa, and several Professors from the Department of Nutrition at the University of Ottawa. The event was opened by two speeches by Professors from Carleton University and the University of Ottawa, one historical and archaeological on the evolution of the eating habits of the Etruscans and Romans to the present day and one scientific and medical on the beneficial characteristics of some typical foods of the Mediterranean diet for health and the immune system. This was followed by a showcooking with tasting regarding a traditional Italian culinary dish by Chef Masanti and a reception.
During both events, highly appreciated by all those present, the summary video of the presentation event of the eighth edition of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World at the Farnesina, with the participation of the Vice President of the Council and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Antonio Tajani, and the “Taste of history” episode on the Italian gastronomic heritage taken from the “Benfatto” exhibition were shown. A selection of photographs from the “Benfatto” exhibition on Italian craftsmanship was also exhibited, promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in collaboration with Confartigianato, which shows the beauty, creativity, quality and modernity of Italian know-how in the sectors of goldsmithing, furniture, agri-food, fashion and innovation.
The slogan of the 2023 edition of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World, “Wellbeing with taste”, was interpreted to perfection by Chef Masanti and the speakers who took part in the second celebration, who were able to perfectly represent the products of the culinary tradition Italian diet and the Mediterranean diet, notoriously healthy, sustainable and accessible to all, are not only pleasant to the taste but have a beneficial effect on people’s health and well-being. In this regard, in the opening speeches of the two events, the importance of the heritage and tradition of Italian cuisine were highlighted but also the unparalleled expertise, the extraordinary creativity, the exceptional quality and the great Italy’s innovative capacity in this sector.
