The Italian Ambassador Paolo Cuculi and Madame Ambassador Oriana Mannaioli Cuculi hosted the reception at the Pretoria Residence on the occasion of the 7th edition of the Week of the Italian Cuisine in the World, in the presence of representatives of the diplomatic corps, the former Premier of Gauteng, David Makura, together with Chef Lorenzo Cantoni from the restaurant “Il Frantoio” (Assisi) and the nutritionist Marina Carcea from Crea (Council for research in agriculture and the analysis of agricultural economics). Member of the Ambasssador of Taste Association and awarded in 2021 as best chef AIRO (International Association of Olive Oli Restaurants), Cantoni and his assistant chef, Matteo Angelini, proposed a typical cuisine, revisited in a modern key, aimed at enhancing the genuineness of local products and in particular the olive oil. Among the chef’s most iconic dishes, protagonists of the evening: the “ethical” foie gras; carnaroli risotto, duck in cooking oil and grappa; mezze Maniche with cheese, cod fillets, pink pepper and lime powder and extra virgin olive oil.
In line with the theme chosen for this edition of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World (“Conviviality, Sustainability, and Innovation: the ingredients of Italian cuisine for people’s health and the protection of the planet”), the event placed the accent on the values of conviviality, the healthy and sustainable Italian diet, on the centrality of local products, also in terms of tourism attraction, and on the traditional and innovative skills that make Italian craftsmanship an example for the world. In this regard, the nutritionist Marina Carcea carried out interventions aimed at enhancing the values of wholesomeness and a healthy lifestyle that are at the basis of the Mediterranean diet, underlining the importance of a system based on correct and extensive information for consumers.
