“LET’S LAUNCH THE NEW RENAISSANCE IN ITALIAN COOKING”: THE APPEAL MADE BY GUALTIERO MARHCESI DURING THE ALMA VIVA MEETING OF THE “STATES GENERAL” OF ITALIAN COOKING

“Let’s launch the new renaissance in Italian cooking”: this is the proposal made by the grand chef Gualtiero Marchesi at the convention on Italian style in the kitchen during the “Alma Viva” event held recently in Colorno. With him, the most important exponents of Italian cuisine, among whom, the presidents of cooking associations and great restaurateurs with vast working experience abroad.

“Cooking is not a game” – continued Marchesi – “here, we must use its history and history is possible only with culture. We must explain to the cooks of tomorrow that behind every task there must be culture, from the choice of primary materials onwards. Thus, it is necessary to create professionalism; only in this way will an Italian style of quality be born, shared, and sold around the world”.

There were many interventions during this important meeting, located in the prestigious Reggia di Colorno, the head of Alma, the International School of Italian Cooking (run by Gualtiero Marchesi). Also among the most significant, was that of Massimo Bottura, the multi prized chef and owner of the restaurant La Francescana: “enough now with the small talk, we want facts. It is not possible that a restaurant that wants to open an activity abroad does not receive a minimum of support from the competent ministers, we want someone to help speed up the bureaucratic questions. We’re not asking much. Those who do not have the correct competencies should retire”.

The appeal was launched by all of the cooking associations who were represented at the convention by their respective presidents. The Italian institutions, which were represented by Riccardo Deserti from the Ministry of Agriculture and Gianfranco Caprioli from the Ministry of Economic Development, gathered the requests and promised to activate them with more professionalism.

During the convention, headed by journalist Paolo Marchi, a primary lay-out for a constitution of the “Forum of Italian Restaurants” was also begun, and is destined to represent more than 600 restaurants and 1,100 Italian cooks abroad.