The Italian Trade Agency will support Italian producers to celebrate the finest Italian ingredients and authentic cuisine
Dubai, UAE, Dubai, 10 October 2018: The Italian Trade Agency (ITA), together with the Embassy of Italy to the UAE and the Consulate General of Italy in Dubai, is getting ready to celebrate Italy’s best ingredients, producers, authentic Italian cuisine and traditions in the Week of the Italian Cuisine in the World, which returns to the UAE for the third year in a row.
A number of events and activities will be hosted during this extended celebration starting on 25 October lasting for one month until 25 November, to profile the growing number of Italian producers successfully exporting their authentic Italian ingredients to the UAE.
Gianpaolo Bruno, Italian Trade Commissioner to the UAE, Oman and Pakistan said, “Food is one of Italy’s most renowned and loved icons and Italian producers exported over 300 million euros worth of items to the UAE in 2017. With over 300 Italian restaurants in Dubai alone, Italian cuisine is hugely popular with residents and visitors of the UAE.”
HE Liborio Stellino, Ambassador of Italy to the UAE said, “This week is about celebrating the best from Italy and we want to educate consumers so they can identify high-quality, authentic Italian ingredients when they are shopping and dining out. We are working with internationally-recognised producers, the most talented resident and visiting Italian chefs and restaurants across the Emirates to fuel the passion for fantastic Italian cuisine.”
World Pasta Day 2018: 25 October
Officially kicking off the celebrations will be the global event World Pasta Day, which will be celebrating its 20th anniversary event in Dubai for the first time. Organised by IPO, (the International Pasta Organisation), AIDEPI (Italian Association of Confectionery and Pasta Industries) and supported by the ITA and in collaboration with ICCA (the International Center of Culinary Arts Dubai), the day will centre around one of the world’s most iconic and healthy food ingredients – pasta.
Following the first World Pasta Day held in Naples in 1998 to Sao Paolo in 2017, this year the vibrant city of Dubai will host a full day debate with experts including nutritionists, dieticians, scientists, prominent individuals in the industry, Chef Mohamed Orfali and some of the most internationally-renowned Italian chefs. The day will celebrate and promote the quality, nutritious ingredient that is a staple of a healthy Mediterranean diet to a global audience.
The World Pasta Day will continue its celebrations with the Pasta Week at Italian Restaurants: 25 October to 1 November
To help support the growing Italian pasta brands exporting to the UAE’s robust F&B industry, 15 selected Italian restaurants in Dubai will be offering a special menu of pasta dishes to customers who will also receive a complimentary pasta sample to cook at home, provided by selected Italian producers associated to AIDEPI.
The Specialty Food Festival 2018: 30 October to 1 November
Thirty-five companies offering the tastiest, luxury Italian ingredients from pasta, sauces and olive oil to cheese, sweets and coffee, will be available during the ninth edition of The Specialty Food Festival. The Italian Trade Agency pavilion will offer visitors a number of authentic Italian food experiences to explore in three dedicated zones:
- The Food Lab: Italian chefs will be stirring, whipping and blending the finest Italian ingredients into delicious samples in a custom-made demonstration kitchen. The Food Lab will host cooking shows every day with resident and visiting chefs performing culinary demonstrations showing visitors how they too can create famous Italian dishes.
- Breakfast Made in Italy: Offering simple, healthy and delicious ingredients, the Breakfast Made in Italy zone will promote the culture, ingredients, appliances and suppliers associated with a traditional Italian breakfast.
- Meet the exhibitors: The Italian Trade Agency Pavilion, located at stand C 26 in Hall 3 of the Dubai World Trade Center, will host 35 Italian exhibitors during The Specialty Food Festival.
A visiting business delegation to the UAE from the renowned Emilia Romagna region of Italy
A high-level delegation from the Emilia Romagna region will be visiting the UAE led by the Minister of Economic Development, Mrs. Palma Costi and the Minister of the Agriculture Mrs. Simona Caselli. The delegation will explore business opportunities in the UAE and promote Emilia Romagna’s typical products, technical and industrial know-how.
A series of cooking shows by Italian Michelin starred chefs visiting Dubai from Italy: 19 to 24 November
On the occasion of the Italian Cuisine Summit, which will take place from 19 to 24 November 2018 will be a comprehensive programme full of events.
Create authentic Italian dishes at home: 19 November to 25 November
In partnership with Lulu Hypermarket, budding chefs and families, will be able to purchase a range of authentic Italian ingredients and a large variety of quality foods including pasta, sauces and olive oil during a promotions week at all hypermarkets across the UAE between 19 November and 25 November.
