Conferenze e Fiere

🎂 Casa Optima, Italian group with eight renowned brands in artisan gelato, high-quality pastry, and mixed drinks, partners with Liceo Artistico 'Volta – Fellini' in Riccione for the second biennial artistic contest "Making Life Sweeter Together," after a successful first edition in 2022. CEO Francesco Fattori and other executives launched the contest to Liceo's Graphic Design students on November 14, aiming to modernize the company's "Corporate Image." The winning project will be revealed at Casa Optima's San Clemente headquarters, with cash prizes and potential internships. The award ceremony is set for May 2025 at the Liceo's Auditorium.

🍴 The 27th edition of APCI’s (Associazione Professionale Cuochi Italiani) National Congress was held in Catania, with over 100 chefs from Italy and abroad. They discussed growth in the culinary profession while preserving roots and adapting to sector changes. Sonia Re, APCI's Director General, emphasized the congress's role in sharing and rediscovery. Training sessions with Roberto Carcangiu highlighted the importance of traditions and international dialogue. The event also included an exploration of Sicilian territory, including the Nicosia Winery on Mount Etna, where participants met with Michelin-starred chefs.

🎓 Bottega S.p.A., based in Bibano di Godega, launched "Bottega Academy," a training program offering 80-hour courses plus practical application for groups of 10, who are employed for 6 months with a gross salary of €1,726.52 per month for 14 months. The 2024 initiative targets recent graduates and experienced production line workers to address skill shortages, particularly in bottling line operations. Successful participants may be permanently hired. President Sandro Bottega anticipates extending the program in 2025 to include commercial roles.

🍳 Pascal Bieri (Planted Foods), Carsten Vesper (ProAmpac), and Lilly-Marie Schmidt (RATIONAL) will share insights at the TrendTalk webinar on future food and packaging trends, moderated by Michael Jones of 1473 Media and Stephan Leuschner (RATIONAL). The 90-minute session is scheduled for Tuesday, November 19 at 16:00, in English. Interested parties can register for free at Rational's website.

🎂 Salerno will host "Panettone d'artista" from November 29 to December 1 at the Stazione Marittima, showcasing artisan panettone by southern Italian pastry masters. The event, organized by Roberto Iannelli and Rosario Augusto, includes tastings, enogastronomic insights, and masterclasses. Exclusive networking events and an "Awards Maestri Pasticcieri" ceremony are planned, with a special focus on female pastry chefs. The press conference is set for November 21. Visit www.panettonedartista.com for more details.

🍕 Italy, the world's second-largest olive oil exporter after Spain, saw a 7% increase in export volume and a 61% surge in value during the first seven months of 2024, exceeding 1.9 billion euros. The U.S. is Italy's top customer, accounting for 29% of volume and 31% of revenue. EVOLIO Expo, a new international B2B fair, will be held from January 30 to February 1, 2025, at Fiera del Levante, aiming to foster exchange opportunities for Italian olive companies with key importers. Italy is renowned for high-quality olive oil with over 500 olive genotypes and 42 PDO and 8 PGI extra virgin olive oils.

🍫 Eurochocolate's 30th edition kicked off on November 15 in Perugia's historic center, running until November 24. Choco Lab tastings and activities are available for booking online for 5 euros. International guests from 33 countries celebrate the event. Notably, chef Loretta Fanella, awarded "Best Pastry Chef in Italy", performs a masterclass on November 16. Radio Subasio broadcasts live during the event, weekdays from 13 to 17 and weekends from 15 to 18.

🍰 On November 19, at the Grand Hotel Vesuvio in Naples, "I Dolci delle Feste dei Grandi Interpreti by Mulino Caputo" will showcase an innovative version of la Pastiera, a traditional Neapolitan dessert. Twelve of Italy's most talented pastry chefs, including Luigi Biasetto and Sal De Riso, will present original takes on the classic treat, which historically was linked to January 6 but is now demanded year-round. The new pastiera will be available at participating pastry shops starting November 20.

🍕 Mozzarella di bufala campana Dop is set to be featured in the 2024 edition of the "Settimana della Cucina Italiana nel mondo" from November 16-22. This year's theme is "Mediterranean Diet and Cuisine of Roots: Health and Tradition." The Consorzio di Tutela della mozzarella di bufala campana will attend events in New York on November 21 at the ITA headquarters, with director Pier Maria Saccani speaking. Additionally, mozzarella Dop will be highlighted in Oslo from November 19-21 and in Tbilisi on November 20, where it will exclusively represent Italy in a conference and pizza masterclass.

🍴 At the Teatro Regio di Parma, 23 "Maestri d'Arte e Mestieri" in agrarian arts, taste, and hospitality were celebrated, organized by ALMA during its 20th anniversary. The MAM award, initiated in 2016, had 40 Maestri in Venice on September 29 for Decorative Arts and 23 in Parma for gastronomy. The new masters are from production (8 awarded), transformation (9 awarded), and restoration (5 awarded). ALMA, since 2004, has grown to 889 students, with 186 international, offering over 20 courses. Over 14,484 graduates from 80 nations have emerged from ALMA's 5,200 square meters facility with a library of over 15,000 volumes. Post-COVID, student employment before course completion skyrocketed to 81% in 2023 from 30.5% in 2019, with 95% employed within 6 months after graduation.