Two top Italian chefs arrived in Israel this week for “Italian Culinary Week” that took place around the world aimed at sharing Italy's rich culinary culture. This year, the focus was on promoting the Mediterranean diet and its importance with a specific emphasis on cultural aspects.
The Italian culinary week began three years ago and is held in 105 countries with more than 1,300 events. The culinary week in Israel is the initiative of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with ENIT - the agency that promotes tourism in Italy.
The series of events in Israel opened with a festive gala at the home of Ambassador Gianluigi Benedetti, where Michelin star chef Ciro Scamardella from the Italian restaurant Pipero in Rome prepared a special menu for the ambassador's guests.
Scamardella represents a traditional and innovative kitchen, and he also taught cooking at the Danon Culinary School for the next generation of promising chefs in Israel.
That same evening, another Michelin star chef, the famous Italian chef Giancarlo Morelli, arrived at chef Orel Kimchi's Popina restaurant, and the two cooked a 6-course meal for diners.
A conference was also held on Mediterranean health and nutrition in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and was attended by researchers and experts from Italy who met with their Israeli counterparts. The purpose of the conference was to share research and information on the uniqueness of the Mediterranean diet, due to it being the world's healthiest diet, based on natural materials and tradition.