The Italian Trade Agency in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy in the UAE and Italian Consulate General in Dubai is delighted to continue its partnership with Eataly by hosting a special cooking class dedicated to authentic Italian food culture. Running as part of a year-long collaboration between the three entities, the upcoming event will be held at the recently opened La Scola cooking school at Eataly in Dubai Mall. Filled with fabulous tasting experiences and interesting insights into the diverse nature of Italian cuisine, it promises to further the programme’s goal of promoting Italian cuisine and culture throughout the UAE.
Taking place on Sunday, November 21, this celebration of traditional and authentic Italian food will focus on the iconic dish Ravioli Pummarola and Burrata.
The class will start with a tour and tasting journey around the Eataly food hall’s vast array of products and dishes. From here, guests will head to the state-of-the-art cooking area at La Scuola where they will watch the expert chefs demonstrate how to make the delicious and vibrant dish Ravioli Pummarola and Burrata.
After this, all the attendees will have the chance to ask any questions they might have about the techniques or ingredients used, before sitting down to enjoy some traditional Italian aperitivo. Designed to highlight that good food has the power to bring people together and also the magic of Italy’s colourful cuisine and world-renowned beverages, the event will also be broadcast on Eataly’s Instagram page.
This latest activation is timed to coincide with The Week of Italian Cuisine in the World, organised by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The global week-long event sees classes, talks and various educational experiences take place across the world, with each designed to allow international food connoisseurs to explore the true nature of authentic Italian food and wine. Here in the UAE, the masterclass is one such activities organised by the Embassy of Italy in the UAE and Italian Consulate General and Italian Trade Agency in Dubai.
Italy is now the sixth largest international food supplier and the Italian agribusiness is the third most valuable national sector. Renowned for its sustainable, traceable and responsible models of consumption and production, the Italian food cultivation industry employs 1.4 million people. Indeed, Italy has largest number of certifications of origin of agri-food products in the EU. Italy’s top exported products are olive oil, coffee, pistachios, cheese, wine, pasta, processed vegetables, fish and meat, while other popular items include free-from products, coffee, juices and dairy products, chocolates, sauces and more.
The partnership between Italian Trade Agency and Eataly was launched in January 2021, on the day of Eataly’s 14th anniversary. It was marked by live shows at Eataly stores in Dubai, NYC, Los Angeles, Toronto, Munich and Stockholm.
H.E. Nicola Lener, Ambassador of Italy to the United Arab Emirates, said: “We are now part way through our year-long partnership with the Italian Trade Agency and Eataly, and we’re thrilled to say that it has so far been a tremendous success. Italy is known across the globe for its unique and top-quality products, and I’m also delighted to see that the Mediterranean diet is also becoming more widely recognised for its health benefits.
“Italy has one of the most dynamic and advanced food and beverage industries in the
world. This is thanks to our long-standing tradition in production, as well as our focus on cutting-edge technologies in traceability of products, sustainable manufacturing and environmental protection. In fact, I’m proud to say that Italy is now home to 60,000 organic farms.
“This immersive cooking experience provides a unique perspective on the extraordinary past, present, and future of Italian cuisine, and I’m sure that all the participants will enjoy making the featured dishes at home afterwards.”
Amedeo Scarpa, Italian Trade Commissioner and Director of the Italian Trade Agency – UAE, said: “Italian products and ingredients are synonymous with authenticity, tradition and freshness.
“The UAE imported an amazing 190 million Euros worth of Italian F&B products in 2020. Then, in the first seven months of 2021, we recorded an increase of 27.7% (130 million euro in value) of F&B exports to the UAE compared to 2021 and by +4,3% compared to pre-pandemic 2019.
The nation boasts the best Italian eateries and fine dining options outside of Italy. Italian food producers benefit hugely from the UAE’s strong tourism, hotel and restaurant industries and their desire for using authentic Italian ingredients. The interest in Italian products across the world has resulted in the Italian government increasing export targets to an unprecedented Euro 50 billion in 2021, and I expect a large proportion of this will come as a result of the strong trade relationship that Italy has with the UAE.”
“We believe that Italian food has an amazing ability to bring people together and foster new connections, and we want to continue to spread this message throughout the region.”
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