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THE fabulous flavours of Italy will once again be spreading across the kingdom with a hypermarket group in Bahrain staging a special celebratory festival to ensure customers can enjoy a full experience of the country’s popular products.
The Extraordinary Italian Taste gastronomic festival of cheeses, olive oil, pasta and desserts opened on Monday evening at Lulu’s Hidd store, inaugurated by Italian ambassador Domenico Bellato.
“I’m very excited to be celebrating a special week of Italian cuisine here in Bahrain with culinary and cultural events, and I look forward to welcoming everyone along,” he told GulfWeekly.
“Ahead of these events we had an extraordinary and powerful proof of the special bond between Italy and Bahrain, thanks to the stunning displays of our Air Force Aerobatic Team at the Bahrain International Air Show. Now it’s the turn of food and culture!”
Lulu hypermarkets, supermarkets and stores across the kingdom will all be participating in the Italian adventure with cooking demonstrations and competitions too until Sunday and, elsewhere on the island, there will be movie and musical events until next Wednesday, plus a visit from a celebrity chef.
The embassy says the European country’s culinary tradition is a ‘distinctive character of Italian culture and identity’ which is widely appreciated throughout the world.
“In Bahrain there are many Italian restaurants and people are well aware of the unique quality of our culinary delicacies,” a spokesman added. “The Week of Italian Cuisine aims at promoting the ‘Made in Italy’ agricultural and food industry, as well as enhancing the Mediterranean Diet, one of the elements that makes Italy the healthiest country in the world.
“Our aim is also to spread the concepts of improving product quality, promoting environmental sustainability, reducing food wastage and advocating a balanced diet.”
The embassy, in cooperation with the Capital Club Bahrain, will be hosting Italian Michelin-starred Chef Valentino Palmisano, who will presenting his signature menu tomorrow with a lunch followed by a charity dinner to support the Autism Society and Bahrain 4 All.
Listed among the top 10 best Italian chefs abroad by Arbiter magazine, Chef Palmisano became one of the greatest interpreters of Italian cuisine in Asia, authentic, creative and at the same time tradition-bound. Trained in the school of Alfonso Laccarino, Bruno Barbieri, Pino Lavarra and Oliver Glowig, he has worked with professionals such as Riccardo La Perna, Massimo Bottura, Domenico Lavarone and Gaetano Trovato, devising a programme of gourmet events of international appeal called Dining with Valentino. In November 2017 the chef received a Michelin star at the Vespasia Restaurant.
A second dinner will also be held on Friday and Chef Palmisano will be judging a cooking contest by the students of the Bahrain Institute of Hospitality and Retail, hosted by the Capital Club. The winner will be awarded a week of training in Italy, offered by the Culinary Academy IFSE (Italian food style education). The events have also received support from Fine Foods Bahrain.
Lulu’s special promotion week on Italian food products includes cooking demonstrations by three Bahrain-based Italian food experts, Michela, Martina and Daniela who developed a fusion of Bahraini spices and Italian ingredients under the brand name Cacio & Pepe (Cheese & Pepper). Chef Palmisano has added his support. A cooking competition will also be staged on Friday at the Hidd store with a meet and greet with the star.
Monday’s inauguration event, showcased top Italian products, food preparation as well as a glimpse of Italian culture, engineering and style. “It is well-known that Italian food is among the most popular in the world and Lulu Hypermarket has always brought the finest Italian products to customers here – cheeses, olive oil, herbs and a range of pasta, Italian rice and halal meats. We are delighted to showcase these with special promotions during Italian Week,” said Juzer Rupawala, director of Lulu International Group.
Along with cuisine many other aspects of Italian culture are being celebrated. On Sunday, in cooperation with the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, the Nino Rota Ensemble, an all-women group composed of musicians united by the same passion for music and cinema, performed celebrated movie soundtracks. The free-admission concert was held at the Cultural Hall in Manama.
Today, Italian cinema will be again under the spotlights with the screening of the iconic Federico Fellini’s movie La Dolce Vita. The event falls within the Black & White Movie Festival organised and hosted at The 7th Wave Performing Arts School in Saar.
