It is 10 a.m. on Sunday, and a batch of students from Oman Tourism College are eagerly waiting for their master class with the Michelin Star, Chef Paolo Gramaglia.
The workshop is part of the Italian Cuisine Week that is currently happening across the globe.
Starting from November 8 to 14, 2023, the eighth edition of the Italian Cuisine Week in the World is back under the theme “At the table with Italian cuisine: well-being with taste”.
The initiative, which is endorsed each year by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, aims at promoting the Italian gastronomic culture, emphasizing the regional specialties, the importance of a healthy lifestyle, and paying attention to the environmental dimension of food consumption.
“For me, the Italian week is not just about promoting food, products, and the kitchen; it is about exchanging knowledge between the chefs where there is something to learn and to see how fulfilling a career can be in the sector,” said the Italian Ambassador to Oman, Pierluigi D’Elia.
Michelin-starred chef Paolo Gramaglia, the founder of “President” restaurant in Pompeii, Italy, is in Muscat for a short visit as part of the event and participated in a special evening at the Italian Residence, indulging the guests with delicious Italian recipes and live cooking.
On Sunday, he was with the students and began by saying, “I enjoy every day because I don’t forget that I am a student and that I will always have a chance to grow and have success. Don’t forget, we are all students.”
He set the mood of an interactive classroom and divided the students into three groups.
He then explained, “If you are expecting a classic class, sorry, you’re not getting it. If you were expecting to be at your station then the answer is no it is not going to be so. You will be experiencing the Michelin-starred kitchen. It will be part of your experience.
“My intention is to create some scholarships to have a gastronomic voyage. You can always travel even if you are studying,” he said excitedly.
Once in the kitchen, he pointed out about working in groups, and looking at the ingredients, he explained, “Potatoes are common because they are found in every country. Today we will also have local Omani fish. But in the end, the pasta will have an Italian taste. He explained the distinct taste due to the freshness of raw tomatoes.”
Then they began, and the training kitchen at the Oman Tourism College transformed into a Michelin-starred kitchen, and they prepared mixed pasta cooked in seven shellfish essences with squid and potatoes—"pasta a...mare."
The students also had their assessments done. He urged the students to keep at it and share what they make so he could follow up.
During the week, many initiatives will provide the opportunity to the public to taste the best of the Italian culinary tradition.
As the Embassy of Italy in Muscat also focuses on education, the masterclass will be presented by Chef Gramaglia at Oman Tourism College, highlighting the importance of having a healthy lifestyle through the rich ingredients found in the Mediterranean diet. The Embassy of Italy in Muscat also aims to promote exchanges with young Omani chefs.
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