Press Conference True Italian Taste 2020

On June 1, ICHAM in collaboration with the Italian Embassy in Vietnam held a press conference introducing the program “True Italian Taste”, with the attendance of ICHAM Chairman Michele D’Ercole, Italian Ambassador H.E Antonio Alessandro, and Brand Ambassador of True Italian Taste – former Miss Vietnam Ngoc Han. True Italian Taste is a national culinary promotion project that has been operating in 40 countries and territories since 2018. In line with four main activities of the project during the year in Vietnam, the True Italian Taste provided food-bloggers and food-lovers who are avid of Italian cuisine with the huge knowledge about the world of the famous Italian pasta. Through the event, food importers and distributors, hotels, restaurants & catering businesses (Horeca) and customers learned to distinguish between an authentic and an Italian - like dish of pasta. “Customers could make a more reasonable choice and use authentic Italian product instead of falling into the “Italian sounding” trap - a method in which foreign producers take advantage of the Italian-like phrases to name the brand, causing confusion among consumers about its origin and hence, increase the product sales,” said Pham Hoang Hai, Executive Director of ICHAM. Italian Ambassador to Vietnam HE. Antonio Alessandro shared about the origin of pasta: “Being an Italian traditional cuisine, pasta has been enjoyed by all food lovers around the world, and become the world’s most favorite food (according to Oxfam’s survey). However, legitimate sources of information could not always reach the customers.” In the first four months of 2020, Vietnam’s export turnover to Italy reached US$914.4 million while imports reached US$505 million, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs. In 2019, trade turnover between Italy and Vietnam totaled US$5.34 billion, of which export turnover to Italy stood at US$3.44 billion and import turnover was US$1.9 billion.

On June 03, 2020, import-exporters and gourmets gathered together in the event “True Italian Taste - Pasta Master Class” at Caravelle Hotel in Ho Chi Minh city. This special event was hosted by ICHAM with collaboration from the Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh city. As the first event of the 2020 True Italian Taste Project in Vietnam, the content received much love and appreciation from its guests. The event started with Mr. Michele D’Ercole - ICHAM Chairman speech as he introduced the 2020 True Italian Taste. The True Italian Taste project is promoted and financed by the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and implemented by Assocamerestero, in collaboration with the Italian Chambers of Commerce abroad, to enhance and safeguard the authentic Italian agri-food product. True Italian Taste, which is part of the “The Extraordinary Italian Taste” program, aims to increase the conscious consumption of the 100% made in Italy agri-food

products by spreading a greater knowledge of the specific characteristics of typicality, with respect to both places of origin, nutritional aspects and PDO-PGI certifications. To date, the project involves 36 Italian Chambers of Commerce abroad in 23 countries in America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Looking back at the previous years, the project had achieved considerable figures. The 2016-2018 period witnessed 10 incoming buyers, 45

Masterclasses, 5 educational tours and 162 events abroad. As for the period of 2019-2020, this Pasta event is one of 53 Masterclasses along with 31 Authentic Italian Table and 50 event abroads. To provide guests with an applicable tool in identifying authentic Italian products, HE. Dante Brandi presented about geographical indications in Italy. Geographical In

dication is a distinctive sign used to identify a product as originating in the territory of a particular country, region or locality where its quality, reputation or other characteristic is linked to its geographical origin. On average, products with Geographical indications in the EU are sold at a price of 2.23 times higher than similar non GI products. In the EU, geographical indications include Protected Geographical Indications (PGIs or IGPs in Italy), Protected Designation of Origin (PDOs - DOPs) and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSGs - STGs). Within the EU, Italy has the highest number of GI products and, undoubtedly, pasta is one of those. Famous for its delicate taste and special origin, Italian pasta witnessed a 50% increase in worldwide export with 10% companies’ turnover invested in research on ingredients. Each year, Italy produced 3.3 million tons of pasta in which 2.2 million tons was exported and all contributed to a whopping €4.7 billion of turnover. Representing the 3 chefs in the event, Executive Chef of

Caravelle Saigon - Mr. Ivan Barone talked about the history of authentic Italian pasta and its distinctive features. For each region, Italian have their own version of pasta as to how to prepare, how to combine with different sauces,… creating a rich and diverse culture of pasta in Italy. The world of pasta is divided into 3 types: long pasta, short pasta and filled pasta.

The ingredients that make up pasta also contribute to various flavours; the two parties of pasta are dry pasta and fresh pasta with almost contradictory features. On the other hand, it is worth noting that there are a few methods used to ration the adequate proportion of pasta such as tennis ball size, ⅓ fist rule, etc. T he event came to an end with a cooking show where the 3 chefs had a chance to display the Italian practice in preparing their homeland’s signature dishes.