The Embassy of Italy in Canada, the Consulate General of Italy in Toronto and the Istituto Italiano di Cultura Toronto, in partnership with Eataly Toronto and in collaboration with Accademia Italiana della Cucina, present renowned chef Cesare Battisti of famed restaurant Ratanà (Milan), on the occasion of the 7th edition of Week of the Italian Cuisine in the World.
Sustainability and Innovation
The Ingredients of Italian Cuisine for Personal Health and Planet Earth Conservation
A presentation by
Chef Cesare Battisti
Ratanà (Milan)
Tuesday, November 15 | 6:30PM EST
Istituto Italiano di Cultura
496 Huron St | Toronto ON
FREE EVENT | REGISTRATION REQUIRED
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER ON EVENTBRITE
The Week of the Italian Cuisine in the World will run from November 14 to November 20. It is a yearly initiative developed by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the network of Italian Embassies, Consulates and Italian Cultural Institutes worldwide to promote Italian culinary traditions and food-and-wine connoisseurship as a distinctive trait of Italian identity and culture.
On the occasion of this 7th edition of the Week of the Italian Cuisine in the World, the Istituto Italiano di Cultura Toronto, in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy in Canada, the Consulate General of Italy in Toronto and Eataly Toronto, presents a talk with renowned Italian chef Cesare Battisti of Michelin-recommended Ristorante Ratanà (Milan).
In accordance with the theme of this year’s edition, Chef Battisti will talk about Sustainability & Innovation: The Ingredients of Italian Cuisine as a Key to Personal Health and Planet Earth Conservation. What are the principles of sustainable cuisine? Why is the Mediterranean diet considered one of the healthiest on the planet? But also, what are the latest trends in Italian contemporary cuisine? These and other key culinary and gastronomical concepts will be explored by Chef Battisti in conversation with the public. The talk will be moderated by the Director of the Istituto, Veronica Manson.
ABOUT CHEF CESARE BATTISTI
CESARE BATTISTI hails from a Milanese family of many generations. After a long period working throughout Europe, Cesare returned home to Milan where he gained valuable experience working at some of the city’s most acclaimed traditional Milanese restaurants.
In September 2009, Cesare opened Ratanà Restaurant, which he manages with his partner in life and sommelier Federica Fabi. The restaurant is housed in a historical building dating back to the 1800s and is located among the futuristic constructions of the Garibaldi and Porta Nuova districts.
Cesare’s cooking is driven by a strong desire to modernize traditional Milanese cooking, as he remembers it from childhood.
The philosophy that underpins Cesare’s cooking can be summarised in a few brief but precise points: emphasis on the absolute quality of produce, selected through many years of research and long-standing collaborations with farmers, artisan producers and fishermen; fewer ingredients, cleaner flavours and particular attention to the execution of dishes; the utmost respect for the quality and seasonality of produce as well as its sustainability and that of the producer.
Cesare, by nature reserved, is a passionate and engaging conversationalist if the topic is right, clearly on matters of food or that of his other great passion, fly fishing, which he practices with the catch and release method.
Cesare’s tireless and ongoing endeavour to value quality as well as the territorial character of cooking resulted in him being chosen as one of the signees of the “protocol for the valuing of quality Italian food abroad” in march 2016, a first plan of action born of the (Italian ) Food Act.
Since October 2016, he has been general secretary and member of the board of directors of “Ambasciatori del Gusto, “a non-profit organization born from the objective of representing and valuing Italy’s gastronomic identity throughout the world, encouraging relations and exchanges between food professionals in Italy and abroad, divulging a respect for food and the need to avoid waste as well as promoting environmental sustainability.
