Tradition and innovation for future sustainable food and nutrition
Lecture by Prof. Carlo Alberto Pratesi, Università Roma Tre, in conversation with chef Gabriele Taddeucci
On the occasion of the 3rd Week of Italian Cuisine in the World, whose theme is this year Mediterranean Cuisine, the Italian Cultural Institute is pleased to host a lecture by Prof. Carlo Alberto Pratesi, Professor of Marketing, Innovation and Sustainability at Roma Tre University. He will hold a conversation with Gabriele Taddeucci, executive chef at Star Group.
The Week of Italian Cuisine in the World is a yearly event promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation with the aim of giving value to Italian culinary traditions in the world, as a distinctive trait of the Italian Brand. In 2018 the Week will take place between the 19th and the 25th of November all over the world, and its focus will be the cultural aspect of Italian cuisine in its relationship with locally based traditions and ingredients.
There are 5 reason to consider the Italian food, and more generally the Mediterranean Diet, as a best performer in terms of (economic, social and environmental) sustainability.
1. Wellness. First “food pyramid” based on the scientific studies of Ancel Keys (1958), explained to the world that the diet he called “Mediterranean”, based on balanced consumption of specific foods (i.e. olive oil, fruit, grains, legumes, etc.), could reduce death rates from heart disease if compared with saturated fat rich diets typical of Northern Europe.
2. Taste. In some countries (i.e. Usa) people perceive unhealthy food as tastier than healthy food, this not implies that also healthy food can not be tasty: the amazing success of Italian food among consumers is the proof. Just think about the growing number of Italian restaurants all over the world. Some are 100% Italian, with Italian ingredients and chefs. Other are more close to what we call “Italian sounding”.
3. Convenience. The success of Mediterranean diet is not only because of the (good) taste of our dishes. The Italian food, compared to its first competitor (France cuisine) is far more convenient. That is because definitely 80% of the quality of an Italian dish is the result of the sort of ingredients. The rest (20%) is made by the skill of the chef. For the French cuisine is exactly the opposite: 80% chef, 20% ingredients. In a nutshell: Italian food is mainly “user generated”.
4. Story telling. The forth reason is related to our history. Certainly behind every Italian ingredient there is a territory and a very ancient story. Recent researches demonstrate that unique food names and stories about food origins increase consumer’s perception of authenticity: this can easily translated in consumer experience and satisfaction.
5. Environment. The last, but not least reason of success is the environmental impact. Recent studies verify that the most recommended products in the Mediterranean diet for their nutritional indicators have also a lower impact on the environment. Conversely, those foods with lower recommended consumption levels are also those with higher environmental impact.
Given the above, what do we need to preserve and develop the Mediterranean diet (considering that the Italians themselves are shifting their diets towards more high energy dense, processed food) and making it more and more sustainable?
Carlo Alberto Pratesi was born in Rome in 1961. He is currently Full Professor of Marketing, Innovation and Sustainability at Roma Tre University, Department of Business. Since 2009 he has been scientific consultant for the Barilla Centre for Food and Nutrition Foundation in the field of sustainable agriculture and healthy life styles. With Luca Ruini (Health, Safety, Environment & Energy Vice President at Barilla) he co-designed the “double pyramid model”, and with Anna Ruggerini the first BCFN YES! Award program for PhDs. Since 2015 he has been mentor of Startupbootcamp Rome – Foodtech acceleration programme, and since 2016 academic advisor of Life Cycle Engineering a consultant firm that helps private companies and business associations achieve sustainably, providing professional solutions and tools for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), eco-design, environmental communication and regulatory compliance. His main research areas are: food and sustainability, entrepreneurship and start-ups as well as corporate communication and marketing. His most recent book is Il cibo perfetto. Aziende Consumatori e Impatto Ambientale del Cibo (Perfect Food. Companies, consumers and environmental impact of food) (with M. Marino, Edizioni Ambiente 2015). His latest papers: “Towards Zero Waste: an Exploratory Study on Restaurant managers”, (with Principato L., Secondi L.) in International Journal of Hospitality Management, Volume 74, August 2018 and “Working toward Healthy and Sustainable Diets: The “Double Pyramid Model”, developed by the Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition to Raise Awareness about the Environmental and Nutritional Impact of Foods” with Ruini L.F., Ciati R., Marino M., Principato L., Vannuzzi E., in Frontiers in Nutrition 2015 May 4.
The lecture will be in English.
Entry:
- FREE for IIC members
- $15 for friends & supporters (contribution fee to support the partial recovery of event costs)
Booking essential: www.eventbrite.com.au