Becoming an Italian Chef for a Day
On the 18th this week, I stepped into the room and the first thing I noticed was the beautiful mise en place that Chiara Tomasoni and Olivia Balzano had prepared for their demo. Earlier that day, I saw them in the first floor kitchen already busy with their preparation, which showed how dedicated and ready they were to give us an authentic Italian culinary experience. Invest in Italy - ITA UK and Ireland,and Ambasciata d'Italia - Londra, together with the University of West London, created a warm and welcoming setting for the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World, and meeting both chefs made the day even more inspiring.
They shared so much about their journey with Italian cuisine while cooking, and what I appreciated most was how they made the session interactive. They invited a few volunteer participants to come up to break the stale bread and help shape the gnocchi as part of the recipe. It was a simple moment, but it created a lovely sense of connection and involvement. Olivia and Chiara’s sense of humour filled the room with warmth and laughter. They also allowed me to serve the tiramisu alongside them, and they made me feel completely comfortable and at ease. Their friendliness and lighthearted energy turned that moment into something truly memorable.
This experience felt personally meaningful, especially after recently competing in the Young Risotto Chef of the Year 2025 with my own vegetarian risotto. Watching Chiara and Olivia cook reminded me how much depth, creativity and heart Italian cuisine carries, and it made me even more motivated to keep improving my Italian inspired dishes.
I enjoyed watching them prepare the Gnocchi of Bread, Buckwheat and Sage with pickled squash, Parmesan fonduta and sourdough sage crisps, followed by the tiramisu made with mascarpone, buffalo yoghurt cream and a syrup created from repurposed coffee grounds. Both dishes reflected sustainability, creativity and a deep respect for Italian tradition. Chiara also highlighted the nutritional aspect of the dishes, which made the demonstration even more meaningful for me, especially with my interest in health and nutrition. It was inspiring to see how Italian cooking can be sustainable and full of nutritional value without ever losing its soul.
What really stood out to me was how proud they are of Italian buffalo milk. They encouraged us to look for the buffalo symbol and the DOP mark, explaining that it represents authentic, high quality products. These can even be found in Waitrose & Partners, Sainsbury's and Marks and Spencer and Spencer. After tasting and learning more about it, I genuinely feel that such quality is worth paying more for.
Thank you to Chiara Tomasoni, Olivia Balzano, Invest in Italy - ITA UK and Ireland, Ambasciata d'Italia - Londra, the University of West London, Peter Cross, Amalia Tsiami , Szymon Lara and Natalia Lara for creating this opportunity for students like me 🇮🇹
