This year we are excited to present the fourth and fifth editions of
The Authentic Italian Table series (AIT), which are part of the
True Italian Taste project, and that will be taking place in the months of May, June, and September. These virtual events will be
focusing on the promotion of authentic Italian products, their qualities, certifications, and unique characteristics and are organized in collaboration with our local partners.
Ait Event Dates
May 18th: “Buonissimo!” – launch event
May 15th to June 20th – AIT in collaboration with local restaurants
September 21, 2021: “Coffee & Dessert” – closed event for media only
September 23, 2021: “Coffee & Dessert” – open to public
“Coffee & Dessert”
September 2021
The second Authentic Italian Table event in 2021 is called Coffee & Dessert and will be the fifth edition since the beginning of this project. Coffee & Dessert is organized in
collaboration with Eataly Toronto and Chef Mattia Pagliara of La Scuola di Eataly. During this hands-on class Chef Mattia will talk about authentic Italian coffee paired with a wonderful Italian
dessert, Espresso Semifreddo with chopped hazelnuts, served with a cinnamon chocolate sauce and amaretto cookies.
The first class will take place on September 21st for media only. The second class is open to the public and will take place on Thursday September 23rd, 2021 at 4 pm via Zoom Webinar.
Reserve your spot and get your kit at $75 (plus HST and delivery fee), which includes all necessary ingredients to prepare the dessert. All you need at home is a stand mixer or handheld mixer and
a computer to connect.
Thursday, September 23rd, 2021 – 4 pm
“Coffee & Dessert”
Price: $75 (plus HST and delivery fee)
The Coffee & Dessert event is a hands-on cooking class to learn how to prepare the dessert together with Chef Mattia. During the class attendees will have the possibility to interact with
the chef and ask him questions as they cook along, and he will be able to see everyone’s work and give helpful tips along the way.
Chef Mattia will teach the attendees how to prepare the dessert from start to finish. He will also demonstrate how to brew a traditional Italian espresso, the perfect accompaniment to
enjoy with the dessert. The coffee will be prepared using a classic moka from Bialetti. Please note that the dessert requires a couple hours of refrigeration prior to be served.
During the class special attention will be given to the authentic Italian products used in this recipe. Chef Mattia will discuss the qualities and characteristics of Hazelnuts IGP from
Piemonte, Cioccolato di Modica IGP and the traditional amaretti cookies.
Chef Mattia Pagliara
Mattia Pagliara was born in Milano in a southern Italian household, where food was at the centre of everyday life. Starting as a teenager, he worked in restaurants before moving to
Australia for five months at the age of 21. He then moved to Vietnam, where he stayed for almost a decade running Italian restaurants and exporting his beloved culinary heritage to the local
market. Pagliara moved to Canada in 2016 with his wife and daughter. In 2019, he joined the newest Eataly as the Chef of La Scuola di Eataly Toronto.
The first event of this year’s Authentic Italian Table series will be organized in collaboration with selected local restaurants that are well known in the community for their outstanding
Italian menus, some of them proud recipients of the “OI – Ospitalita’ Italiana”, a quality endorsement issued by the Italian Government to Italian restaurants all over the world that guarantees
the respect of the typical standard of Italian hospitality. The launch event “Buonissimo!” of this AIT initiative will take place on Tuesday May 18th, 2021 at 6 pm via Zoom Webinar.
Authentic Italian Table – Buonissimo!
May 18, 2021 – 6pm
Launch Event
Six local restaurants, represented by their chefs, will be participating in an online competition and prepare a recipe live during the event. Each one of the chefs will receive a list of
carefully selected products ahead of time which they will use to create a unique recipe for this event. The featured recipes will not only focus on authentic Italian products and the excellence
of Italian cuisine but also highlight the importance of healthy eating within the context of the Mediterranean diet.
The participating restaurants are:
Aria ristorante (Chef Federico Seligardi)
Buono/stelvio restaurants (Chef Andrea Tranzillo)
Cibo wine bar (Chef Daniele Corona)
Locale restaurant (Chef Andrea Censorio)
Oretta restaurant (Chef Gabriele Di Marco)
Terroni restaurants (Chef Daniel Mezzolo)
Guiding us through the event will be TV personality and producer Michelle Jobin, who will engage with the chefs and ask them to present their dishes. A group of media will be
participating in this special live event and watch the chefs as they prepare their dishes. The media will then select the winners of the following categories:
Best use of ingredients from the list
Most authentic Italian dish
Most creative dish
Most visually attractive dish
Most appealing name of dish
Best ‘Chef’s choice’ Ingredient
Each of the six restaurants will be awarded one of the categories and receive a special acknowledgement from ICCO Canada and True Italian Taste. This event will kick off the Authentic Italian
Table initiative, during which the selected 6 restaurants will feature the dish they created in their restaurant menu, at a special price, available for customers to order for delivery or
pick-up, or to eat in the restaurant. This special plate will be made available following the “Buonissimo!” event from May 19th until June 20th.
Michelle Jobin
Michelle Jobin is a television personality and spokesperson with almost two decades of experience in broadcast and online media. After producing and hosting 54 episodes of Dining
Toronto, Michelle has become a fixture in the city’s food scene. In 2020, Michelle and co-host Jasmine Baker launched Breaking Bread, a podcast that leverages their industry connections to
delve into what’s happening behind the scenes in Toronto’s best kitchens. From social justice to new food trends-no topic is off the table on Breaking Bread. Michelle often appears as
an emcee or spokesperson, both on-camera and for live audiences. She has hosted a number of high profile events including Taste of Toronto, Global Citizen Forum, S. Pellegrino Young Chef
competition, Interac Dinner in Black, Chefs for Change and the inaugural Nespresso Café Gourmand competition in Toronto.
