At the stove the young chefs of the IIS 'Della Corte – Vanvitelli'. Thursday 21 December at 18:XNUMX at the Hotel Cetus in Cetara.
December arrives and the usual appointment with the “Ezio Falcone Gastronomic Award” returns to Cetara, dedicated to anchovy colatura enthusiasts, which anticipates the festivities between culture and culinary tradition. A different concept this year, inspired by the new generations and their way of understanding and challenging traditional tastes.
Now in its 18th edition, the competition crosses the gates of the schools in the hotel sector, to search for the best chef in the province and give the youngest the appropriate stage where they can put into practice teachings, knowledge and personal attitudes that will be worth the win, but also the awareness of managing the complex production process in total autonomy. And so, let's make way for the expert chefs, from 21 pm on Thursday XNUMX December, at the Hotel Cetus, to go to the discovery and rediscovery of the amber nectar in a contemporary way.
Promoted by the Municipality of Cetara, in collaboration with the IIS “Della Corte-Vanvitelli” of Cava de' Tirreni, thanks to the school principal, Franca Masi and the cultural association ambientArti, the culinary contest born in honor of the historian Ezio Falcone who turned his study to the food and wine of the Amalfi Coast, is preparing to welcome an exciting challenge in the kitchen. The school, the real novelty of the XIV edition. A fourteenth season renewed in intent and spirit, which has set itself the goal of taking the best from previous experiences, opening up to new opportunities.
On one side, the school and, on the other, modernity: after the 2022 edition, which saw a loving “homecoming” in the canteen of the Cetara Comprehensive Institute, today, the school institution becomes the target recipient of the 2023 edition, addressing the very young who are approaching the study of gastronomy, catering, but in general of accommodation and tourism.
The centrality of the school and attention to the future of the territory are the themes dear to the administration of Mayor Fortunato Della Monica, but also the way to create a connection between the two positions held by councilors Cinzia Forcellino and Daniele Luigi D'Elia, respectively with responsibility for Culture, Education, Equal Opportunities and Tourism, Entertainment, who once again remodel the traditional events of the Cetarese village to create synergy on common and important commitments as giving the opportunity to young students of hotel schools to test their skills, especially when they try, as on this occasion, to prepare dishes that are new in their workmanship, but traditional in the raw materials used.
“It is right to thank the Municipality of Cetara that has been able, with this invitation, to combine two excellent “ingredients”: the flavours of tradition and the imagination of young people – says Franca Masi, director of IIS “Della Corte Vanvitelli” – “Tradition and creativity are, in fact, important elements in the training of future chefs, especially when working in a territory, like ours, rich in flavors and excellent products and, certainly, we are talking about the anchovy sauce, a versatile and tasty condiment, of ancient origin and appreciated throughout the world that will be the protagonist of the competition”.
The contest, the jury and the awards ceremony.
The Hotel Cetus returns to be the spectacular setting for the food contest and the awards ceremony. Next Thursday, the young chefs of the IIS “Della Corte-Vanvitelli” of Cava de' Tirreni, selected for the originality of their proposal and for their attention to primary resources, will compete to show a wise, delicious and exclusive use of Cetara anchovy colatura. The event is no longer a simple ceremony, but takes on the fresh and joyful face of its participants. Opening up to new generations, reinventing the award while keeping it in step with the future is the true great innovation, which keeps the promise of preserving a great tradition.
The protagonists will be able to compete in a competition between pots and pans to give vent to their creativity, with the delicacies of the village and the main ingredient: the Cetara anchovy sauce. Above all, they will challenge each other by cooking their best dish that will be tasted and evaluated by a commission of experts who will not give anyone any discounts. This time the competition proposes a theme that is decidedly in step with the times: “Colatura Cross Over” the Cetara anchovy sauce in contemporary cuisine, seen by the chefs of the future. The challenge will be expressed through the preparation of a dish capable of surprising with new visions, original combinations, experimentation, with a particular eye to the use of local and regional specialties but, above all, to the sustainability of the dish itself in a logic of supply chain and recovery, for a cuisine without waste.
The rules include the creation of a main course, using ancient, modern or innovative cooking techniques. The jury will be composed of: Fortunato Della Monica, president of the jury, Mario Amodio, journalist for “Il Mattino”, Claudia Bonasi, journalist and creator of the “Ezio Falcone Award” recipe book, Lucia Di Mauro, president of the Association for the promotion of Colatura di Alici di Cetara Dop, as well as an established producer, Emiliano Amato, journalist and director of “Quotidiano della Costiera”.
"For the first time the competition is open to young talents because it is important to give them confidence, first of all. Only by passing the baton can we keep alive the knowledge of colatura di alici, its history, the countless uses at the table, from the simplest traditional dishes, to gourmet and futuristic dishes" – explains Fortunato della Monica, mayor of Cetara. On this occasion, the poet Enzo Tafuri will donate a composition from the latest anthology “Oltre la soglia del cielo” that pays homage to Cetara with the colatura di alici, to be exhibited in the welcome at the Museo Cantina della Torre Vicereale.
Entrance is open to the press and the public, upon accreditation at info@ambientarti.net (subject to availability).
Article published on 18 December 2023 - 16:21
