Top North American food authorities gather for True Italian Summit

Top North American food authorities will gather in San Francisco January 17 – 19 to discuss and debate the notion of authenticity and “truth in food” – from challenging the local food movement for an expanded definition to countering the harmful effects of misleading product labeling – on behalf of the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, Buonitalia SpA and the TrueItalian initiative.

TrueItalian is a consumer awareness campaign designed to highlight the unique flavors and unsurpassed quality of authentic Italian food and wine products, protect the reputation of the Italian brand and support the farmers, vintners and artisans who have built Italy’s reputation for excellence. The campaign aims to improve understanding at a global level regarding the specific, unique characteristics of authentic Italian products.

Restaurant consultant, author and James Beard Foundation award-winner Clark Wolf will moderate an impressive culinary think tank comprised of leading chefs, authors, food writers, retailers, producers and buyers. San Francisco’s acclaimed Foreign Cinema will provide the backdrop for a dialogue that will focus on “international and cultural sustainability” and the role of authentic foods in a culinary culture that increasingly values locally sourced products – balancing the environmental imperative of relying on local, sustainable production with the cultural demand for authentic regional products.

The summit will also consider global counterfeiting and the epidemic of faux Italian food products on the market – as many as 7 out of 10 foods sold in the U.S. as authentic Italian are imposters, according to the Italian Farmers Union – with offenses ranging from Italian “look-alike” or “sound-alike” packaging, misleading product claims and clever substitutions to outright fraud. Often of inferior quality or flavor, these imitation products not only cheapen the Italian brand, they cause significant harm to the Italian economy, agriculture and livelihood of the small producers and family farmers that make up a majority of Italy’s food delivery system.

In addition to Wolf, panelists and participants in the San Francisco TrueItalian Summit include Ari Weinzweig of Zingerman’s; Mitchell Davis, Ph.D., Author/Historian and VP of the James Beard Foundation; Darrell Corti of Corti Brothers; Daphne Zepos of Essex Street Cheese Company; Daniel Scherotter, Executive Chef and Owner of Palio d’Asti; David Lynch, Master Sommelier of Quince Restaurant; and Nancy Radke, CCP who serves as the director of the U.S. Information Office for the Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano. Plus, Presidents and product representatives from more than 15 Italian consorzios will be present to discuss and sample their products along witha handful of nationally-prominent specialty food retailers, chefs and Rodrigo Cipriani, President of Buonitalia SpA. Cipriani is the head director of all Italian food and wine exports to the U.S. for the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.

Events surrounding the San Francisco TrueItalian Summit will take place at Foreign Cinema located at 2534 Mission Street, San Francisco, California.

For interviews or more information about the TrueItalian Summit, please contact Karen MacKenzie at MacKenzie Agency Public Relations, (707) 545-3280. Please review the attached document for more information regarding the history and background of TrueItalian.