Italian Cuisine Week in Malta Showcases Culinary Excellence, Maltese Spend 3,500 Euros Per Capita

Malta: Italian cuisine took center stage in Malta as the country recently wrapped up its Italian Cuisine Week with a lavish culinary event. The grand finale of the week-long celebration featured a cooking show held at the Hilton Hotel in Portomaso, where renowned chef Luca Malacrida presented an exclusive dinner. This invitation-only event, hosted by Italian ambassador Valentina Setta, highlighted the deep-rooted appreciation of Italian culinary traditions among the Maltese.

According to Ansa News Agency, the Italian Cuisine Week kicked off with a series of events at the Italian Cultural Institute in Valletta. The Italian Trade Agency and the Embassy organized these events in collaboration with Casa Artusi and the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS). The week featured Casa Artusi’s Roman chef as the central figure, showcasing authentic Italian recipes using Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena. ITS students participated in a masterclass led by Malacrida and later competed to replicate the recipes, with young Andrea Cremona emerging as the winner.

Chef Malacrida, serving as the ambassador of Italian Cooking Week, also appeared in a live cooking show on Maltese public television, which Ambassador Setta attended. Ambassador Setta emphasized that the Italian Cuisine Week served as a platform to celebrate the gastronomic excellence of Italy and the strong bond between the Italian and Maltese communities. She highlighted that cuisine acts as a cultural bridge, fostering connections between people and regions.

Malta, known as the smallest member state of the EU, boasts a robust economy and a significant interest in Italian cuisine. This interest translates into a substantial market for Italian agribusiness, with Italian exports to Malta projected to reach approximately 1.93 billion euros in 2024. This figure equates to more than 3,500 euros spent per Maltese inhabitant, including infants, on Italian products.

Fabrizio Camastra, director of the Ice Office in Athens responsible for Malta, noted that Malta remains the top consumer of Made in Italy products per capita globally. The continuous growth in Italian exports to Malta underscores the strength of bilateral economic relations and the consistent appreciation of Italian products by Maltese consumers.