Beirut, November 16, 2025 – The Italian Embassy in Beirut and the Italian Trade Agency Office in Beirut proudly inaugurate the Week of the Italian Cuisine in the World, taking place across Lebanon from 17 to 21 November 2025.
Held under this year’s theme – “Italian Cuisine: Between Health, Culture, and Innovation” – the initiative celebrates Italy’s culinary excellence as a bridge between cultures and a model of balanced, sustainable living. It also coincides with Italy’s nomination of the Culinary Art for inclusion in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, offering an opportunity to reflect on the values that define Italian cuisine: respect for quality ingredients, conviviality, creativity, and a continuous dialogue between tradition and innovation.
A Week of Flavors, Encounters, and Learning
Two distinguished chefs headline this year’s program: Claudio Chinali, member of the Ambassadors of Taste network, and Maradona Youssef, Lebanese-born chef of Meze Restaurant in Milan.
Chef Chinali will curate a gala dinner at the Italian Ambassador’s Residence on November 17, followed by two masterclasses – one for Lebanese chefs and one for food influencers – showcasing the techniques and philosophy behind contemporary Italian cuisine.
Chef Youssef will lead a series of events centered on the dialogue between Italian and Lebanese cuisines, united by deep Mediterranean roots and shared traditions. His program includes a live cooking show on a Lebanese TV on November 20, a training session with hospitality and management students at Sagesse University, and an evening tasting event at Vresso’s Italian kitchen showroom. The week will conclude on November 21 with a solidarity masterclass and lunch at the Philokalia Convent in Aintoura, reaffirming the inclusive and community-oriented spirit of Italian gastronomy.
Cuisine as a Model for Well-being and Innovation
Italian cuisine represents not only taste and tradition, but also a balanced and health-conscious lifestyle, in line with Italy’s engagement at the United Nations in the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs). It also embodies a broader ecosystem of innovation, extending from sustainable agricultural production to food technology, design, and recycling – as reflected in the collaboration with Vresso, a showcase of Italian industrial excellence in Lebanon.
Through this combination of training, creativity, and solidarity, the Week of Italian Cuisine strengthens Italy’s partnership with Lebanon, using food as a language of dialogue, cooperation, and shared prosperity.
Contacts
Press Office – Embassy of Italy Beirut
Tel: +961 (05) 954955
Fax: +961 (05) 959616
