TERAMO AT THE DINNER TABLE
The second year of tourism, food and wine competitions Great Gastronomy at the Foot of the Gran Sasso
11 schools reported present from April 14th to 17th in Teramo in the eponymous province located in the Abruzze mountains, ‘la regione d’Europa dove memoria e futuro lavorano insieme’ – the region of Europe where memory and future work together.
The team from the Instituto d’Instruzione Superiore ‘Di Poppa Rozzi’ led by the ‘Preside’ – headmaster ‐Luigi Valentini, were intent on organising a competition which encompassed all the specialisms taught at their school which is famous among the ‘Teramesi’.
The culinary arts competition – with starter, main dish and dessert if you please! – the food service competition, the special coffee service contest, competitions for cocktails, front office, setting up a stand, presentation of a tourist attraction – all of these formed the main thread of the event.
The beautiful piazza del Duomo – the cathedral square – provided a fine setting from the display stands representing the various destinations described by the participating schools: Melfi, Castellana Grotte, Riolo Terme, Senigallia, Riccione, Jesolo, L’Aquila, Pescara, Roccaraso and the Kuldinga school from Latvia. It was also part of the exercise to promote the already existing links between these destinations and Teramo or the Abruzze province. As for the rest of the programme, we should mention a lecture on the subject of National Parks
– in the Abruzze they stretch ‘from the mountains to the sea’ – as well as an excursion to visit the excellent school for ceramics in Castelli and the superb town of Atri, not to mention guided tours of the town of Teramo itself, provided by the school’s students.
Also worthy of mention is the help provided by the town and province of Teramo, as well as that given by the very numerous sponsors … all supporting a team intent on continuing the tradition of a well‐run competition. All this synergy also made possible the award of a prize of €1000 to the Da Vinci school in L’Aquila. This school is currently being rebuilt after it was destroyed by an earthquake a year ago, and is also the main beneficiary of the ‘Gastronomy for Peace’ scheme initiated by Louis Robert on behalf of the AEHT. Thus through this competition the Teramo school gave the students from L’Aquila an opportunity to contribute to this cause.
What is more, the visiting delegations had the chance to savour the dishes prepared and served by the students from the host school, under the close supervision of their teachers, in various restaurants in Teramo and Atri; and this idea of ‘workplace learning’ was declared to be highly successful, not only by the restaurateurs and their kitchen and service brigades who had lent us their working premises, but also by the students involved, and, all the more so, by the guest students.
Among the regional specialities which were served to us – including at the gala dinner – were ‘Chitarra alla teramana’, ‘Panzarotti’, ‘Scripelle m’busse’ and the ‘Agnello dei Monti’ that melted in your mouth; and these dishes amply demonstrated that this mountainous region of central Italy is one of the most gastronomic of the Italian peninsula, though until now this has been a well‐kept secret.
Christiane Keller, our very own Mother Christmas, and Alfonso Benvenuto, an honorary president of the AEHT and a member of its Council of Elders, both graced this event with their presence.
We really take our hats off to the Latvian delegation: because of the suspension of flights across Europe following the eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull located 160 kms southeast of the capital Reykjavik, the Latvians had to return to the Baltic States by bus!
The winners of the different competitions are:
School with the highest score :
I.P.S.I.A.S.A.R. “L. DA VINCI” – L’AQUILA
Winner of the tourism and front office competition :
I.P.S.S.A.R.C.T. “PANZINI” – SENIGALLIA (AN)
Winner of the kitchen competition
I.P.S.I.A.S.A.R. “L. DA VINCI” – L’AQUILA
Winner of the service and bar competition :
I.P.S.S.A.R. “ARTUSI” – RIOLO TERME (RA)
Other awards:
Award for the best stand :
I.P.S.S.A.R. ‐ROCCARASO (AQ)
Award for the best receptionist :
I.P.S.S.A.R. “SAVIOLI” – RICCIONE (RN)
Award for the best first course :
I.P.S.S.A.R. “SAVIOLI” – RICCIONE (RN)
Award for the best second course :
I.P.S.S.A.R.C.T. – CASTELLANA GROTTE (BA)
Award for the best dessert :
I.P.S.S.A.R.C.T. “CORSARO” – JESOLO (VE)
Marcafè award for the best cocktail :
I.P.S.S.A.R. “ARTUSI” – RIOLO TERME (RA)
Award for the best mise en place and decoration :
I.P.S.S.A.R. “ARTUSI” – RIOLO TERME (RA)
Award for restaurant chefs: “PARCO DEI POETI” by LA RUSTICANA
