11.01 am. The 14th edition of Identità Milano starts with Claudio Ceroni, patron of Magenta Bureau and co-organiser of the congress since the start. Snow is falling outside: «Even this year, as tradition, a bitter cold has followed us». This year’s fil rouge is the human factor. «First of all, let me thank Paolo Marchi. We owe him the choice of the theme and its development. But this is no news to us, because we’ve always paid strong attention to the importance of human relations, ever since we first started working together».
About the congress that’s about to begin he says: «Last year I said edition 2017 was the biggest ever. I can say the same of this year’s edition: despite the snow and the elections tomorrow, we’ll have 120 chefs, the highest number ever. And the same applies to the registered communication professionals: 1300. In the past few days the most important publications have written about us, covering our programme. It makes us proud. Thank you».
His thanks: «I’d like to point out that this year we have created an unprecedented collaboration with Gambero Rosso, Università di scienze gastronomiche di Pollenzo, Niko Romito Formazione, Centro Clinico Nemo, Dissapore, Maddalena Fossati’s La Cucina Italiana». The news in 2018: «After the success in 2017, this year we will have the most important chefs and barmen in Italy at Identità di cocktail. Giunti is organising Identità di Libri, the bookshop inside the congress. We’re proud to have created a joint programme».
Claudio Ceroni of MagentaBureau
«Finally, let me thank all our partners, who help us support a very demanding machine with 100 people at work. The main sponsors
Consorzio di Grana Padano,
Acqua Panna e S. Pellegrino,
Birra Moretti, this year participating with their
Fondazione,
Molino Quaglia,
Lavazza,
Cantine Ferrari and
Berto’s. Our medium sponsors
Felicetti,
MotorPower,
Alce Nero and
Veuve Cliquot. Calabria, the guest region. We also have the support of Regione Lombardia, Comune di Milano, the ministry of Agricultural Policies, which makes us very proud».
Ceroni ends saying: «Follow us, because we have some important news to announce in the next few days».
It’s now the turn of
Paolo Marchi: «I’m particularly tense and emotional, because of the news we’re going to tell you. We’re about to turn the hourglass. This is our 14th year. We’ve always been motivated by curiosity, because what’s important is that at the end of the day you’re tired, but not fed up». The reason behind the human factor: «Simple: it’s what we most look for when we go to a restaurant. We eat out to have a good time, and this is a luxury we’re given by those who serve us. In the past few years, while habits have become barbaric, with internet and social networks acquiring more and more importance, we’ve forgotten the most important thing: a dish must be good, not look good. During these 3 days we’ll try to stress this».
From today to Monday 5th March, there will be 120 chefs, pastry chefs, gelatieri, bread makers and pizzaioli speaking
The last thought goes to two illustrious people who passed away this year: «We’re sorry for the loss of
Bob Noto, a genius who knew how to have fun. He was the first to eat at
Ferran Adrià’s and discovered
Davide Scabin two weeks after he opened. He designed the spoon with the fingerprint, the emblem of
Identità. We miss him very much». At the end, a famous statement of
Gualtiero Marchesi’s, who passed away on the 26th December: «Cooking is a matter of science. It’s cooks who have to turn it into an art».
Translated into English by Slawka G. Scarso
