Credit: Made For Social Media/Ambasciata d’Italia
A PARADE OF SPECIAL GUESTS AT HIGHGROVE HOUSE, THE PRIVATE RESIDENCE OF HIS MAJESTY IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE, TO CELEBRATE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ITALY AND THE UNITED KINGDOM
CHIARA SOLDATI: “MADE IN ITALY IS AN EVER-INCREASINGLY RECOGNIZED AND APPRECIATED GLOBAL MODEL”
Chiara Soldati with the Italian Ambassador to the UK, Inigo Lambertini, in the center with King Charles III, and to the right with chef Francesco Mazzei.
“To the eternal Italian culture of good food.” This was the phrase, spoken in perfect Italian, with which King Charles III of England opened an evening dedicated to the centuries-old relationship between the United Kingdom and Italy. A true event held at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, His Majesty’s private residence, for the occasion accompanied by Queen Consort Camilla. The purpose of the evening was to promote Slow Fashion and, even more so, to reaffirm the strong bond between two nations united by a great appreciation for culture, including the culture of fine dining.
The evening featured an extraordinary guest list, including personalities such as Helen Mirren, David and Victoria Beckham, Rod Stewart, Sienna Miller, the Italian Ambassador to the UK, Inigo Lambertini, and the British Ambassador to Rome, Lord Edward Liewell. A key figure of the evening was Stanley Tucci, the American actor of Italian descent known for films like The Devil Wears Prada, and a great expert of Italian gastronomy, as demonstrated in his hit series Searching for Italy, which was hugely popular both in the United States and the UK.
It was Tucci who collaborated with chef Francesco Mazzei, a long-time ambassador of Italian cuisine worldwide, to create the exclusive menu for the evening.
“To better emphasize the special friendship between the two countries,” Mazzei commented, “Stanley and I thought of an Italian menu made almost entirely with products from the United Kingdom. I must say, I found some exceptional products that are in no way inferior to those from Italy. The only products I imported from Italy were extra virgin olive oil and wines.”
And it was precisely in the wine sector that the Piedmontese winery La Scolca played a leading role, with its Gavi dei Gavi Black Label 2023 accompanying two of the dishes served during the gala dinner.
“It was an honor to represent Italy, my region, and my territory at such an important event,” said Chiara Soldati, CEO of La Scolca and Knight of Labour, “during which Italian lifestyle excellence was celebrated. Chef Mazzei did a wonderful job of creating a gastronomic bridge between the two countries, in a union that is not just metaphorical but between two cultures and two important traditions. Events like this provide an important opportunity to highlight the value of our gastronomic tradition and our craftsmanship, elements that make Made in Italy a globally recognized and appreciated model.”