On March 9 in Vienna, at the historic Trattoria Martinelli, a professional training class was held, organized by Istituto100% Italiano in collaboration with the Consortium for the Protection of Asiago DOP Cheese, as part of a promotion and enhancement project in the DACH area (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland).
The initiative, reserved for professionals in the restaurant industry and operators in the food & hospitality sector, represented an important opportunity for cultural and technical in-depth study dedicated to one of the DOP cheeses that symbolize Italian dairy tradition.
The class was led by Ursula Heinzelmann, a journalist specializing in cheese and a key gastronomic communicator for the German-speaking market, who guided participants through a comprehensive narrative on the product’s identity, its territories of origin, production techniques, and the value of the protected designation of origin.
At the heart of the event was a guided tasting of different maturations of Asiago DOP, during which the attending professionals were able to analyze the cheese’s sensory characteristics, understanding how structure, aromas, and complexity evolve from the fresher versions to the more aged ones. The direct comparison between the different types highlighted the product’s gastronomic potential and its strategic use in creating authentically Italian menus.
The tasting experience was further enhanced by a selection of dishes created by the chef of Trattoria Martinelli, an iconic Italian restaurant in Vienna run by the Barbaro family. These dishes demonstrated how Asiago DOP can be interpreted in a contemporary way while maintaining a strong connection to tradition and contributing to defining the identity of Italian gastronomic offerings abroad.
During the event, Lisa Chilese also spoke on behalf of the Consortium for the Protection of Asiago DOP Cheese, illustrating the protection and promotion activities carried out internationally, as well as the objectives of the project dedicated to the DACH markets, which are strategic for the development and positioning of Italian dairy excellence.
“Through these classes, we aim to build an increasingly wide network of professionals who are aware of the cultural and qualitative value of Italian DOP products. The project developed together with the Asiago Consortium in the DACH area was created precisely with the goal of fostering authentic knowledge, encouraging the correct use of the product in the restaurant sector, and strengthening the connection between territory, tradition, and gastronomic innovation,” said Silvia Meloni, coordinator of the Istituto100% Italiano and Vice President of I Love Italian Food.
The Vienna event is part of the broader international training program of the 100% Italian Institute, which, through collaborations with protection consortia, chefs, and industry opinion leaders, promotes high-value training initiatives, contributing to the dissemination and enhancement of true Italian gastronomic culture worldwide.
