The Promotion and Tasting Week of Tuscan PDO and PGI products, organized by I Love Italian Food in collaboration with the GUSTO project, co-financed by the European Union, has achieved great success in the Berlin edition. The initiative, focused on four Tuscan excellences – Pecorino Toscano PDO, Prosciutto Toscano PDO, Finocchiona PGI, and Toscano PGI Extra Virgin Olive Oil – involved 20 Italian cuisine restaurants in the Berlin area from October 23 to October 29, 2023.
The main objective of the Restaurant Week aimed at the promotion of these four protected products by involving a selected number of restaurateurs who have joined the project, offering a menu with an appetizer board featuring the specified products. It represents a significant task in spreading Italian gastronomic culture to Berlin customers, reaching over 10,000 final consumers during the tasting week.
The initiative saw the participation of prestigious restaurants, all representatives of the Made in Italy in the city. The complete list of the involved restaurants can be consulted at https://www.enjoygusto.eu/restaurant-week/.
The initiative was also promoted with a presentation event held on October 17, 2023, at the restaurant Coccodrillo by Big Mamma Group, an iconic chain of authentic Italian restaurants born in Paris in 2015 and now present almost everywhere in Europe. A fresh and innovative venue that created the perfect atmosphere to introduce GUSTO to Berlin journalists and allow them to taste the four Tuscan excellences featured in the campaign.
During the launch event, representatives of the four Tuscan protection consortia had the opportunity to present their products, accompanied by Chef Gianluca Casini, President of the Associazione Cuochi Italiani (Association of Italian chefs) in Germany. He enriched the event with engaging storytelling about each product, creating an opportunity for exchange and in-depth discussion with the attending guests.
Throughout the evening, participants were able to appreciate the unique characteristics of each product not only through guided tastings of Pecorino Toscano, Prosciutto Toscano, Toscano Olive Oil, and Finocchiona but also through a menu specially crafted for the event. Each product was highlighted in dishes created by the executive chef of Big Mama Group in Germany, Filippo di Giuseppe.
The event, by invitation, provided an opportunity to meet over 50 selected professionals, including influencers, journalists, restaurateurs, distributors, culinary industry professionals, and representatives of institutions.
The initiative received enthusiastic appreciation from both the involved professionals and the final consumers, consolidating the success of promoting the Made in Italy tradition in Berlin. But GUSTO’s project doesn’t stop here. New initiatives will take place in 2024 to strengthen the positioning of Tuscan PDO and PGI products in the German market.
