Italian Cuisine Week 2021

Italian Cuisine Week celebrates Italy’s diverse food culture with a line-up of 40 events taking place across Japan. Don’t let the name fool you – it actually runs until mid-December. Free webinars and panel discussions focus on topics like food waste, gastronomy’s influence on the environment, healthy lifestyles as well as food circulation and recycling. You’ll also find workshops with recipes to try at home, or you can sign up for a panettone tasting session. Check the list below for our top picks.

Online events

Join the free webinar on November 22, which will focus on sustainability, zero waste and loss as well as traditional Italian cuisine, urban farming and sustainable fishing methods. The event takes place from 4pm to 5.30pm via Zoom.

Also on November 22, you can join a webinar on balsamic vinegar and its role in Italian art history. The event is free and takes place from 4pm to 5.30pm via Zoom. Note that you’ll have to register in advance here.

Learn about similarities between the Mediterranean diet favoured in Cilento in south Italy and the Okinawan diet through an online panel held from 5pm on November 25. The event will be live-streamed on YouTube, but note that you’ll need to register in advance.

Tastings

Mark November 27 in your calendar to enjoy a panettone tasting session in Shinjuku. You can sample six different types of this traditional Italian Christmas bread at restaurant Osteria dello Scudo. The event takes place from 11.30am to 3pm. Make sure to make a reservation in advance (¥8,800).

Workshops

From November 22, you can gain access to a number of easy and sustainable Italian recipes created by Italian and Japanese chefs.

Between November 22 and 28, you can watch chef Davide Fabiano show you how to prepare homemade spaghetti with lamb sauce, a traditional dish of Abruzzi (central Italy) cuisine. You’ll also find a video on how to make an oil-based seasoning using anchovies, a recipe from Cetara village at the Amalfi Coast. Watch both events for free here.

Restaurant deals

At 30 participating restaurants across Japan, you can sample special dishes and enjoy tasting events between November 22 and December 5. For the full list of eateries, see here (in Japanese only).

Make sure to check this restaurant guide as well to enjoy authentic Italian cuisine in Tokyo.