Muscat – The Italian Academy of Cuisine (Accademia della Cucina Italiana) has awarded honorary membership to H E Pierluigi D’Elia, Ambassador of Italy to Oman, in recognition of his efforts to preserve and advance authentic Italian culinary traditions in the sultanate. The awarding ceremony was held at the Opera Galleria, on Saturday, in the presence of the members of the academy.

The academy has been a pivotal institution since its foundation – in 1953 – with the primary objective of safeguarding and propagating Italian culinary heritage both domestically and internationally.

A branch of the academy was established in Oman in 2022, indicating the growing influence and appreciation for Italian cuisine in the region. Muscat now boasts seven exclusive Italian places to dine, each periodically reviewed by the academy to ensure they meet the standards of authentic Italian gastronomy. The places are Aroma, Brezza, Capri Court, Come Prima, Fresco, Tomato and Tuscany, with many others expected to open by this year.

Orio Vergani, one of the founders said, “The Academy, recognised as a Cultural Institution of the Italian Republic since 2003 was born with the aim to safeguard, together with the traditions of Italian cuisine, the culture of the civilisation of the table, a living expression of the entire country. Today, therefore, the Academy aims to protect the traditions of Italian cuisine, whose improvement it promotes and favors in Italy and abroad. The Academy acts to promote initiatives to spread knowledge of the traditional values of Italian cuisine.”

In recent years, the Academy had intensified its action abroad multiplying the delegations and legations, bringing together the most qualified Italian representatives in this field. Members of the Academy in Oman pointed out that finding Italian food on the menu -such as pasta and pizza- does not mean that we are in a traditional Italian restaurant.