TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – Tacos in Tucson, pasta in Parma.
When Tucson was designated a UNESCO City of Gastronomy in 2017, Parma, Italy also received the same title, marking the beginning of an unlikely partnership.
Tucson is sending a chef to Parma to research the city’s food scene, and Old Pueblo will play host this time.
“Our friends at Tucson Attractions helped fund this program, and the Tucson Gourmet Guild, a collective of Tucson’s local chefs, worked with us to support our chefs,” said Visit CEO Felipe Garcia. They welcomed us into our community.” Tucson.
It is also responsible for the city’s cooperation with other gastronomic cities. Working together with community partners and other food cities around the world is key to maintaining our UNESCO designation.
“The designation that UNESCO gave us is, yes, Tucson is a gastronomic city. [but] We have to submit a report every four years,” Garcia said.
The last report from Tucson showed that there is potential to further leverage relationships with other people around the world.
That’s where chefs Nicole Zerbini and Mario Marini come in.
“There is a possibility of exchanging best practices,” Marini said. “They are just as likely to talk together and eat and drink together.”
During the chefs’ visit, they took a gourmet tour of Old Town Pueblo and even cooked their own meals. The dish is, you guessed it, pasta.
“Italian pasta is very simple and plain. You don’t need a lot of things,” Marini said. “As long as you have really good tomato sauce, basil and cheese, you’ll be fine.”
Some of the lessons Zerbini and Marini take home are how to use and cook with southern Arizona spices.
One of the things they want to leave behind is valuing the true taste of the ingredients.
“Simplicity and respect for raw materials and materials. It doesn’t cover up, it enhances.”
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