This site is the voice of a network of chefs, restaurateurs and culinary professionals working in the Italian cuisine industry outside Italy. They belong to the moderated internet Forum (in Italian) of GVCI, Virtual Group of Italian Chefs, which has over 1700 associates working in 70 countries in the world. The itchefs-GVCI network also includes restaurant managers, sommeliers, food & beverage managers, other hospitality managers, food and wine manufacturers, importers, distributors, retailers and media people.
The GVCI Forum was founded in 2000 by Mario Caramella and Rosario Scarpato and is one of the most long-lived associations born out of Internet, in which its members share ideas, knowledge and camaraderie on line. GVCI membership is free but subject to approval and/or peer presentations. The group’s history is based mainly on the almost 40.000 posts into the Forum.
At the end of the ‘80s Mario Caramella was among the first chefs to introduce fine Italian cuisine to Hong Kong, he then worked in Australia and as Executive Chef of luxury hotels in Asia. He is currently the Chef Patron at inITALY, a fine dining Italian Restaurant in Singapore. Rosario Scarpato is a TV producer and journalist, GVCI honorary president, and managing editor of the site.
Since 2006 www.itchefs-gvci.com and its webzine itChefs&Co has been committed to:
- preserve and improve the standard of quality and authenticity of Italian gastronomy in the world;
- improve the profitability and economic performances of the professionals involved in it;
- create tangible and intangible social, economic, cultural and professional added value to each individual itchefs-GVCI member and
- disseminate essential, up-to-date and correct information among the worldwide consumers of Italian cuisine, and to protect their rights to receive fair, value-for-money products and services.
And, last not least, has gradually transformed the itchefs-GVCI network into an online community of respected industry opinion leaders.
Itchefs-GVCI.com has promoted and organized important events and initiatives including:
- the annual IDIC – International Day of Italian Cuisines
- the Italian Cuisine Worldwide Awards
- the Italian Cuisine and Wines World Summit in Hong Kong
It has also collaborated with various prominent institutions and enterprises to the realization of initiatives such as:
- CNO campaign for High Quality and Traceability of Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- MondoLambrusco, for the Renaissaince of the famous Italian wine, with the Enoteca Regionale Emilia Romagna
- Certification of Proficiency in Italian Cuisine with Academia Barilla
- Other satisfactory collaborations were established in the past years with Medoliva, Extra Bari, Alma Viva Colorno, Barolo Auctions, Vitigno Italia Napoli, Tuttofood Milan, Cibus Rome.
Itchefs-GVCI web site and its periodic webzine ItChefs&Co is offered to:
- Industry professionals working outside Italy (chefs, restaurateurs, restaurant managers, sommeliers, food & beverage managers, other hospitality managers, importers, distributors, retailers, media people, culinary students, etc.) and their English-speaking final customers.
- Industry professionals working in Italy (food and wine producers, Italian exporters, regulators, promotional organizations of food, wine and tourism, media people, and selected tourist operators, chefs and restaurateurs).
- Gourmets, lovers of Italian Cuisine, non-professional cooks, cooking schools and their students.
Managing Editor: ROSARIO SCARPATO.
Contributors: MARIO CARAMELLA, PAOLO MONTI, MARINA NOUGUÉS, PETER LARSEN.
