Pino Cuttaia to organise Cooking Med in Agrigento, Sicily next year

Pino Cuttaia, chef of two Michelin star Sicilian restaurant La Madia will be organising Cooking Med, an event that will bring to the fore sustainability of the sea and focus on themes like marine pollution, seasonal fishing, cooking ‘humble fish’ and the geopolitical role of the Mediterranean.

The first edition of the event takes place in Agrigento in September 2019.

Cuttaia loves to call the Mediterranean Sea his garden and has decided to launch this project which aims to bring topics that have always been close to his heart from sea sustainability to the cultural role of the Mediterranean into the spotlight.

He has been inspired by his friend and colleague Norbert Niedekofler, the organiser of Care’s and Cook the Mountain.

Cuttaia’s aim is for Cooking Med to become a laboratory for research on gastronomy. He aims to bring together the traditions of various Mediterranean countries and explore the resources, passions and heritage of these countries.

With Cooking Med, he aims to rediscover all traditions linked to cooking but also the sharing of knowledge on fish and fishing, a space where fishermen and producers can discuss and speak about the nutritional aspects of various food as well as the meaning of local food.

The event will bring together sociologists, artists and scientists who can speak about the link between sustainable development, ethical consumption and the sea.

The event takes place in Agrigento, the Italian capital of culture for 2020. It is set to be launched at the end of September 2018. The scientific parter of the event is Unimed which is an association of Mediterranean universities. This association will co-ordinate activities and will also organise a summer school. The aim is for youths to work on projects linked to sustainability and ethical consumption that they can present the following year. 

Cuttaia will lead a group of chefs who will work on creating a manifesto to share on terroir, the importance of seasonality, nutrition, sea, sustainability and related teams.

There will also be a permanent research laboratory with the aim of creating a continuous exchange among chefs from the Mediterrenean. The event will include masterclasses, show cooking, talks, seminars as well as cultural events and dinners.