As part of the Made in Italy promotion activities in Bulgaria, the Digital Award Ceremony of Italian Hospitality in Bulgaria – Italian Restaurants and Ice Cream Parlors in the World, 2020/2021 edition took place on Monday February 22nd 2021, at 16:30, through Zoom platform. The event was broadcasted in live streaming via Facebook on the Italian Hospitality – Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria page.
The main objective was to reward 15 restaurants and 2 ice cream parlors, winners of the “Italian Hospitality Trademark – Italian Restaurants and Ice Cream Parlours in the World“: Adella Restorant, Come Prima, Da Massimo, I Sensi Tuscany Bistrot, La Bicycle, La Capannina, Massimo’s House, Leo’s Il Rustico, Leo’s Pizza Trattoria, Panorama, Ristorante Pizzeria Felicità, Social Cafè Bar & Kitchen, Sopranos, The Residence Exclusive Club, Vip Room, Gelato and Latte eBriciole.
The initiative, promoted by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria in collaboration with Unioncamere and ISNART – National Institute for Tourist Research, saw the participation during “greetings” session of the President of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria, Marco Montecchi, of the Ambassador of Italy in Bulgaria, Giuseppina Zarra, and of the ISNART President, Roberto Di Vincenzo, with a brief introduction of the works by the Secretary General of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria, Rosa Cusmano.
The digital event had even the aim of reiterating the excellent relations between Italy and Bulgaria, both in terms of companies, in this case of catering and ice cream, and in terms of the territory, emphasizing the presence of the “ambassadors of Italian taste ”, represented by the best Italian restaurants and ice cream parlors in Bulgaria, certified with the Trademark, in order to confirm the traditions and the Italian character of both flavors and hospitality, throughout the Bulgarian territory.
“Catering as well as ice cream parlors are undoubtedly still facing an unprecedented period of difficulty. Even more so, we must commend those who, despite all, have continued to work in a good way, without ever sacrificing quality and evolving according to current needs. We must never forget that these are fundamental sectors for our country, both from an economic point of view and from a cultural and identity point of view”, declared the President of the CCIB, Marco Montecchi.
The importance of the international project, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism, by the Ministry of Economic Development and by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Agri-food Policies, has been underlined many times, both by the Ambassador Giuseppina Zarra, and by the President of ISNART Roberto Di Vincenzo, who emphasized the concept of authenticity of the Italian agri-food and and wine product, expressing their appreciation on the numerous promotional activities implemented by the Italian Chamber Commerce in Bulgaria over the 11 years life of the project, with the Italian restaurant network certified in the country.
“I am delighted to take part today in the “Italian Hospitality” awards event, the first public event in which I have taken part since the beginning of my term in Bulgaria. Therefore, I thank the Italian Chamber of Commerce for the invitation and I consider the work of promoting and fighting to Italian Sounding, of protecting the authentic Italian food product and maintaining the traditional quality food and wine culture that is carried out annually by the network of strategic importance of restaurants and ice cream parlors certified with the “Italian Hospitality” Quality Trademark, in close synergy with the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria”, declared Ambassador Zarra.
“Even in the current pandemic situation we are experiencing, the “Italian Hospitality – Restaurants and Ice Cream Parlours in the World” project has shown how fundamental it is to promote Italian companies and continuously affirm the Made in Italy as a synonym of quality and safety”, said President Di Vincenzo, who during that occasion underlined how “the safety mark transmitted by Italian products and businesses has played a fundamental role during the Covid-19 emergency. For this reason, it is therefore important to highlight the efforts made by the hospitality sector operators who help to convey our Made in Italy in Bulgaria ”, concluded President Di Vincenzo.
The speech of the institutional representatives were followed by the award ceremony to bestow the plaques and certificates “Italian Hospitality-Edition 2021“ during which the Secretary General of the CCIB announced, through multimedia material, the 12 Italian restaurants, which reconfirmed compliance with the specific requirements of “Italian Hospitality” including La Capannina, Panorama and Leo’s Pizza Trattoria, holders of the Mark for 10 years, and 3 new restaurants that have been awarded the Quality Label for the first time – La Bicicletta, La Casa di Massimo and Ristorante Pizzeria Felicità.
The award ceremony to bestow the plaques and certificates of participation concluded with the 2 ice cream parlors Briciole and Gelato and Latte, which were the best response of the first edition of the Italian Hospitality Trademark – Italian Ice Cream Shops in the World.
The digital event continued with the presentation of the first edition of the Guide of Italian Hospitality in Bulgaria, a tool to strengthen the promotion of Made in Italy agri-food in Bulgaria, conceived and created by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria. With a brief introduction of the new project by the Italian Hospitality Desk Manager CCIB Nicoletta Bisaro, who at the same time outlined the stages of the project actions carried out during the 11 years of activity and illustrated the objectives of the Desk, the Guide of Italian Hospitality in Bulgaria was presented by Rebecca Regis, Department of “PR, Communication and Marketing“.
“This is an editorial project, with the aim of promoting the Italian cuisine throughout the territory and directing consumers, citizens and tourists to the best Italian restaurants, which, respecting the requirements of the Trademark, have proven themselves to be the winners of Italian Hospitality in Bulgaria 2020/2021. The Guide, created in both Italian and Bulgarian, will be available both online and in paper format, connecting the Italian territory and tradition with Bulgaria, showing the winners and strengthening the spread and promotion of Italianness and Italian companies in the Bulgarian territory. The editorial project is configured as a virtual map including useful information for the consumer, communication channels used by the structure, photographic detail of the gastronomic proposal with a specific focus on the soul of the restaurant and ice cream parlor: the chef and the ice cream maker who, thanks to their professional experience and the continuous updating of their skills, they contribute to the enhancement of quality food and wine and agri-food excellence and to the maintenance of traditional Made in Italy cuisine”, declared Rebecca Regis.
A photo gallery of the event is available on chamber social media, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram, along with the Facebook page OspitalitàItaliana – Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria.
The video recording of the event is available on the Chamber’s Youtube channel.
