The Cooking Show has had another amusing week. This live TV show featuring encounters between Italian and international chefs meeting and sharing dishes, recipes, cultures and cookery stories – all focused around the main theme of Expo Milano 2015, “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life” – is recorded daily in the RAI studios in the Expo Center. Each day it features two different chefs, and the same presenter, namely Lisa Casali, a sustainable cookery expert who concludes the show by preparing a third dish, made from the ingredients left over from the making of the two chefs’ dishes.
This week began with the Expo Ambassador ChefUgo Alciati, who prepared his tajarin pasta dish, together with the ChineseChef Wu Jing, who cooked two different kinds of ravioli with different “closures”: the prawn Shao Mai and the Jiaozi, stuffed with prawns and grated limes. Guest of the day wasMarco Bianchi, the young scientific researcher and cook, who is currently riding a wave of success in print and on TV thanks to his ability to discuss wellbeing and health in a simple but interesting way. Bringing extra focus on vegetables, two experts showed their skills:Angelo Sabatelli,preparing stuffed red peppers, andPietro Leeman, specialist in high quality natural vegetarian cuisine, who created a gluten-free dish called Maggese and tempura. Guest for this installment was presenter and authorPaola Maugeri, a convinced Vegan, who has written her experiences and her favorite vegetarian recipes in her book Las Vegans.
Luigi Taglienti, a young chef from Liguria, took his turn at the The Cooking Show’s cookers to prepare striped bass with peach and king trumpet mushrooms, whileFabrizio Nonisrevisited an old international standard with hisGlocal Club Sandwich. A persuasive invitation to combat food waste was launched byFranco Alibertiwith his No Waste Zucchina, whileJanez Bratovzfrom Slovenia juggled with bold tastes with his lamb and herbs wrapped in artichoke and bacon, with cabbage and mixed vegetables. Abundant ideas and vitality were provided byIsabella Pratesi, a campaigner for the protection of Italy’s natural patrimony, and the “gastronaut”Davide Paolini, a long-time crusader for the promotion and protection of typical Italian products and small high quality food producers.
This week has also been World Tomato Week, so naturally a special tomato-focused episode of The Cooking Show was staged:Agostino Iacobuccipresented his Raviolo with Neapoletan Meat Sauce, andFilippo Chiappini Dattilocreated an unusual Goat Ricotta Pie with blended Piacenza tomatoes and mountain herbs.Mara Negrati, a Specialist in Food Science, explained the benefits and virtues of the tomato, and asserted that pasta with tomato is a dish which should feature in any balanced diet.
How to participate in the Cooking Show
If you want to take part inThe Cooking Showas a member of its studio audience, register at the Infopoint in front of the Expo Center, every day up until 14:30. The live show takes place every day inside the RAI studio in the Expo Center, close to Pavilion Zero, from 15:30 to 16:30.
