LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--World-renowned Los Angeles Chef Celestino Drago is taking a group of aspiring Hollywood child chefs on a nutritious culinary journey to harvest their school’s backyard garden vegetables and herbs as ingredients to make their own healthy pizzas and pastas. The event is part of an Italian government inspired “Club EATalian” campaign to focus awareness on the healthy benefits of authentic Mediterranean meals in the wake of a nationwide epidemic of U.S. childhood diabetes and obesity which is now spreading across the globe.
The field trip on March 21 begins at 9:00 .a.m. at the Chef Alice Waters-created “Edible Schoolyard” located at the Larchmont Charter School of West Hollywood (1265 N. Fairfax Avenue, CA 90046) where third-graders are learning about how to grow fresh foods in their school’s backyard. The children will take their ingredients to Drago Centro (525 South Flower Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071) to learn how to prepare and cook delicious and nutritious, authentic Italian pizzas, pastas and sauces at Drago Centro under the tutelage of Chef Drago and Piccolo Chef, the leading L.A. cooking school for kids. The field trip group arrives at Drago Centro at 11:00 a.m.
The outing is part of an innovative series of events sponsored by The Italian Ministry of Economic Development in association with the Italian Trade Commission and the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce West.
“Teaching today’s youth about healthy eating alternatives is critical for the health of future generations,” said Patrizia Giarratana, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Economic Development, Italy, who traveled here from Rome for the March campaign of events. “Like so many involved in this movement from First Lady Michelle Obama to Chef Alice Waters, we hope to share knowledge about the importance of fresh ingredients and authentic cooking styles as a way to combat the unfortunate epidemic of obesity and diabetes in America.”
“Teaching children about correct food preparation and healthy cooking is an important start to improving nutrition awareness and an invaluable life skill,” said Chef Celestino Drago, owner of Drago Centro and proprietor of three other Drago-branded Los Angeles restaurants. “Getting hands-on experience from farm to fork is key to combating this growing epidemic of childhood disease that has been getting worse with each passing year. Chef Reba and the team at Piccolo Chef work to combat this growing trend with every workshop and class they teach young cooks-in-training. I’m pleased to help this mission.”
ABOUT THE ITALIAN MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Thanks to the integration of International Commerce and Communications, the Ministry of Economic Development now possesses all the necessary tools for allowing key factors affecting the country's economic growth – investment promotion, innovation, energy, new communication technologies, internationalization – to be managed in a unified and integrated way. These tools aim to support companies along the difficult path of globalization and, since the government's task is to stimulate, facilitate and sustain the development of the economy, they will be used in co-ordinated and consistent actions.
Supporting the Italian economic system beyond the country’s borders is a top priority and this will see Italy launching a new export and investment challenge. The opening up of markets – emerging markets in particular – will bring about great development opportunities for the Italian economy. Italy can seize these opportunities by reinforcing its presence abroad through increasingly integrated promotion and financial activities. The Ministry of Economic Development is committed to achieving this goal.
ABOUT THE ITALIAN TRADE COMMISSION
The Italian Trade Commission - ICE is the Italian government agency entrusted with the development, facilitation and promotion of trade between Italy and other countries in the world. Its mission is to support the internationalization of Italian firms and their consolidation in foreign markets. With 115 offices in 86 countries of which 5 are located in the US - New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami - ITC’s objective is to promote the excellence of “Made in Italy” worldwide. For more information please visit www.italianmade.com.
ABOUT THE ITALY-AMERICA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WEST
Founded in 1987, the Italy America Chamber of Commerce West (IACCW) is a private, non-profit organization whose mission is to promote and stimulate economic and trade relations between Italy and the Western United States. The goal of the IACCW is to provide both members and the business community with a broad range of services, emphasizing commercial assistance and referrals, in support of their business activities and expansion goals. In addition, the IACCW organizes on-going events including conferences, seminars and lunch meetings, attended by high-profile individuals from the entrepreneurial, governmental, political, diplomatic and cultural sectors, designed to open new levels of cooperation and dialogue.
ABOUT CELESTINO DRAGO RESTAURANT GROUP
When Celestino Drago opened his first restaurant more than 20 years ago, his goal was to share the flavor of Italy with Los Angeles. It started with Drago in Santa Monica and continued to grow. With four restaurants, Drago, Enoteca Drago, Il Pastaio and Drago Centro, Celestino continues to be one of the premier Italian chefs in the United States.
Additionally, Celestino operates Dolce Forno Bakery, located in Culver City. Dolce Forno not only provides baked goods to all of the restaurants, but other area eateries as well. It is not uncommon to see a Dolce Forno Bakery truck transversing the streets of Los Angeles, making deliveries. Drago also provides catering and air catering services. Drago Air provides catering services to some of the top airlines. If you fly first class, chances are you probably enjoyed one of Celestino’s delicious dishes. Please visit www.celestinodrago.com for more information.
ABOUT PICCOLO CHEF
Piccolo Chef Co-founders Tina Fanelli Moraccini and Lilian Palmieri are “mom-preneurs” with a vision to make nutritious, delicious cooking attainable and fun to children of all ages and walks of life. An award-winning cooking school for kids and their grown-ups, the company teaches the art of healthy cooking and reconnecting with one another through all phases of the cooking process from the garden to the table. For more information and to learn more about the importance of healthy eating as an invaluable life skill, please visit www.piccolochef.com or call (310) 295-4208.
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