By Daily Press staff
Six chefs from three acclaimed Italian restaurants visited St. Joseph Center’s Bread & Roses Café in Venice earlier this month to cook delicacies for more than 100 homeless men and women, and to demonstrate the fine art of Italian cuisine to eight graduates from the Center’s Culinary Training Program.
It was the beginning of “Italian Summer,” a series of special events organized by the Italian Consulate, Italian Trade Commission, Italian Cultural Institute, Italy- America Chamber of Commerce West, and the Italian Tourism Board.
In the morning, Chefs Luca Manderino and Craudio De Marco from La Sosta in Hermosa Beach prepared a meal of prosciutto, mozzarella di bufala campana, Italian mixed vegetables, risotto, and tiramisu for three sit-down lunches for the homeless clients.
In the early afternoon, Chefs Davide Vedovelli and West Hooker of Locanda Del Lago in Santa Monica instructed the Center’s culinary graduates in the preparation of risotto with duck breast ragu. “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day,” said Hooker. “Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”
Later in the afternoon, Valentino restaurateur, Piero Selvaggio, and Valentino chefs Ezio Gamba and Giacomo Pettinari showed the graduates how to prepare swordfish involtini with couscous. Food for the event also was donated by Pecorino in Brentwood, Il Fornaio on the Beach in Santa Monica, and Piccolo Ristorante in Venice.
“It is our idea with ‘Italian Summer’ to reach the entire community of Los Angeles,” said Diego Brasioli, Italian Consul General for Los Angeles. “To present
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 18, 2005. Read the original PDF.