TORONTO — George Brown College (GBC) recently celebrated its 20-year partnership with ALMA School of Culinary Arts in Italy with a series of events called Celebrating Italia!
On January 30, chef Ernesto Iaccarino of Don Alfonso 1890 in Italy, with his team from Toronto headed by chef de cuisine Davide Ciavattella, hosted a hands-on culinary Masterclass at GBC.
The next day, GBC held a ceremony in its Grand Atrium to mark the 20-year partnership, featuring honoured guests including Andrea Sinigaglia, general manager of ALMA, and Rudi Fischbacher, Dean of GBC. The special guests addressed the successful program and presented this year’s returning culinary graduate students with their certificates.
The ceremony was followed by a cocktail reception featuring Italian-themed aperitivi, including a tasting station from guest chef Iaccarino and the Don Alfonso team. Guests also grazed through regional-themed stations, including one highlighting the GBC Advanced Italian Culinary Arts program students.
“We’re honoured to host chef Iaccarino in Toronto for this prestigious event, celebrating a truly international partnership of culinary excellence,” says Nick Di Donato, president and CEO, Liberty Entertainment Group (LEG). “As our partner and mentor at Don Alfonso, it’s a marvelous opportunity to highlight the award-winning leadership and talent of chef Ernesto and the Don Alfonso brand to our esteemed guests and partners. Celebrating Italia! is an honour for us, as well as a testament to the city of Toronto, George Brown College, and its students, and finally, the city’s maturing culinary scene.”
