On May 29, Italy’s Consul to Erbil Michele Camerota delivered certificates to Salahaddin University-Erbil (SUE) students who participated in the Italian cuisine master classes organized at the Italian restaurant Don Gennaro with Chef Angelo Giannino.

“The Consulate provided a fund for training students from SUE,” said Director of SUE’s Career Development Center Hussein Ahmad Mustafa.

Consul @micheleCamerota with students of #SalahddinUniversity - Erbil delivers certificates of participation in the Italian cuisine Master Classes organized at #DonGennaro with chef #AngeloGiannino. pic.twitter.com/K41AyaHzKI

— Italy in KRI (@ItalyinKRI) May 30, 2024

A total of 30 students took part in the course and were trained how to make Italian food, including pizza, pasta, sweets,and desserts. “We appreciate the training opportunity at the famous Don Gennaro,” he said.

Moreover, he said that the participants received an international certificate, and some of them will start a job at the second branch of the Italian restaurant at the Erbil International Airport.

“SUE appreciates this and we look forward to more cooperation with the Italian mission here in Iraq and Kurdistan,” Mustafa said.

“It was a good initiation for the students,” said Institutional Coordinator for the SUE Erasmus Plus Project Mahabad Ali. “Through the course they learned about Italian culture and cuisine. They enjoyed the experience and were motivated to work in restaurants, especially the first group from the Tourism and Management department, as it’s their field.”

She also said that classes were a good opportunity for the students to get a job before they graduate. “All of them were in the last year of their undergraduate education, so it was a good opportunity for them.”

At the event Consul Camerota said that for three consecutive years the Italian Consulate has organized events on the occasion of the Week of the Italian Cuisine in the World promoted by Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This year the consulate added masterclasses in Italian cuisine for 30 students from SUE in collaboration with Italian Delicacies Co. at Don Gennaro, a renowned Italian restaurant in Erbil. The masterclasses were taught by Chef Angelo Giannino.

He said this is especially important following a decree from the Kurdistan Regional Government that at least 75% of the labor force should be local.

“In Italy we believe in tourism,” Consul Camerota said. “It’s one of the main sources of income in our country. When you say tourism you also need services for visitors, so you need to develop skills in hospitality and learn how to manage a restaurant well.”