ALMA – The School of Italian Culinary Arts — the most authoritative center for high education in Italian Cuisine and hospitality internationally — officially marked the opening of its first flagship school in Southeast Asia with a special inauguration ceremony at The Food School Bangkok, Thailand’s first multinational culinary school, where ALMA, alongside TSUJI Culinary Institute and Dusit Thani College, is based.
Presided over by Mr Enzo Malanca, President and CEO of ALMA – The School of Italian Culinary Arts, His Excellency Mr Paolo Dionisi, Ambassador of Italy to Thailand, and ALMA’s Italian Chef Instructors, the inauguration ceremony served as a platform to warmly welcome the first batch of students of ALMA’s Italian Cuisine and Italian Bakery and Pastry Certificate Courses. Mr Malanca also shared the inspiration and vision behind opening the first flagship ALMA school in Southeast Asia at The Food School Bangkok.
“ALMA’s mission is to bring and promote Italy’s unique culinary heritage to world, and we felt that Thailand was the closest in terms of gastronomic culture,” said Mr Malanca. “The kingdom’s geographical position ensures students from around Southeast Asia can easily journey to the school and hone their skills with professional courses that reflect the latest culinary trends and innovations.”
Since 2004, ALMA has undergone constant growth and upholds its goals of ensuring ALMA’s educational courses remain up-to-date and that students become resilient to the ever-changing and professional culinary world. To achieve such goals, ALMA ensures all of its professional programmes, now offered in over 20 countries, are aligned with the renowned high standards established at ALMA’s headquarters in Italy.
“Globally, we produce over 1,000 graduates each year, and we do our utmost to ensure each of our graduates is equipped with a solid understanding of traditional and contemporary approaches to add value and creativity to their dishes, and masterly start their careers in the industry,” said Mr Malanca.
At The Food School Bangkok, ALMA is now offering Certificated Courses and Short Courses in Italian Cuisine and Italian Bakery & Pastry, and Masterclasses in Italian Cuisine. Professional chef instructors leading the courses from ALMA include Chef Francesco De Rosa and Chef Martina Sabbioni, who specialise in traditional Italian dishes, and Chef Enrico Nativi, who specialise in traditional and contemporary Italian bakery and pastry.
Speaking on behalf of Dusit International, one of the key equity partners in The Food School, Mr Siradej Donavanik, Vice President – Development Global, Dusit International, said, “Italian cuisine is rich with heritage, and the country’s food and desserts are among the most loved dishes worldwide. To learn how to cook it well, you need to learn from the very best, and this is exactly what ALMA offers. As part of our goal to create the first mulit-national culinary institute in Thailand, we are delighted to work ALMA as an important educational partner and key investor in The Food School, and we look forward to embracing our shared values to empower sustainability, nurture entrepreneurial mindsets, and create a progressive learning community with them.”
Mr Paolo Dionisi, Ambassador of Italy to Thailand, said, “ALMA, meaning ‘soul’ in Italian, represents the essence of our culture and cuisine. I am delighted ALMA is bringing the true taste and traditions of our country to Thailand at The Food School and inspiring the next generation of Italian chefs from the kingdom and beyond.
Together with the other esteemed partners in The Food School, ALMA has a fantastic opportunity to innovate the future of food and beverage to the benefit of the broader community. I look forward to seeing graduates going on to wow diners at the world’s finest restaurants – and creating excellent restaurants of their own.”
Alongside its main culinary programmes, ALMA hopes to further spread Italian food culture in Thailand through other special activities arranged at The Food School Bangkok, such as such as Personalised Courses for Businesses and Cooking Camps for Teenagers.