This event really deserves its name: Taste of Italy. Food you find here just tastes as it would if you were in Italy, in the North or in the South, in a restaurant or in the streets.

The 4th edition of the Festival, presented by the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles (IAMLA), takes place every year at Pico House, in downtown L.A. Here, even the simplest recipe, tastes delicious.

 
There’s room for the most traditional dishes as well as the new Italian cuisine, which very often Italian-Americans don’t have the chance to experience. “Italian cuisine has perpetually been influenced by trade and by contact with other cultures” says IAMLA Executive Director Marianna Gatto. “Remember, Italy did not have corn or tomatoes prior to Columbus’s voyages! Cuisine evolves!”
 
Ingredients are kept simple, and the result is great. Over 50 restaurants, many of which have won Italy’s highest culinary honor, the Marchio Ospitalità Italiana, reunited in the beautiful location, for a one night festival that really reminds of Italians summer’s nights. But we are in the heart of Los Angeles, and not only Italians missing their home walk in to savor a little of Italy. 

Marianna Gatto, IAMLA Executive Director 

 
“People of all walks of life and origins attend the event,” continues Gatto, “even if Taste of Italy is most popular with individuals who have traveled to Italy, who enjoy authentic Italian cuisine, exceptional wine, and who appreciate history. Our event is popular because it is inclusive of all people.”
 
So what makes Taste of Italy different from all the other Italian themed events in the area?
“I think our event is successful because it is innovative. We strive to communicate that Italian culture is not something frozen in the past. We avoid cultural stereotypes and resist being pigeonholed into what is often defined as Italian. At Taste of Italy you can see –and listen to- what Italy is doing TODAY.”
 
In fact, if food is the protagonist, a good “choreography” is a good accompaniment. This year collaboration with the music festival Hit Week brought on stage Mama Marjas directly from Puglia, Italy, some good vibes to make people dance while grabbing a bite.
Photo credits: Gianfilippo De Rossi
 

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