Italian Trade Agency to hold live student cook-off and cooking show at Blackpool and the Fylde College

Blackpool and the Fylde College will host a culinary event celebrating Italian cured meats on Thursday, April 23 as part of an international educational initiative led and organised by ITA - the Italian Trade Agency - in collaboration with ASSICA (Associazione Industriali delle Carni e dei Salumi – Association of Italian Meats and Cured Meats), and in association with Lancashire and the North West Magazine.

ITA - Italian Trade Promotion Agency operates through a worldwide network of 69 offices and 18 Satellite offices in 74 countries.

The event - Italian Salumi, The UK Contest - will feature a live cooking competition involving three culinary students, each challenged to create an original dish with Italian cured meats as the central ingredient – a chance to demonstrate technical skill, creativity and contemporary presentation.

The contest will be hosted and presented by celebrated Italian culinary expert Maurizio Bocchi.

The finalists for Blackpool and the Fylde College are Jack Coles, who will be preparing Mortadella, Scotch quails egg with salsa verde and red amaranth.

Mitchell Booth, who will create grilled monkfish wrapped in prosciutto with bean stew, and Stanley Brown, who will present bresaola and blackcurrant risotto with rocket.

The competition will take place in front of an audience of industry professionals and invited guests.

Catherine Yeo, Assistant Principal for Leadership, Management and Lifestyle at Blackpool and the Fylde College, will welcome attendees alongside the Italian Consul, Gabriele Magagnin.

The young competitors will then be judged by a panel comprised of industry experts and other dignitaries, including Chloe Thompson, local food influencer, Vanessa Sims, editor of the Blackpool Gazette, and Carolyn Glover, owner of Flavours Cookery School.

Now in its second year, the wider project of the Italian Trade Agency aims to promote Italian PDO and PGI cured meats, highlighting their quality, versatility and role in modern cuisine. Following successful collaborations in the previous edition with colleges in Cardiff, Glasgow and Edinburgh, the programme has expanded to include London-based colleges and now Blackpool and the Fylde College.

The events aim to educate and inspire young British chefs, demonstrating how Italian excellence, specifically cured meats can be creatively utilised by young, talented British chefs, all whilst encouraging cultural exchange, innovation and respect for culinary traditions.

Each participating college hosts a local culinary contest, selecting one winner who will advance to a grand final in London - where the title of Best Young Chef for Italian Cured Meats will be awarded.

Annie Kerfoot, Vice Principal, Foundational Economy at Blackpool and The Fylde College, said: “We are absolutely delighted that the ITA has selected us to host this exciting competition.”

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for our culinary students to showcase their talent on such a prestigious platform working with world-class Italian ingredients. Events like this are invaluable for our students’ development and we are proud to be part of this celebration of Italian culinary excellence.”

Gabriella Migliore, Deputy Director of the Italian Trade Agency said: “ITA is delighted to be back in the UK and to be working with students from Blackpool and the Fylde College, the chefs of the future. These students will become the storytellers and ambassadors of these products in the future, bringing together their talent with the unique quality of Italian salumi. We are especially pleased to focus on colleges such as Blackpool and the Fylde College through this fun competition, introducing more students to the tradition and versatility of Italian cured and deli meats.”

Giovanni Facchini, Communication & Promotion Specialist at ASSICA, said: “We are delighted to continue promoting this project in UK colleges together with ITA, following the success of last year's edition. The United Kingdom is a very important market for Italian deli products, and we are extremely proud to be able to raise awareness and enthusiasm among the new generation of chefs.

Italy and the UK: a strong partnership

The United Kingdom remains one of Italy's most important commercial partners. According to HMRC data, Italian cured meat exports to the UK increased in 2024, with growth ranging between +13% and +17% in value. Despite market fluctuations, Italian products have maintained a strong and stable market share, reflecting continued consumer confidence in the quality and excellence of Italian cured meats.

The initiative also aligns with the recent recognition of Italian cuisine as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, reinforcing Italy's global culinary leadership.