It was the Lord’s year 2002 when, together with 2 students from the reception department, I went to UK where they would carry out 3 weeks internship at the reception of 2 prestigious hotels in London. One would go to the luxurious Connaught Hotel in Mayfair while the other at the St George Hotel.
The experience was already gorgeous, exciting and rich in itself for the girls but we had the opportunity to spend 4 days in Abergavenny, Wales, to attend the "Food and Wine Festival", a picturesque market made of local products, forerunner of today's street food.
So we left 4 days earlier than expected and we were guests of a gentleman, also from Le Marche region, from Montefano, who in Wales had opened the first starred restaurant “The Walnut Tree” and now a reference for Italian catering.
We have immediately been informed that in Francio Taruschio”s beautiful Mansion House there would also be the famous Giorgio Locatelli. In my opinion and without any knowledge, I thought he was the owner of the mozzarella and cheese company, which aroused great hilarity in the people there.
In the late afternoon, Giorgio Locatelli arrived, acclaimed by everyone and I was told he was the owner of the famous starred restaurant "Locanda Locatelli" located in Seymour Street central London.
We all ate together in Franco Taruschio's kitchen and the next day we would all go to the kitchen of the local school to prepare the dishes for the tourists for the following days.
It is precisely at that moment that the proposal of the year was made to me: Giorgio Locatelli asked me for a collaboration with our school and that was having our students twice a year at his restaurant to carry out the usual 4-week internship.
What can I say? At first it seemed more than tempting just for the fact of being in London and expand our destinations, but then, when we knew Giorgio Locatelli well, we immediately understood the great opportunity that was given to us. Yes, indeed, we were the first school ever to join Giorgio's team, but the boys could also enjoy and grasp all the enthusiasm that this great chef put onto his work: every time he took us around the kitchen, he showed each station of the brigade with the proper preparations, in short, he was able to transfer all his background to us and we understood why he had come this far.
Nowadays he has been able to sorround himself with notable and professional chefs who bring about new challenges to the restaurant. I am talking about Rino Bono and Sergio Fontana.
Then, over the years, the "internship" project has turned into an all-round Erasmus project: not only the restaurant where you work counts, but everything you come into contact with, makes the difference.
An Erasmus project is opening up to the world, have no prejudices of any kind with the aim of broadening one's horizons and goals. So why not do it in London which is the European capital with lots of different nationalities, religions, cultures and traditions.
All in a melting pot that you can only create within an Erasmus project.
And yes, THEY, our students are really the "Erasmus generation" and I am really proud of them.
Simonetta Ciucciomei
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