University of Gastronomic Sciences

University of Gastronomic Sciences Editorial Content and Coordination: Alessandra Abbona, Maria Bellingeri, David Szanto Contributors: Sandra Saporosi, Antonio Tavarozzi, and the alumni, students, staff, and faculty of the University of Gastronomic Sciences Photography: UNISG Archives, Frank Corsten, Michele D'Ottavio (Pho-to Photo Agency), Henry Hoffman, Corrado Leali, Marcello Marengo, Chantelle Packer, Alberto Peroli, Nicola Robecchi, Fulvio Silvestri, David Szanto, Mario Traina, Filippo Visconti di Modrone Graphic Design: Scriba Studio, Bra (Cn) Italy Printing: L ’Artigiana, Alba (Cn) Italy This prospectus was produced with the participation of Professor Marco Riva, who passed away unexpectedly in August 2008. We remember him fondly. Printed on environmentally friendly UPM paper awarded the Eco-label no. reg. FI/11/1 by the European Union. GET INTO THE FUTURE OF FOOD Carlo Petrini on the Hunger for Change 8 A New Definition of Gastronomy 9 Why Study Gastronomy? 11 ONE-YEAR MASTER’S PROGRAMS Thinking Globally, Studying Locally 12 Master of Food Culture and Communications 58 One School, Two Campuses 14 Master of Italian Gastronomy and Tourism 60 A Unique Educational Design 17 Course Descriptions 63 > Applying to the Programs 67 THREE-YEAR UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE IN GASTRONOMIC SCIENCES The Undergraduate Program 20 HITTING THE ROAD Course Overview 22 Course Descriptions 24 Students and Slow Food 70 Stages 36 Student Leadership 72 Outside the Classroom 38 The Youth Food Movement 75 > Applying to the Program 44 ON CAMPUS AND BEYOND TWO-YEAR GRADUATE DEGREE IN GASTRONOMY AND FOOD COMMUNICATIONS Student Services 78 Undergrad Alumni 82 The Graduate Program 48 Master Alumni 84 Course Overview 49 Getting to UNISG 86 Course Descriptions 50 UNISG Supporters 88 > Applying to the Program 54 UNISG Administration 96 7 Get into the future of food get into the future 8 of food 9 A Hunger For Change ’’ I like to know the history of a food and of the place that it comes from; I like to imagine the hands of the people who grew it, transported it, processed it, and cooked it before it was served to me. A New Definition of Gastronomy I do not want the food I consume to deprive others in the world of food. Even after four years in continual use here at the University of Gastronomic Sci- I like traditional farmers, the relationship they have with the earth and the way they ences, the word gastronomy cannot be spoken without a certain amount of clarifica- appreciate what is good. tion. It implies both the knowledge and discipline with which food must be studied, The good belongs to everyone; pleasure belongs to everyone, for it is in human nature. and brings together all the circumstances in which it is produced and processed. It There is food for everyone on this planet, but not everyone eats. Those who do eat includes science and humanities, the accurate portrayal of the past and present, as often do not enjoy it, but simply put gasoline into an engine. Those who do enjoy it well as delight and curiosity. But gastronomy is still more. In a world at once cohe- often do not care about anything else: about the farmers and the earth, about nature sive and divided and in open conflict with its own future, gastronomy is as critical to and the good things it can offer us. humanity as nutrition, and presents a way of thinking about and questioning this Few people know about the food they eat and derive enjoyment from that knowl- future. It comprises the means for evaluating the environment and sustainability, our edge, a source of pleasure which unites all the people who share it. times, and our social equilibria. I am a gastronome, and if that makes you smile, I assure you that it is not easy to The greatest challenge in using this term—as well as its derivative, the gastronome— be one. It is a complex matter, for gastronomy, though a Cinderella in the world of comes from it not being about belief but about practice. Gastronomy is a profession, a knowledge, is in fact a true science, which can open eyes. reason to act, a process of refining the senses, a way to study the earth and probe why And in this world of today it is very difficult to eat well, as gastronomy commands. products have appeal. And it is about creating commerce, But there is a future even now, if the gastronome hungers for change. markets, and culture. In this way, and within the university ’’ context, it is a method and set of tools for creating and giving Carlo Petrini value to food, and for preserving its culture and heritage. Today, gastronomy strikes to the heart of those seeking to understand and modify the meaning of nutrition and food studies. Where will our gastronomes land, once their studies here are completed? It is a question that deserves a good an- swer. They will be among those who grow, cook, distribute, sell, and promote, not replacing them, but coordinating and helping them work better, with more profit, and with greater unity. Four years after the creation of the University of Gastronomic Sciences, this role is finally being realized. Who can imagine what will come next? Alberto Capatti, Founding Dean, Professor of the History of Cuisine and Gastronomy get into the future 10 of food 11 Why Study Gastronomy? This is an early time in the history of “food studies.” Definitions are changing, and so are the expectations for people working in the many aspects of gastronomy. Around the world, the interconnections between food and society, food and economics, food and culture, and certainly food and politics are starting to be seen and very strongly felt. Having an innate under- standing of how these pieces fit together enables food-community and food- business leaders to make real change and achieve success for themselves and their organizations. The demands on the natural environment—and the effect of those demands—al- so make expertise in food systems critically important. From production to process- ing to distribution to consumption, our choices have enormous collective impact. Ed- ucated gastronomes, and their ability to influence others, are key to making this impact positive and productive, to ensure a sustainable future for the planet. Finally, and certainly not least important: food is fun, and nourishing, and deeply related to our sense of identity and self. Studying gastronomy reconnects us to our history and our culture, and builds continuity, creativity, and community—those elements at the very foundation of our humanity. get into the future 12 of food 13 Thinking Globally Studying Locally ’ With representation from over 40 different countries, from southeast Asia to the U.S. Pacific Northwest, central Africa to the edge of the Arctic, the University of Gastronomic Sciences is becoming a veritable crossroads of international gastronomy. This means more than just a richness of language and traditions being shared; it inspires a truly global conception of food studies, and an educational perspective that not only draws on the best the world has to offer, but that can effect relevant change when UNISG graduates return to their home countries. Active relationship development with universities and other institutions abroad creates an ongoing flow of students and teachers to stimulate new thinking within the university community. And with convivia in more than 130 countries, the international Slow Food network offers opportunities for long-term student exchange, academic development, and professional networking. get into the future 14 of food 15 One School Two Campuses ’ Pollenzo Nestled in the foothills of the Langhe, in Italy’s famed wine region of Piedmont, sits the 13th century, and survived sieges, fires, and numerous reconstructions before being ancient Roman town of Pollenzo, home to the university’s three-year undergraduate acquired by the province of Parma in 1870. Today, thanks to support from local and two-year graduate programs. A few kilometers away is the city of Bra, headquar- authorities, it continues to be strategically valuable, giving the university a base in the ters of the international Slow Food movement, the founder of the university. The heart of one of Italy’s most important areas of high-quality food production. Master’s school’s offices and classrooms are housed in two elegant Romanesque structures in students live in both Colorno and Parma, just fifteen kilometers away, taking advan- Pollenzo—the Cascina Albertina and the Agenzia di Pollenzo—that date from the first tage of both the smaller city’s gentle pace and the larger city’s culture and nightlife. half of the 19th century. A former center of operations for agricultural, viticultural, and zootechnical research undertaken by Italy’s then royal house of Savoy, the Agenzia building was acquired in 1999 and later renovated by a collective of four institutions. Today, the university, the Albergo (Hotel) dell’Agenzia, the restaurant Guido, and the Banca del Vino (Wine Bank) all share the space and together comprise a destination for gastronomic learning and experience. University life moves between Pollenzo and Bra, where students, staff, and faculty socialize and interact at both academic and cultural events. Colorno Situated midway between the great Po River and the food and art center of Parma, Colorno occupies a historically strategic location. It is here, in a former ducal palace that was once the summer home of Napoleon’s second wife, Marie Louise, that the two master’s programs take place. The dramatic Reggia di Colorno dates from the get into the future 16 of food 17 A Unique Educational Design Within all of UNISG’s undergraduate and graduate programs, the educational design features a multidisciplinary and multiexperiential approach to learning.

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