When tradition meets innovation – the alliances that promote Italian excellence
29 October 2024
If you ask any Italian where they prefer eating, virtually every one of them will answer, “at my mum’s house”. But, if you shift the focus to a wider area, the choice will undoubtedly fall on Emilia-Romagna.
This region has one of the highest concentrations of PDO and PGI products, authentic symbols of Italian gastronomic excellence. This is where the true icons of our culinary tradition – products renowned worldwide – come from.
And alongside the products, there are the recipes that are part of everyday life and festivities, and the big-name chefs who know how to transform first-class ingredients into unique dishes.
Surgital was founded in and is part of this area, in the heart of the so-called Food Valley where recipes and artisanal techniques have been handed down from one generation to the next over the centuries, thus preserving an invaluable gastronomic legacy.
Since the company was founded, we have set ourselves the goal of preserving and disseminating this wealth of knowledge, adapting it to the needs of large-scale production, but never losing sight of the artisanal craftsmanship.
Our mission as a company is well-defined and set out clearly in our manifesto. It is founded on three pillars: preserving the tradition of fresh pasta and Italian cuisine by promoting quality ingredients; sustaining the local area by boosting the local gastronomic culture; and fostering relations between the world of work, universities and food service professionals to train talented young individuals and integrate innovation and tradition.
A concrete example of this commitment is the Food-ER project, launched in 2022, that brings together the universities, businesses and institutions based in Emilia-Romagna to create an international hub of training and research in the agrifood industry. With advanced courses, it prepares talented young people to tackle the challenges of food quality, innovation and sustainability. Surgital play an active role in this network, by strengthening the link between tradition, innovation and the academic and industrial world.
This approach is also reflected in the collaborations with the University of Bologna, University of Pollenzo and hotel management schools, as well as in the partnerships with Identità Golose and support for Team Italy of the Bocuse d’Or, thus demonstrating Surgital’s ongoing commitment to promoting and enhancing the very best of Italian cuisine.
Casa Artusi and the Italianismi nel Mondo exhibition
One of the most significant partnerships stipulated with Italian culinary culture is the one with Casa Artusi.
“We are fortunate in having the father of Italian cuisine in our area”, explains Andrea Bino, Surgital Marketing Manager.
A partnership that was reinforced by the Italianismi nel Mondo exhibition, officially opened at Cibus 2024 with Surgital acting as the main sponsor.
Created in combination with the government programme The Extraordinary Italian Taste by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, it is sponsored by the ‘Università per stranieri di Siena’, the Regione Emilia Romagna and AtLiTeG (Atlas of the language and texts of Italian gastronomic culture). Eight photographic panels that recount the depth of Italian cuisine through a mosaic of traditions and diversity, starting with language.
“Working with Surgital to develop a cultural product such as this exhibition was the natural evolution of a meeting between two businesses in the Emilia-Romagna region, united by the common goal of bringing the ‘beauty and goodness’ of Italian cuisine to the world”. Chiara Galbiati, CEO of Casa Artusi
Italian food terms, such as pasta, pizza, spaghetti and tiramisu, as well as macaroni, cappelletti and lasagne, are now in common use worldwide and recognised everywhere. Surgital, a promoter of Italian gastronomic culture for over forty years, has embraced this project because of the shared values.
“This event reflects our commitment to promoting Italian cuisine. A commitment that we have sustained from the very start, written in black on white in our manifesto, protecting the culinary art of our country, upholding tradition and made possible through industrial innovation”. Elena Bacchini, Surgital Marketing Director
