Win an Italian food assignment!
3 winners will receive a 7-day custom trip to 1 area of Italy, including accommodation, meals and local transportation.
Applications are now closed - best of luck to everyone that applied!
We believe that you can learn much about a culture through food and want to give three enthusiastic (and hungry) travelers the chance to connect with and better understand the real food scene in...ITALY!
These keen cultural explorers will travel to Italy and discover the history and techniques that makes Italian food a star on the world’s stage – as well as the vibrant people that keep these traditions alive through their passion and dedication.
Each recipient will spend one week in a different region of Italy where they will meet their Italian ‘mentors’ – speaking to local farmers and artisan providores, making pastas in nonnas’ kitchens, and getting your hands dirty pruning vines, milking goats and making salamis.
In that time, each recipient will be followed by a cameraman to document their experiences as they uncover new techniques, tastes and atttudes towards food and living.
Photo by Mark Hofmeyr
Who we're looking for
We are looking for 3 different food explorers to send to Italy:
1. The Anthropologist - You are here to delve into the social habits and traditions that accompany food and eating in Italy. In a culture where people live to eat, you are most interested in the pace of life, the attitudes towards food and the sense of community that this way of life creates.
2. The Pilgrim - You are on an epicurean journey. You are here because something has drawn you to Italy, be that heritage or circumstance. To you, eating in Italy is like walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain - something that will transform you emotionally or physically and give you new perspective on life.
3. The Culinarian - You are interested in learning the artistry of food. Perhaps you are an aspiring chef or want to open up your own restaurant - this is really about turning your passion for food into a profession. You are here because you want to learn the techniques and the local recipes to bring back with you.
Note: Each of the 3 food explorers will be matched with one of the regions of Italy (below), these corresponding regions will not be disclosed until the winners are announced.
About the Regions
Though famed for fast cars and famous musicians, Emilia-Romagna also won’t let you go hungry. In fact, it is considered the Heart of northern Italian food.
The capital city of Bologna has been nicknamed “la grassa” (the fat one) – a name you’ll understand (and pay no mind) when you tuck into the famed prosciutto and handmade egg-based pastas of the region.
Emilia-Romagna is also the place to get the real Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, sample balsamic vinegar that can be aged in wooden casks for 60 years and wash it all down with a sparkling red wine.
Photo by John Gubertini, Cozzano
Cinque Terre National Park (Liguria region)
Cinque Terre National Park was the first of it’s kind established in Italy. This decision has protected the five medieval towns (that Cinque Terre is so famous for) by keeping out motorized vehicles and promoting sustainable tourism.
While seafood reigns in Cinque Terre, this is also the home of pesto and where foccacia can be bought off the street as a lazy afternoon snack. The terraced cliffs surrounding the villages also drip with lemons, olives and vines that produce the sciacchetra sipped at the end of every meal.
After you’ve had your fill, hit the narrow and winding trails and drink in the stunning coastal views or hop into the beckoning sea to marvel at the pastel postcard villages above.
Photo by Ente Parco Cinque Terre
Langhe & Roero (Piedmont region)
Langhe & Roero is situated in the Piedmont region in the northwestern part of Italy. Here, agriculture and food production lead not only to good nutrition, but also a rich heritage - and many talented local providores.
Rolling hills with vineyards and hazelnut groves, emerald meadows filled with free-range cows and sheep mean that the panoramas are only trumped by the amazing cheeses and wines that the region produces.
This region is also the birthplace of Slow Food, host of the annual International Truffle Fair and an important stop along the ancient ‘Salt Route’ (where excellent recipes and many a food legend originated).
Photo by John Gubertini
What’s the deal?
* We'll fly you to Italy from your country of residence.
* You need to be available to be in Italy from May 31 - June 9, 2014 (dates may vary by a few days) to participate in the project.
* You will keep a daily diary about your time on the trip and upload this plus pictures you've taken to your WorldNomads.com travel journal.
* Your new food experiences in Italy will be filmed by an accompanying cameraman who will edit 3 travel videos starring you.
Who can apply?
* Anyone can apply - this is open to food writers, bloggers, aspiring chefs, and just plain passionate eaters with a story to share!
* Minimum age 18 (by application deadline)
* You must hold a current, valid passport (with 6 months left before expiry)
* The scholarship is open to all nationalities (subject to obtaining an Italian visa), however, you must have an exceptionally high degree of proficiency in written and spoken English.
* You must be available as per the dates set out. Please note these dates are not changeable in any way, you must be available for the entire assignment.
* You should be a mad-keen foodie with adventurous tastebuds, a curiousity for all things Italian and an openess to interact with locals.
* You must be up for eating anything at anytime, pitching in with the cooking and cleaning up! Picky eaters need not apply.
* You must be comfortable in front of the camera, and sharing your emotions and opinions with the world.
Photo by Mark Hofmeyr
The Prizes
The 3 Winners will receive:
* An 7-day custom trip to 1 area of Italy (Cinque Terre, Langhe & Roero, Emilia-Romagna) organized by the local tourism boards and Can't Forget It{aly} including accommodation, meals and local transportation.
* Round-trip airfare from your country of residence to Italy.
* Travel insurance for the duration of the trip from World Nomads.
Important Dates
**You need to be available from May 31st - June 9th to participate on the assignment.**
Applications Accepted: January 21 - March 14, 2014
Judging Period: March 15 - April 6
Winners Announced: April 7
Assignments: June 1 - June 8
Photo by Edoardo Cicchetti
To apply you need to:
1. Submit a recipe (in English) with accompanying photos
This can't just be any recipe, this recipe needs to come with a story. It could be the hand-me-down pierogi recipe from your Polish great-grandmother. Or maybe the the fish curry you learned to make on your trip to Sri Lanka.
Whatever it is, it has to be special (we don't want to see 50 spaghetti bolognese or chocolate chip cookie recipes) and something that you think would transport other travellers to a new place, simply by making it at home. We want recipes with soul and with that make us miss a place that perhaps we've never even been.
Don't forget to include photos of your recipe that you have prepared yourself. If you can't make it, we probably can't either!
2. Tell us in 2000 characters or less (this includes spaces) the story behind the recipe and what makes it so special to you.
It's up to you to convince our judging panel through your recipe, story and essay that you have the spirit of adventure and passion for food to be chosen for this program. We will be looking for:
- a unique, mouth-watering, tried-and-tested recipe (with accompanying photos of the dish, cooked by you)
- a great story behind your recipe
- strong eye for detail
- a compelling reason why we should send you to Italy
3. Complete a 1500 character max essay telling us why you should be chosen, what the opportunity will mean to you and which category of food explorer you are applying for. Your answer will provide considerable weight in the judging process.
The entry must be submitted in English.
One entry per person.