Chefs without a crown: an online contest featuring a cooking class and video recipes to help you forget about the virus

But how does it work? There's a first phase, from April 8th to 30th, which takes place online and is free. Participants will submit two video recipes, and a panel of chefs will select the participants for the cooking class, which will take place in October in Rome at the Pietralata HQF "High Quality Food" school. After the classes in the capital, further courses will be organized in Naples and Milan.

We are happy to publish the presentation document of the Chefs without a crown.

We'd like to use different words from those used every day by the news and newspapers. We're inundated with phrases like "in such a difficult time," "in the tragedy we're experiencing." But it's undeniable that every thought, at least for now, begins like this.

With the "Chefs Without Corona" contest, we set ourselves this goal: to send a message of hope and start planning for the near future again.

We are aware, now more than ever, that Italy as a whole, and especially the tourism and restaurant sectors, are in serious difficulty, along with everything that supports them: medium and large-scale production, small producers throughout the region, and every business closely linked to the hospitality sector.

We stood by and watched what was happening, we received the first restrictions until we finally closed our businesses, we stopped and helplessly continued to think about the future, about the menus, about what it will be like, how we will move around and above all what awaits us with the reopening.

One thing that hasn't gone unnoticed, at least to us, is how much cooking has been the driving force behind many people's days. Chefs have decided to keep people company from home with video recipes, many have volunteered to cook for healthcare workers, and many others have supported charity campaigns.

Italians flock to ask for recipes for dishes published by chefs, neighbors compete to find the best ragù, and brewer's yeast has become hard to find: leavened products create magic in children and bring satisfaction to adults who manage to bake a delicious pizza or crusty homemade bread.

The idea for "Chef without Corona" was born precisely from these observations combined with the desire to create something that looks ahead. We don't just want to keep people company today and create a moment of entertainment, we want people to gradually rediscover a concept that has been forced to be set aside: Sharing.

With those participating in the contest, we want to create a way to start walking together again, to dive into a video recipe and participate in a cooking class when this is all over. We want them to attend the lessons together, to share their doubts with us—why the ciambellone doesn't cook well at home, why they followed the roast recipe to perfection but the meat always turns out tough—and that together, once again, we can experience every relationship and moment without fear.

The contest is divided into two phases:

First phase

We ask that you send two video recipes to the "Chef Senza Corona" Facebook page privately. The first, chosen by the chefs, will be "Carbonara," and the second, a recipe related to the subject you wish to cover in the courses, if you win. Both videos should be no longer than 20 minutes.

The Chefs will then have the opportunity to see all the video recipes immediately so they can compare and decide together.

The video recipe must specify: ingredients, method, timing, and quantities for 4 people.

In addition to the information regarding the proposed recipe, once we receive the video recipe, we will send a form to be filled out with the regulations, data processing, and everything related to the lessons. The interested party will then forward this completed and signed form to us.

The contest will take place from April 8th to 30th. The winners will be announced via email and text message within 10 days of the contest ending.

Second phase

Classes will begin in October. We'll keep you updated on the dates and times, the chefs who will be teaching the classes, and our plans for other events on our Facebook page.

During the lessons, the winners will be divided into groups of four. Each lesson has a maximum of 16 participants. All groups will have the opportunity to recreate the recipes proposed by the chefs. There will be two lessons per week for a total of eight lessons per month. Each lesson will last approximately three to four hours. At the end of the course, handouts containing the recipes from the lesson will be provided.

The contest is completely free; all the chefs have joined the initiative, donating their time and expertise to create a solidarity chain. We cannot fail to thank all the sponsors who participated in this chain, providing locations for the classes and raw materials. Here are the names:

- "HQF (High Quality Food)"; "Gourmade" - Signature Catering; "Pearls of Tuscia"; "Watercolor Rice"; "Mancini Agricultural Pasta Factory"; "Easy Fish"; "Arianna Vulpiani's Organic Farm Garden"; "FenArt 3D Graphic Designer"; "True Italian"

Subsequent cities will always be communicated via the Facebook page.

“Chef without Corona” thus inaugurates the beginning of a series of projects that aim to give support to the restaurant industry and to anyone who, in any way, is part of it.

The Chief

Barbara Agosti – Eggs and Buzz.

Anastasia Paris – Hotel Le Gole.

Alessandra Ruggeri – The Tripe Inn.

Ornella De Felice – Coromandel

Martina Prospero – Go to Pigneto.

Valentina Pistoia – Piazza 11

Ginevra Antonini – Mood Ginevra Catering / Prova del Cuoco.

The Lesson Plan

• Leavened ABCs
• Sweets from the cupboard
• Meat
• Fish
• Vegan cuisine

The candidate can choose one of these lessons.

Here are some of the dishes that will be presented in the lessons: Cream of beetroot, celeriac, orange and chili pepper with egg 64° Pumpkin gnocchi seasoned with toasted pine nuts sautéed mushrooms and black garlic Pan Brioche Genoese Focaccia Anchovy and endive tart on cream of sweet potatoes and wild fennel Pork fillet with honey and white pepper on cream of celeriac.