The “Conservatoria delle Cucine Mediterranee” of Piedmont is a non-profit association in the field of the research and promotion of local products, crafts, markets, quality cuisine, and more generally the culinary heritage, tourism and cultural development of Mediterranean countries. Our activity provides a particular attention to the organic and environmentally friendly agriculture, to the food quality, to the report price-quality-economic sustainability of food as part of the overall concept of environmental sustainability. Our general objectives are: supporting the production of techniques designed to conserve biodiversity and natural resources, environmentally friendly farming practices and biologic agriculture; rejects the GMO’s; devotes a particular attention to the resources of mountains and foothills, mainly because of its border-binding. Its goal is the social integration by interacting research activities, enhancement and promotion of local and immigrant cultures, products of the earth and of cuisine.
 

MISSION. The cuisine is intimately connected with the territory and expresses the "tastes and knowledge” that has been accumulated over the centuries in countries around the Mediterranean sea, creating identities, cultures and traditions that have affected communities in inland areas; an important patrimony, threatened by globalization, in which the Conservatoria undertakes studies and research, seeking exploitation, protection and knowledge.

NETWORK. The Conservatoria is a federal section of the "Conservatoire International des Cuisines Méditerranéennes", with registered office in Marseille, an international network of public and private institutions, associations and individuals with a proven expertise in cultural, productive and research initiatives in the countries of the Mediterranean area: Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. Currently the Conservatoria is working to strengthening and expand the Italian network. It is a founding member of the European network EMPORION, with registered office in Barcelona, network created for the promotion and protection of historic markets, and it is partner with AIAB (Association of organic farmers). Member of Paralleli Institute, a second level association, which goal is to contribute to the strengthening of political relations, economic cooperation and cultural-human collaboration between European countries and those of southern and eastern shores of the Mediterranean area.

MARKETS. Torino Food Market Festival was born with the intention of supporting the efforts of the Turin Municipality to upgrade the system of public markets, taking initiatives in the general context of the European Union and the Mediterranean area, seeking a link with the projects already undertaken by other European cities. It has become, with the approval of the MED project, a demonstration of value of the international food markets and research of the distribution of food culture. Having reached its 5th edition, the Food Market Festival, as a part of the project Interreg Alcotra “Promo terroir”, will be held this year from October 9 to October 11, in the area ranging from the historic market of Porta Palazzo to the area of the old scrap market, know as Balôn. The 2009 edition will focus in particular on products of the Piedmont mountains and on products from Pays de Haute-Provence.

LOCAL DEVELOPMENT. Tour dei saperi e sapori della montagna (Tour of knowledge and tastes of the mountain): project born from the need to promote an integrated sustainable food and wine tourism on the Alpine region. It was funded with European Interreg grants. Within the project the volume “La montagna insegna. Saperi e sapori delle vallate alpine” (The mountain teaches. Knowledge and tastes of alpine valleys) was published and a photographic exhibition was put up in collaboration with the Turin European Institute of Design.

Promo Terroir, Interreg project 2009-2010: born to enhance the food chain (production, processing and distribution) and the socio-cultural traditions which represents a major resource for the economy of the territories concerned (for example by preventing the exodus and abandonment of the mountain) and in particular aims at increasing the tourists attention to the quality of services of food and of local products.