Above: My seminar yesterday on Pecorino Toscano at Eataly, Dallas. That’s the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce director, Alessia Paolicchi, left, addressing our group at the market and restaurant’s first in-person “Scuola” event since early 2020.

Nearly all shared my sentiment that we were attending a truly extraordinary event yesterday evening at Eataly in Dallas.

After a small group of food writers and enthusiasts joined a Prosciutto di Parma and Pecorino Toscano seminar in the venue’s first in-person “Scuola” (cooking school) event since the lockdowns began early last year, we all headed up stairs to Terra restaurant where we were joined by roughly 100 of the city’s leading Italian and Italophile citizens. It was a genuine who’s-who of the culinary community there, including Italian chefs, entrepreneurs, locally based writers and influencers, and food and wine trade members.

Chefs Alfio Longo and Andrea Rodella, both Dallas-based Italians, were joined by Terra’s executive chef Michael Lawson for what was surely the most sumptuous meal any of us had enjoyed in public for more than a year. They did a truly bang up job.

I have to give the warmest shout-out to the staff at Eataly Dallas for their professionalism, verve, and dedication in presenting a fantastic dinner for such a large group. I certainly wasn’t the only one who noted how remarkable it was to be at such a great event — with such a wonderful crowd — after such a long time.

And dulcis in fundo, as I was window shopping on the floor of the retail space, I ran into one of my ex-students from the Slow Food University of Gastronomic Sciences grad program (I hope to be heading back there soon, btw). It was such a treat for me to catch up with him and learn that he’s thriving in the world of Italian food and wine.

I couldn’t have been more thrilled to be part of Eataly’s first in-person gatherings. And I couldn’t be more proud to have presented the seminar and dinner alongside some of our state’s top Italian food and wine-focused professionals. Great job, guys, all around!