Italian Chef Vittorio Castellani, AKA Chef Kumalé, fell in love with Pakistani cuisine on his recent trip to the country. Chef Kumalé is a food journalist and travel enthusiast for the last 28 years and has visited 78 countries in five continents for his urge of tasting different foods and culture. His work is focused on multi-ethnic food and world cuisine and therefore he is known as World Food Chef for his food journalism and culinary tourism designing. He travels, writes, organizes and cooks food in the world. “The Pakistani cuisine and taste especially the Punjabi one is the best in the region,” Chef Kumalé said while talking exclusively to Daily Times during a food tasting event held in his honour at Wazwan. The chef was honoured with serving of traditional and foreign dishes including Lentil Soup, Paneer Tikka, Kashmiri Dosa, Dhaaga Kebab, Malai Boti, Mutton Chops, Karelay Gosht, Uzbek Paneer Tikka, Mutton Pulao, Wazwan Kashmiri Daal, Haryali Boneless Chicken Boti, Jalebi and Zarda by Wazwan restaurant and was all praises for the taste of Lahore. ‘The Pakistani cuisine and taste especially the Punjabi one is the best in the region,’ Chef Kumalé said while talking exclusively to Daily Times during a food tasting event held in his honour at Wazwan “The expatriates Pakistanis living in Italy don’t cook the dishes I have tasted here in Lahore and the taste is also much better than what I tasted in Italy,” the Chef told this scribe. Sharing his experience of visiting Pakistan, the Chef said that the Mughal Heritage is very impressive here and the taste of food is also a good mixture of Punjabi and Mughal heritage. “It is my first ever visit to Pakistan and I am also planning to come here again because of hospitality I received here in Lahore and Karachi,” the Chef said, who has visited some 78 countries in 5 continents of the world. “Every time someone asks me what job I do, I reply proudly, with a smile: the Gastronomade,” the Chef Kumalé said. Gastronomades travel the world in search of culture, meaning and friendship and to taste the world’s most delicious foods and drinks. He told this scribe that he is doing all these things since 1991 and also published several books and articles on food and tourism. He was of the view that he has organized many events, both large and small, in Italy and abroad, while acting as an Art Director or Event Designer. I worked as an Art Director for the events like International Street Food Festival, he added. He said that travelling for him is meant to discover new things with new eyes. “I teach to university students what I learnt in 27 years of travel, studies and experiences while also addressing the seminars on food in different countries,” the Chef said. Chef Kumalè, is a food journalist and a traveller, he had expressed his desire to explore the culinary traditions and historical places of Pakistan by visiting Karachi and Lahore. His experiences in Pakistan will also be published in the most prestigious travel and food magazines in Italy. His experience will not only highlight Pakistan as a tourist friendly country boasting of rich culinary and historical traditions but will also pave the way for future collaborations and cooperation in culinary sector and tourism since Chef Kumalè has served as an advisor for tourism boards and food councils around the world such as Spain, Perù etc to name a few. “There is a need to expand the culinary collaboration between Italy and Pakistan because it is not up to the mark yet,” the Chef said. The notables from food industry and food lovers also participated in the event held in the honour of Chef Kumalè. Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Punjab Protocol Officer Arman Azam Siddiqui provided hospitality to the chef during his stay in Lahore. “The chef came here as part of the Emerging Pakistan initiative of the Ministry of Commerce and his image about Pakistan completely changed,” the TDAP officer said, also while talking exclusively to Daily Times. “We remained successful in presenting the soft image of Pakistan to him as he has vowed to come here again with his family to visit the Northern areas,” the officer said. The PR and media four the event was handled by Rubia Moghees.