CALL FOR COMPANIES | Ospitalità Italiana 2024

The China-Italy Chamber of Commerce (CICC), with the support and under the directives from Assocamerestero and Unioncamere, is launching a call for Italian Restaurants operating in the P.R. of China’s (mainland only), interested in applying for the accreditation of “Ospitalità Italiana” for the biennium 2025-2026.

WHAT IS OSPITALITA' ITALIANA

Ospitalità Italiana nel Mondo is an initiative of the Italian Chambers of Commerce in the world, to promote and safeguard the quality of the Italian food and wine culture, while guaranteeing the hospitality standards which Italy is famous for.

The call will be open to all restaurants who strictly abide to the Italian culinary standards and traditions, and who operate within the rules of participation described below.

NOTES

The China Italy Chamber of Commerce (CICC) is the sole entity entrusted to conduct the interviews to the candidate restaurants.

CICC is not responsible for the outcome of the final evaluation, which belongs to ISNART (National Institute of Research on Tourism), an entity under the Unioncamere association.

RULES OF PARTICIPATION

TIMELINE

• Opening for submission of interest: 12 August 2024;
• Closing of all candidacies: 12 September 2024;
• Reviewing time: 13 Sep – 20 Sep. During this time CICC may come back with requests for more information and evidences.

ELIGIBILITY

a. The protocol imposed worldwide by the owner of the initiative (Unioncamere) is very strict and requires a series of conditions proving the true Italian conduct of the culinary and hospitality business by the interested candidates.

b. Five key requirements are pre-conditions to be eligible for applying for the Certificate of Ospitalità Italiana. They are:

I. The restaurant must have at least one person able to relate with customers in Italian language.

II. The percentage of traditional Italian dishes and recipes should not be less than 50% of the total dishes on the menu. This ratio should be reached with the significant contribution of each type of course.

III. The wine list must contain not less than 30% of Italian wines DOP or IGP (DOC, DOCG, IGT) and there must be at least 5 Italian wines DOP or IGP on the wine list.

IV. The restaurant must offer, as dressing, only DOP / IGP extra virgin olive oils of Italian origin.

V. The chef must be qualified for the preparation of dishes and Italian recipes through at least one of the following requirements:

1. Professional certificate of Italian cooking obtained at an institution of repute;

2. Training at a restaurant in Italy for not less than 6 months;

3. Experience in Italian cuisine, even in an Italian restaurant abroad, not less than 3 years.

PROCEDURE

• Once the application form is received and checked by CICC, an interview will be scheduled and conducted by a CICC delegate with a representative of the candidate restaurant, during which the evaluation form will be completed. Picture-taking and proving documents will be required.
• CICC will have then the responsibility to make sure all paperwork is completed and uploaded on the ISNART platform.
• Responses from ISNART will be sent to CICC in due time and further cascaded to the candidate restaurant.

APPLICATION FORM

If your restaurant is interested in applying for the Certificate Ospitalità Italiana, please download the application form by scanning the QR code below and send it back to ospitalitaitaliana@cameraitacina.com:

DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION FORM

CICC, after reviewing the compliance to the basic requirements, will respond within three working days to the interested party and indicate the next steps, if considered eligible.

PARTICIPATION FEE

• CICC Members: 500 RMB
• Non-Members: 1000 RMB

(1) The fee is intended per each restaurant. For those enterprises with more than one restaurant the participation fee will be waived starting from the third location.

CERTIFICATES

The Certificates of Ospitalità Italiana will be hand-out during an event held on the occasion of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World (November 16 – 22), to be confirmed.

For further information, please contact us at ospitalitaitaliana@cameraitacina.com