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The Italian Trade Agency (ITA) sponsored “The Essence of Aperitivo” Masterclass in Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Francisco/Oakland this Fall.
Valentino Longo presented the class, which included an overview of the history and the art of Italian Aperitivo by exploring how it has evolved through time, analyzing the Italian liquors most commonly enjoyed during the "Italian happy hour", and discovering twists on the classic cocktails we know and love.
The San Francisco/Oakland event was recorded on November 14th to share with all USBG Members On Demand.
The Essence of Aperitivo Masterclass with Valentino Longo
AVAILABLE HERE ON DEMAND for USBG Members
The slide deck for the presentation and the cocktail recipes can be found here.
About the Presenter:
Valentino Longo
Born and raised in Rome, Italy, Valentino grew up longing to follow his grandmother and sister, who were both chefs, into the restaurant business. As a child, he dreamt of one day opening his own coffee shop — a dream that was quickly reconsidered as he wasn’t a fan of mornings!
In 2010, Valentino started his career in the hospitality industry and worked his way through restaurants and high-end hotels where he honed his skills and fell more and more in love with the art of being behind the bar and those he had the opportunity to meet and work with through these experiences. After spending time in both London and Rome, Valentino relocated to Miami in 2017 where he accepted the position of Head Bartender at Four Seasons at The Surf Club.
In January 2020, Valentino Longo was crowned Bombay Sapphire’s Most Imaginative Bartender as he won the cocktail competition sponsored by Bombay Sapphire and Tales of The Cocktail. He competed against more than 180 of the best mixologists in the United States with his original cocktail recipe “The Decisive Moment” and his business project Shōshin Art Club.
About the Sponsor: Italian Trade Agency (ITA)
USBG SILVER PARTNER
ITA – Italian Trade Agency is the Governmental agency that supports the business development of our companies abroad and promotes the attraction of foreign investment in Italy. With a motivated and modern organization and a widespread network of overseas offices, ITA provides information, assistance, consulting, promotion, and training to Italian small and medium-sized businesses. Using the most modern multi-channel promotion and communications tools, it acts to assert the excellence of Made in Italy in the world. The ITA is present throughout the world with 78 offices in 66 countries. The U.S. has five offices: New York, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, and Houston.
The premise of the Italian Trade Agency’s Spirits Promotion Project is to introduce and educate the American trade to the craftsmanship and authenticity of Italian distillates, fortified wines, liqueurs, and cordials.
With bartenders being the gatekeepers of this knowledge, the ITA’s goal is to showcase the variety of Italian Spirits to the consumers and instill in them a newfound appreciation for the unique characteristics, notes, and ingredients of each product.
Get ready for a journey, one bottle at a time. Salute! For more information on the ITA, click here.
