Living La Dolce Vita

The best of Italy comes to London for the 7th consecutive La Dolce Vita Italian Festival (10 - 13 March) at the Business Design Centre in Islington.

The show presents hundreds of exhibitors focusing on Italian design, fashion, culture, travel and, above all, Italian cuisine.

From the art of pasta making to tastings of the finest Italian wines and artisan cheeses and chocolates, La Dolce Vita's culinary agenda will please the most demanding foodies.

Masters of Italian cuisine and award-winning chefs including Giorgio Locatelli, Theo Randall, Francesco Mazzei, Andy Needham and Paolo Barone will hold live daily cookery demonstrations at the Teatro del Gusto.

The cooking theatre will also feature children's cooking classes led by Sicilian-born chef Enzo Oliver, an all Italian chocolate tasting with famous chocolatier Raffaella Baruzzo and an extra virgin olive oil talk and tutored tasting with Orietta Bartalini, the founder of organic extra virgin olive oil brand, Olio Divino. For those hoping to master the fine art of risotto, help is at hand with Italian chefs Antonio Carluccio and Gennaro Contaldo who will hold a special workshop dedicated to this traditional primo platto.

The drinks academy will give visitors a guide to Italy's traditional drinks from pre-dinner aperitivos and perfect whites and reds to liqueurs and festive proseccos.

For those wishing to experiment with their newly-acquired skills, a copy of The Silver Spoon - the bible of Italian cooking - with some 2000 authentic recipes, should give you plenty to try at home.

Malgorzata Stankiewicz