The second edition of the Valletta 2018 project l-Ikla t-Tajba will be offering the public a taste of some original street food inspired by local staple dishes at Notte Bianca for the second consecutive year.

This year's edition of L-Ikla t-Tajba is once again led by London-based chef David Darmanin who is this year coaching a group of young aspiring cooks in the Maltese culinary tradition and more.

Most of this year's participants, coming from the inclusive education programme Youth Inc. run by Aġenzija Żgħazagħ, are teenagers who are more familiar with fast food and had no inkling about the basics of traditional cooking. Now they can prepare fresh tomato sauce from scratch as well as caramalised onions and aioli!

They were asked to invent their own original recipes using traditional Maltese ingredients with the view of eventually preparing and serving these dishes during the 2015 edition of Notte Bianca on the 3rd October.

Valletta 2018 Chairman Jason Micallef said: "l-Ikla t-Tajba is an investment in the future of these young people who have acquired new skills which will benefit them in daily life. The project also celebrates fresh food prepared on the basis of original recipes and quality, local produce". 

David Darmanin explained how they were also the ones to come out with the concept of fusing Maltese favourits with fast food ideas. Hence the qassata tal-ħxejjex and the rabbit fillet burger.

Participants are divided into teams putting together a varied and creative menu full of tastyfood which fuses different cuisines and local ingredients.

London-based chef Nicole Pisani will this year form part of the group of foreign guest chefs including Luca Bevere, Maria Paola Bruni and Thomas Fletcher, who will be heading the four young teams at l-Ikla t-Tajba during Notte Bianca.

The young cooks have come up with a menu featuring some curious surprises like the fusion cuisine of the Vietnamese spring rolls with local red prawns or the Ftizza - a pizza using traditional ftira dough and stuffed with rosemary, artisan Maltese sausage, local tomato sauce, caramalised onion and fresh ġbejna.

Chef David had quite a challenge this year instructing a group of youths into the appreciation of the basics of food preparation as well as an awareness of the local culinary arts while encouraging them to use creativity to spice up traditional food. "They also get the chance to work with some really great international chefs and experience the pace of a professional kitchen."

He explained that once again this was a successful multi-faceted experiment. "This experience will remain with them and will hopefully serve as an inspiration for the future because food not only brings people together, it also inspires them," he said.