To mark Malta's Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2017, the Maltese Embassy in Vienna and the Malta Tourism Authority have recently organized a Maltese Culinary Week at the UNO City in the Austrian capital.

With the support of Vienna International Airport and Air Malta, five Maltese chefs travelled to Vienna and showcased an array of mouth-watering Maltese cuisine to the international diplomatic community at the UNO City restaurant and canteen, which caters for between 3,500 and 5,000 people on a daily basis.

From Monday to Friday, UNO City delegates and guests could choose from a variety of Maltese dishes prepared by Jimmy Aquilina (Radisson Blu Golden Sands), Roderick Vella (Grand Hotel Excelsior), Aaron Degabriele (Aaron's Kitchen), Michael Cauchi (Michael's) and Dr Lino Schembri (Chairman of the Institute of Tourism Studies).

The Maltese Culinary Week left a great impression on those who attended, many of whom had words of praise for the local chefs.

MTA CEO Paul Bugeja, said "The event proved a great success, not only as a way of introducing Maltese cuisine to an international audience, but also as an opportunity to promote the Maltese Islands as a holiday destination." Mr. Bugeja continued by stating that "Gastronomy is an important component of a holiday experience. In this regard, MTA's introduction of the Quality Assured seal for restaurants is helping raise standards whilst providing a guideline for potential customers to assist them in making an informed decision about the best places to eat on the Maltese Islands."

Mr Bugeja concluded by thanking the Maltese Ambassador to Austria H.E. Mr Keith Azzopardi, the participating chefs and all those who collaborated in Malta and Vienna to make this culinary week possible.