Twelve Austin Community College Students from Texas Earn Certificates After Completing Alba Accademia Alberghiera's Two-Week Ancient Grains Course

The Pastry and Culinary Arts students coming from Austin, Texas, graduated on Thursday, July 4, receiving their certificates of completion for the international course Ancient Grains. The certificate presentation ceremony included participants such as Deputy Mayor and Tourism Councilor Caterina Pasini, Tourism Board President Mariano Rabino, and local news media.

Austin Community College is one of the leading community colleges in the United States and maintains around 70,000 students enrolled in 11 different campuses spread across major cities in Texas.

After an experience in several schools in Europe (including Alain Ducasse's École in France) Austin Community College in Austin, Texas, chose Alba Accademia Alberghiera, the division of Apro Formazione for tourism and food & wine, and the two-week specialized course, Ancient Grains which is concentrated on the biodiversity of Italian grains, local ingredients and approach to some of the regions most beloved foods.

Through dedicated labs and didactic visits, Accademia Alberghiera was able to affirm its network within the region with some of the most respected experts in the industry. Participating partners and visits included: Mulino Marino, a third-generation organic flour mill; historic nougat company Sebaste Torrone; local baker Enrico Giacosa; Cascina Barroero hazelnut farm, goat cheese breeder and producer Renato Maunero, pizza maker and yeast expert Massimiliano Prete, and MICHELIN-Starred chef Fabio Sgrò, alumni of Alba Accademia Alberghiera.

Deputy Mayor Caterina Pasini addressed the students saying, "We have been so happy to host you, and I hope you can become witnesses in America of our territory, returning to the United States with a piece of our region that we entrust to you.”

President of the Tourist Board Mariano Rabino added that “Alba Accademia is a source of pride for us because projects like Ancient Grains and their international projection, which has now turned to Texas and in the fall to Canada, create new exchanges with the area of North America that is currently the most active presence in our territory.”

Apro Formazione President Paolo Zoccola and General Manager Antonio Bosio highlighted how these higher education projects are part of Alba Accademia Alberghiera's internationalization strategy. “Alba Accademia Alberghiera has a network of excellent partners such as Slow Food, ONAF, Renaia, FIC, Bocuse d'Or Italy Academy, WSET international as well as training institutions, colleges and universities in 22 countries. Thanks to its synergy with this network and know-how over the past 2 years, it has devised very high-profile formats and presented them to the American and European markets, which have responded positively.” “Already two colleges, one American and one Canadian, have chosen our formats for their specialization courses in Europe, and from Monday, July 8, Alba Accademia Alberghiera will also hold the Italian Tradition refresher course aimed at teachers and professionals from North America, Finland and Estonia for a 4-day high-level training with Chef Luciano Tona, Director of the Bocuse d'Or Italy Academy, and the study visit with 3-MICHELIN-Starred Chef Enrico Crippa.”

Press kit and photo gallery available here at this link https://bit.ly/AncientGrainAlba_gallery