History

The history of ICIF starts in Turin in 1991: thanks to a financing from the then Ministry of Agriculture, a first Master in Italian cuisine is organized, attended by thirty American chefs. With the collaboration of great Italian professionals in the agricultural and food sector and the support of companies and public institutions the first Master draws the international attention, meeting with large approval and success. Simultaneously, ICIF organizes events on Italian cooking abroad.
Since then the Institute has organized numerous Master, Short and Refresher Courses for foreign professionals (chefs, sommeliers, restaurateurs) who wish to acquire an “Italian” specialization”. 
In 1997 ICIF turns a new page in its history by moving its headquarters into the prestigious Castle of Costigliole d’Asti, thanks to a contribution from the European Union, given to ICIF by the Regione Piemonte, the Regional Government of Piedmont: a whole floor of the Castle was restored to host the Institute and its training activities, setting up a permanent educational facility allowing the development of a teaching program worth of a Culinary University.
In 2004 ICIF made a further step forward and expanded its activities abroad with the opening of two new seats in Brazil and in China. The former in the South of Brazil, in the region of  Rio Grande do Sul, at Flores da Cunha, established in collaboration with the University of Caxias do Sul; the latter in Shanghai at the university campus of the Shanghai Lin-gang Science and Technology School.
Furthermore, in 2006 ICIF also opened a new seat in Italy, at Frossasco, close to Turin and at the foot of the mountains that hosted the Winter Olympics, and a small school in Seoul, in South Korea.

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