On "Sensual" Gastronomy

Gattopardo Day was not about raising money, not about business networking, but about coming together to experience life in a different time and pace.

We are not here to plan the future, or to review the past, but to immerse ourselves in an experience from the past that can enrich our lives today.

It is about experiencing a unique culture, where everything was surrounded in passion and richness. There is richness of colour, of flavour, of emotion. We can experience this intensity and enrich our lives today.

Tonight a dream came true for every of us.

Luigi has dedicated his life to sharing the experience of exquisite food with true passion, and in the spirit of good health and good friendship. To Luigi, food shouldn’t just nourish the body, but also the soul. What enters our bodies becomes part of us. The spirit of sharing food enters our lives and enriches us. Luigi has created this experience to share with all of us.

As you know, the acclaimed novel by Tomasi di Lampedusa describes events in the life of an aristocratic Sicilian family. The story is told at a time of change – a time when social conventions were about to be turned on their head. Through this story, we learn what life was like in a particular place and a particular space in time, where life reflects the bounty of the land. Life is rich in colour, flavour and texture. As the climax of this experience are the sumptuous dinner and grand ball that we are all re-creating tonight.

Tomasi di Lampedusa, born of the Sicilian aristocracy himself, takes great care in describing the colours and the textures of the food that was at the centre of these great events. Tonight, these colours, textures and flavours have been specially re-created for all of us. We will experience sights, sounds and flavours that were unique to this special time and place.

As we all join together in this feast of the senses, take some time to reflect on the overall experience – the sharing of food in this special setting. Absorb all the richness and passion of the event. Feel your heart and soul enriched by the experience.

We can all take home some of this dream. As we go out to the rest of our lives, let us all be enriched by tonight’s experience. Let us continue the spiritual journey of pure food, good health and spiritual wholeness. As Luigi says, “don’t give to your body what your soul could reject.”