Eataly & Villa Charities: Culture Meets Culinary Fervour
Villa Charities collaborates with Eataly to help culinary students’ career growth.
Are you someone with a passion for culinary arts? Are you crazy for Italian culture? Two renowned Italian brands, the registered charity and non-profit Villa Charities Inc. and Eataly, the world’s largest Italian retail and dining establishment, have announced their collaboration in supporting the Villa Charities Culinary Scholarship at Toronto’s George Brown College.
The purpose of this partnership is to help students with culinary talent build strong careers while achieving a mission of celebrating Italian cuisine and culture. Eataly will also contribute in-kind support to the Villa Charities Foundation’s major 2024 fundraising events, including Ferragosto and the next fall VCF signature event, as part of their partnership.
The bond between these brands goes back to 2019 when Villa Charities threw an exclusive pre-opening event before Eataly’s first Canadian store opened that November at Yorkville’s Manulife Centre. The event celebrated Italian culture and introduced the international Italian cuisine brand to Toronto and especially its many Italian-Canadians. Eataly also recognized Villa Charities as one of their official charities of choice in March 2020. It has supported the non-profit ever since by donating food products while collaborating on other projects.
Commenting on this partnership, Marco DeVuono, president and CEO of Villa Charities Inc., said, “Eataly has been a great friend of Villa Charities since their opening in Toronto, and growing this relationship in support of our Culinary Scholarship at George Brown College is an exciting development.”
The 2023/2024 culinary scholarship has been renamed the Villa Charities & Eataly Italian Culinary Program Scholarship to celebrate the new co-sponsorship. There are 16 scholarships amounting to $60,000 available through the program. Eight of them are awarded by the Villa Charities Foundation to help fund graduate and undergraduate courses across a range of disciplines. The remaining eight scholarships are for George Brown College students in Toronto who are pursuing a degree in culinary arts or architectural studies.
The Villa Charities Renzo Pillon Memorial Scholarship will go to five students, while the rebranded Villa Charities & Eataly Italian Culinary Program Scholarship will go to 10 students. Since 2020, students have received $240,000 in scholarships through the Villa Charities Scholarship Program, which DeNuovo praised in his remarks. “We are grateful for their commitment to inspiring culinary students to explore their passion and achieve excellence in their academic and professional goals.”
The new partnership an excellent way to support students with culinary skills in fulfilling their academic and career goals while also leading to a celebration of Italian culture.
