On Tuesday, November 19th, the Food & Finance High School, New York’s premiere culinary arts high school, hosted a special event. 

The protagonist was an 11-ounce white truffle that was sold for $ 8,000 at the annual World White Truffle Auction in the city of Alba, in the Piedmont region, and gifted to the recent elected mayor of New York Bill De Blasio, who donated it to the school.

Every autumn, which is the period in which truffles are picked up, the city of Alba holds this historic truffle auction sale, whose funds are donated to the Piedmont Foundation for Cancer research. Since World War II, the largest “Truffle of The Year” was sent to important public figures and celebrities all over the world. Past lucky recipients of such a prestigious product include President Reagan, John Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, Alfred Hitchcock, Rita Hayworth and Sofia Loren.

The event at the school started at 2pm and lasted until 3pm. The students, who were from grades 9th through 12th, assisted some of the New York’s top chefs and some members of the faculty in preparing tasty recipes using the special, and expensive, white truffle, hand-delivered by the acclaimed food historian Francine Segan. Segan, who was asked to bring the prestigious product by the Tourism Board of Tu Langhe Roero and the Mayor of Alba, opened the event with a visual presentation on the history and other special remarks on truffles.

To feed the 500 people who attended the event, Colavita USA donated high-quality pasta and extra virgin olive oil. Thanks to them, everyone was able to enjoy and have a taste of the extremely fragrant white truffle. Before the truffle was served, Jonathan Benno, Chef executive at Lincoln Ristorante who came for this special occasion, cleaned the precious truffle, cut it into pieces and then shaved it over pasta that students had prepared earlier.

“I am delighted to offer our students a once-in-a-lifetime culinary experience,” said Roger Turgeon, Principal, Food & Finance High School. “Our comprehensive culinary arts program and full academic curriculum is truly preparing the next generation of top chefs. We sincerely thank mayor-elect Bill de Blasio and the Tourism Board of Tu Langhe Roero for gifting us with this exceptional white truffle. We look forward to bringing our school community together to celebrate the renowned locality of Alba and one of the earth’s treasures.”

Before leaving the school, all the students and guests left their special “thanks” to Bill De Blasio on two posters that were attached at the entrance of the building.