Feast of the Season: When Sicily came to Scotland for one unforgettable night

Last week we joined an extraordinary celebration at Broomhall House for the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World, the annual global initiative championing Italy’s food culture. This year also marks the centenary of Andrea Camilleri, the legendary Sicilian author behind Inspector Montalbano, so the timing could not have been more fitting.

Craft, Culture, and Culinary Stars

The entire evening was conceived and executed by chef and friend of Hood, Sabrina Damiani. She pulled together a guest list of dignitaries, suppliers and press from Scotland and Italy, including the Italian Consul General for Scotland, Veronica Ferrucci. Sabrina flew chefs in from Sicily to deliver a true island feast, and it showed. From handmade pasta to the richest olive oils, exquisite Marsala wines, delicious savoury bites and flavoursome desserts, the food landed with confidence and clarity. No gimmicks, no excess. Just quality.

Lady Bruce of Broomhall House, Italian Consul General for Scotland, Veronica Ferrucci and Sabrina Damiani, private chef who arranged the evening

A Setting Made for Celebration

Broomhall House, home of Lord and Lady Bruce, was the ideal stage for it. Restored with real care, it has that rare combination of grandeur and warmth. Candlelight, black tie, antiquities and art, people actually talking to each other. A wonderful evening and a firm nudge into the festive spirit.

Sicily’s Story, Told Between Courses

Between courses we heard about Sicily’s growing status as a cultural and eco-gastronomy centre for 2025, and why the island is being studied so closely right now. One reason is longevity. A small mountain village, Caltabellotta, has been identified as an emerging Blue Zone, thanks to a lifestyle built around low stress, nutrient-dense Mediterranean food and strong community bonds. The Rocco Forte Head of PR for Sicily, Isabella Giglia, explained that the Verdura Resort in southwest Sicily is developing wellbeing programmes influenced by this research, blending food, nature and movement into something that feels grounded rather than faddish. Hearing it first-hand from Isabella added weight to it all.

Where Glamour Meets Sincerity

The result was a night that managed to be both glamorous and sincere. A celebration of culture, craft and connection, anchored by Sabrina’s vision and delivered with Italian precision. It reminded everyone in the room that food is never just food. It is history, identity and a way of living well.

A Strong Start to the Season

If this is how the season starts, we are off to a strong beginning.