Ukrainian Immigrant Wins Prestigious Pastry Challenge in Italy

Valentyna Smetanyuk, 28 years old, originally from Ukraine and living in Caserta for 21 years, is the winner of the second edition of "Wincibum", the challenge for aspiring pastry chefs. After an initial scouting on social media, the contestants competed in the pastry laboratories of In Cibum, the School of High Culinary Training directed by Mariagiovanna Sansone and located in Pontecagnano Faiano. In April, the doors of the school will open for her to attend the In Pasticceria course, coordinated by pastry chef Carmen Vecchione. "This award represents a turning point for me: in life, I work as a housekeeper, but I have always harbored the dream of becoming a pastry chef in my heart. When I saw the video announcing the challenge on social media, I thought my moment had arrived," Valentyna said, happy with the achievement, not forgetting her family members in war: "No one should experience it; wars are bad for everyone, on either side." About her victory, she added: "I did not think I would win, there were many young people in the competition. Today I realized an important thing: in life, it is never too late to start over." Securing the second and third places were Sharon Paritaro, a 21-year-old from Puglia, and Alfio Lorenzo De Angelis, a 24-year-old from Campania, respectively: both received a scholarship covering 50% of the total course cost. Thirty participants managed to climb the social network rankings by posting a video recipe of a cake on their social profiles, listing the ingredients in the caption, and tagging @incibum and using the hashtags #wincibum2024 #iniziatuttodaqui. The cake had to contain at least one of the following ingredients: seasonal fresh fruit and/or chocolate. On Monday, April 15, the 30 semifinalists, coming from Campania, Calabria, Lazio, Molise, and Emilia Romagna, had one hour and thirty minutes to assemble and finish the cake made during the registration phase and bring another, identical and already prepared, to be tasted by the panel of experts composed of Mariagiovanna Sansone, Marco Cefalo, resident chef of the School, and pastry chefs Carmen Vecchione and Tommaso Foglia, judge of Bake Off Italia and Cake Star. Nine finalists were selected who, today, Tuesday, April 16, in three hours, prepared a plated dessert using the ingredients provided by the school. "From an entrepreneurial point of view, the pastry sector is increasingly taking off - explains Mariagiovanna Sansone, director of In Cibum - We have realized, over the years, how the market has pushed for a more corporate approach taking into account a growing attention from consumers on quality, research, and selection of raw materials. The classrooms of In Cibum are a thermometer on how much young people want to invest in this educational path for their future."