Paesano's chef to present at annual Gluten-Free Culinary Summit in Denver

Chef Isabella Nicoletti of Paesano Restaurant & Wine Bar in Ann Arbor is headed to Denver this weekend to present at the 4th annual Gluten-Free Culinary Summit in Denver, Colorado, after catching the eye of gluten-free cooking expert Carol Fenster during a recent Ann Arbor visit. “She could not have been more complimentary,” said Paesano owner, Mike Roddy. “She had heard about our restaurant through the local Detroit area gluten-free network and one of our good customers, Janet Armil. She was quite thrilled to take a copy of Isabella’s cookbook with her back to Denver.”

The food industry is quickly catching up to the needs of many diners across the country who cannot eat foods containing gluten. Paesano joins several local restaurants offering gluten-free options , including substitutions on almost all of its pasta dishes and several gluten-free desserts.

A gluten-free diet is recommended in the treatment of celiac disease and wheat allergy. It is a diet completely free of ingredients derived from gluten-containing cereals: wheat (including kamut and spelt), barley, rye, and triticale, as well as the use of gluten as a food additive.

The 4th Annual Gluten-Free Culinary Summit is presented by GF Culinary Productions and runs Oct. 3-4 at Johnson & Wales University in Denver, Colo.. The event is designed for the health-conscious foodie interested in exploring the art of gluten-free living with a culinary twist. The summit takes an in-depth look at gluten-free baking and cooking from the epicurean perspective.

Jessica Webster is on the Community team at AnnArbor.com. She recruits contributors for the site and leads the Food & Drink section. You can reach her at JessicaWebster@AnnArbor.com or 734-623-2574.