Conferenze e Fiere

🏖 Paolo Manca, President of Federalberghi Sardegna, anticipates a robust tourist season starting late April, with a 10% increase in bookings compared to last year. Easter offer is up by 20%, providing nearly 40,000 hotel unit availabilities from a total of 110,000. Easter falls on April 20, bridging holidays to May 1. A clearer picture of the season's outlook is expected around March 31, when early booking discounts expire.

🍷 On March 23 at Santa Lucia di Piave (TV), the 4th edition of Vinetia Tasting will showcase over 700 wine labels from more than 130 companies. The AIS Veneto event features six thematic masterclasses, guided experiences, and celebrates the culture of wine, including an award ceremony for 250 new Sommeliers. Advanced ticket sales have surpassed the previous edition, anticipating over 1000 visitors. For sustainability, wine portions will be measured using Pulltex stoppers. Visit www.vinetiatasting.it for more.

🍕 Raffaele Bonetta returns to Stockholm for "Pizzarte al Pomodoro" on March 24 at Florentine, celebrating Italian culinary excellence with Solania. The event features his famous double-cooked dough pizza with stracotto di San Marzano, provola, and Latteria Sorrentina provolone, showcasing high-quality Italian gastronomy.

🏦 The "Giovani Lievitisti a Confronto" championship finale, featuring Italy's top under-33 baking talents, will be held on April 8 at 10 am at the International School of Bologna. Ten finalist teams from regions including Abruzzo, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Lombardia, Marche, Piemonte, Puglia, and Toscana will compete in three categories: Traditional, Chocolate, and Innovative Artisanal Colomba. Winners will be announced at 4 pm by judges Antonio Angora, Alessandro Bertuzzi, Gianluca Casadei, Alessio Formichetti, Giuseppe Mancini, and Paolo Rufo. Unsampled Colombe will be donated to orphans or Caritas.

🍵 At the SCA Arena during the HORECA Expoforum in Turin, participants competed in Coffee Triathlon and Latte Art Throwdown. Andrea Gatti won the Coffee Triathlon and will travel to an official SCA Italy selection for upcoming championships. He also won Best Espresso, while Jean Ellaine Andal Silva won Best Filtro, and Fabrizio Abrescia won Best Signature Drink. Joy Parungao triumphed in Latte Art Throwdown, earning travel, board, and lodging for an official SCA Italy Latte Art selection. Matteo Ripoli, the runner-up, gained direct access to an official selection. Speakers at the event covered topics such as sustainability, the role of SCA, and coffee applications in mixology. The Villaggio Roasters featured seven micro-roasteries, showcasing specialty coffee in Italy. The next stops of the format and selections leading up to the 2026 Italian Barista Championships will be announced soon.

🍝 Unilever Food Solutions will feature at ExpoCook 2025 from March 23-26 at Fiera Roma. They'll present their professional kitchen brands (Knorr Professional, Carte D'Or Professional, Calvé, Hellmann's, Maizena, Pfanni, The Vegetarian Butcher) at stand Pad 5 Stand 31-32. Executive Chef Giuseppe Buscicchio offers showcooking sessions on March 24 and 26. Starred Chef Floriano Pellegrino will host a special event on March 25 at 15:30, discussing "FOODART Trends – The Menu of the Future." The event is free and available via streaming, in collaboration with Federazione Italiana Cuochi (FIC).

🥂 Vermouth Carlo Alberto, born in Turin in 1837 and owned by Compagnia dei Caraibi, is celebrated on Vermouth Day. A selection of 27 aromatic herbs and DOCG Piedmontese wines, including Erbaluce di Caluso and M.P.F. from Moscato grapes, defines its superior Torino status. The product range includes three Vermouth Riserva (Red, White, Extra Dry) and two mixology products. Riserva White won a gold medal at the 2020 World Vermouth Awards. Vermouth Carlo Alberto Red and White are both available in 1L bottles, suitable for high-end cocktails.

🍕 Michele Lococciolo of Pizzeria Il Tronco di Monopoli will compete at the EGO Pizza Festival in Taranto on March 21-22 with his signature dish, La Carpaccio, conceived in the 1980s by his father, Piero Lococciolo. La Carpaccio features a thin, crisp dough enriched with Pugliese extra virgin olive oil and topped with thinly sliced raw beef, radicchio, arugula, grana cheese, and lemon-scented oil. The 150-gram dough balls are directly mixed and stretched using a family technique dating back to 1984, ensuring a crispy crust reminiscent of local baked goods. At the festival, 20 Pugliese pizza makers will be divided into two teams to present their innovative pizzas to an expert jury for the team competition.

🍕 Chef Valerio Serino of Tèrra in Copenhagen will bring his culinary talents to Eataly Milano Smeraldo on 25 March at 20:00, collaborating with Identità Golose for the Giovani Talenti event. Serino's menu blends Nordic rigor with Mediterranean creativity, featuring dishes like Crudo di Pescato, Passatello di castagna, and Merluzzo. The unique dining experience costs €78, including wine, water, and coffee, with reservations at www.eataly.it. Future events include Osteria Billis on 7 May and Chef Mattia Pecis on 20 May.

🍻 The third edition of R.E.T.E. is scheduled from March 22-24, 2025 in Calangianus, Gallura, hosted by the Associazione Behind the drink and the GAL Alta Gallura. With local enogastronomic excellence promotion as its focus, the event supports small and medium-sized enterprises. Keynote speakers include Fabio Albieri (Mayor of Calangianus), Emanuele Biancu (Project Manager), and Andrea Pala (best young Italian oenologist 2021). The "R.E.T.E. Cocktail competition" is a highlight, featuring a prize of a workshop at Casa Tobago, Milan. The event will offer B2B opportunities on March 24 and feature an app for stand maps, event schedules, masterclass sign-ups, and cashless payments. Partners include Nieddu Trasporti, Silvio Carta, and Radio Sintony as the official broadcaster.