Conferenze e Fiere

🏖️ The Forum del Turismo 2025 was held on January 31 and February 1 at the Fiera del Levante in Bari, organized by Manageritalia Puglia, Calabria, Basilicata. Domenico Fortunato, the President of Manageritalia for the same regions, opened the event that highlighted tourism's broader scope beyond promotion, emphasizing governance, managerial skills, and internationalization. Key figures included Gianfranco Lopane, Regional Tourism Minister of Puglia, and Marina Lalli, President of Federturismo Confindustria. The forum aimed to foster a new managerial culture in tourism, underscoring its strategic importance to Italy's economy.

📊 December 2024 saw restaurant service prices rise by 0.1% from the previous month and 2.9% from the same month the previous year. The average price increase for restaurant services in 2024 was 3.2%, down from 5.9% in 2023. Collective catering prices grew by an average of 3.7% annually, a substantial jump from 0.5% in 2023. General inflation in December grew by 1.3%, reaching a yearly increase of 1%, largely due to a significant drop in energy prices. Bar prices increased by an average of 3.3% in 2024, with ice cream and pastry products rising by 4.0% and 3.7%, respectively. Traditional restaurant prices went up by 3.4%, pizzerias by 3.2%, gastronomy by 3.3%, and delivery services by 2.6%. Canteen prices (family portion) increased by 3.6% compared to the 2023 average.

🍷 The Slow Wine Fair 2025 will take place from February 23 to 25 at BolognaFiere, featuring 17 masterclasses exploring themes like sustainability in packaging and logistics, viticulture, and wine biodiversity. Key speakers include the Catarratto Boys and Swirl Wine Group’s Sarah Abbott. The event coincides with SANA Food and includes tastings of national and international wines. It's supported by various organizations, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Bologna's municipality, and Guala Closures as the main partner.

📈 The next TrendTalk by Rational, set for Tuesday, February 11, at 15:00 CET, will cover future industry directions for 2025 and discuss new technologies, adding value, and new food trends. Industry experts Doug Fryett, Paul Hanniffy, and Dirk Friedlein will present the webinar, which will be moderated by Michael Jones of 1473 Media and Stephan Leuschner of RATIONAL. The 90-minute webinar is in English and registration is free at www.rational-online.com/en_us/experience/trendtalk/.

💎 Comte de Montaigne's Maison di Champagne from Aube celebrates Valentine's Day with "Happy Anniversary" cuvée from its "Célébration" collection: Brut Nature Grande Réserve (100% Pinot Nero, 48 months aging, €69) and Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Grande Réserve (100% Blanc de Blancs, 48 months aging, €110). The bottles, designed by artist Giò Martorana, feature colorful stamps symbolizing joy and emotion. Pairings for a romantic dinner include Pak choi rolls, fettuccine with truffle, and Persian Love cake.

🍪 Molino Grassi solidified its role at the 46th SIGEP, held from January 18-22, with Luigi Biasetto as the new testimonial for its pastry flour line. The event saw the launch of innovative flour "Teglia 60x40" for pizza and the introduction of Paolo Sala as the new Brand Ambassador for bread-making. The stand featured demos and training sessions with industry professionals, confirming SIGEP as a key stage for bakery, pastry, and pizza trends and techniques.

🎉 Bari, Italy, is set to host the Splash Hospitality Expo 2025 at the Fiera del Levante, marking the event's seventh edition. Over 150 exhibitors and more than 30,000 visitors are expected to attend the B2B fair which will cover over 4,000 square meters. The expo, started by Claudio Lepore in 2016, focuses on innovation and networking for hospitality and beverage industry professionals. It features mixology, sustainability, masterclasses, seminars, and live events. HorecaNews is among the media partners, with journalist Nicole Cavazzuti participating in a talk.

🍴 The "EMERGENTE" series resumed in 2025 with "EMERGENTESALA," an event focused on "Servizio di Sala" in Italy. The Northern Selection took place in Bolzano and Merano during the Merano Wine Festival, selecting four finalists: Elisa Agarinis, Manuel Cossu, Lorenzo Durando, and Francesco Mario Passaretti. The event continued with the Central-South Selection to pick four more finalists. The iconic "Cena di gara" will be held on February 2 at Villa Agrippina Gran Melià in Rome. The "Prova orale" and the award ceremony will take place in the Sala Conciliare of Palazzo Valentini. Eight finalists from both selections will compete in the 2025 finale on April 28-29 in Monza, at Hotel De la Ville and Villa Reale. EMERGENTE is a competition for under-30 talents in the hospitality sector, in its nearly 20-year history, and includes categories like EmergentePizza, EmergenteChef, and EmergentePastry. Competitors are selected solely on merit. Sponsors include Acqua Maniva, Agugiaro & Figna Molini, and others.

🍽 On March 23-24, 2025, the 3rd edition of GD Show will be held at Real Collegio di Lucca, celebrating 60 years of G&D Food and Beverage. The event, sponsored by the Municipality of Lucca, features over 80 companies, 150 operators, international speakers, and is exclusive to industry professionals. The 2024 edition attracted over 2,000 visitors, with expectations for greater success at GD Show 2025. Key focuses include mixology, wine, gastronomic specialties of Lucca, and an expanded beer sector with expert Stefan Grauvogl hosting masterclasses.

🍰 At Sigep 2025, AMPI President Sal De Riso showcased a renovated stand featuring sophisticated design and hosted guests, primarily for networking among pastry and Horeca professionals. AMPI continues to nurture future pastry masters through the biennial AMPI Giovani project, aimed at integrating young talent into the world of high-end pastry, leveraging their passion and technical skills, often honed via social media. Summary: At Sigep 2025, Sal De Riso of AMPI presented a newly designed stand for networking and showcasing pastry arts. The AMPI Giovani project offers a two-year program for aspiring pastry chefs, emphasizing the role of social media in skills development.