«Festa a Vico is one of those places where anyone who loves food or works in the food world should go sooner or later. I have always thought this and when, two days ago, the maître d’ of a starred restaurant told me this phrase, I had the confirmation that even the professionals are convinced of it. Because the three days dedicated to gastronomy, meetings and charity organized every year by Gennaro Esposito, two Michelin stars at the Torre del Saracino in Vico Equenseis always everyone’s party: a meeting of pop and top, of popular and gourmet food, of traditional products and great novelties, to be discovered in the square, in the streets and in the great restaurants, simultaneously contributing to the many noble causes of which chef Esposito has always acts as a spokesperson.

Festa a Vico, the “feeling” edition

This year, the 21st edition, the appointment is from 10 to 12 June with the evocative title There is feeling and a program capable of embracing every nuance of food and that universal emotion that it is able to evoke. «Because where everything makes sense there is feeling to put it in the words of Pino Daniele.

Party in Vico e The Italian kitchen

Sentiment, therefore, but also a lot of concreteness, because Festa a Vico generates large numbers: this year 50 thousand attendees are expected, over 300 Italian and foreign chefs and more than 100 thousand food and wine delicacies. Among the news there is one that concerns us: this year we will also be there, in one of the most anticipated events.

Together with chef Gennaro Esposito, The Italian kitchen has thought of a new format for the traditional Festa a Vico gala dinner: a dinner with a title Bites of Italy, the celebration of Italian cuisine to support the candidacy of “Italian cuisine between sustainability and biocultural diversity” as a UNESCO intangible heritage promoted by our magazine. It will be an evening with a parterre of international chefs who will compete with Italian ingredients to propose dishes never proposed before. Among foreigners, for example, Narda Lepesbest female chef in Latin America in 2020 according to the international ranking 50 Best Restaurants; and then Christophe Peleexecutive chef Le Clarence Parigi (two Michelin Stars), Katsu Nakaji, two stars at Hatsune Sushi in Tokyo, and Antonio Iacoviello, head chef of Gucci Osteria in Tokyo (one Michelin star). Among the many Italians, Pino Cuttaia, two Michelin stars at La Madia (Licata) and the brothers Chicco and Bobo Cerea, three Michelin stars with Da Vittorio in Brusaporto (Bergamo) and seven overall in their restaurants around the world. A dinner for 240 people of which the entire proceeds will go to charities that operate at a local level, in the province of Naples and Campania, and nationally, such as the Umberto Veronesi Foundation.

The Festa a Vico program

The tastings of the dishes that chefs from all over Italy will create on 11 June, on the day dedicated to Republic of Food, among the streets, gardens, buildings and shops of Vico, which will be transformed into an open-air restaurant. Finally, on June 12th there will be the traditional one Sejanus Way in the fishing village where Gennaro Esposito’s Torre del Saracino restaurant is also located, which will transform into a haute cuisine experimentation hub with events dedicated to professionals bringing together young and promising chefs and sommeliers among the most appreciated in the world.

Last but not least, on each of the three days there will be parties, workshops, dances, songs, concerts and shows everywhere. All this in one of the most beautiful places in the world: la Sorrento Coast. In short, if you were looking for an idea to get started, here it is.

For the entire program, and to book places for the various events (including our dinner), click on www.festavico.com

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