Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – The Italian National Chefs' journey toward the RAK Porcelain Culinary World Cup, scheduled for November 21-25, 2026, at Luxexpo The Box in Luxembourg, stopped in Parma. On October 12, the team attended a rehearsal dinner at Academia Barilla, the Barilla Group's center of gastronomic excellence dedicated to promoting Italian culinary culture. This was a training and evaluation opportunity ahead of the Hot Kitchen – Restaurant of Nations competition on November 24.
The event was born from the decade-long partnership between Barilla for Professionals, the Group's division dedicated to the world of chefs and professional catering, and the Italian Chefs Federation. Barilla for Professionals and Academia Barilla shared the logistical and financial commitment to make the 110th test possible, one of the most challenging and complex training sessions to organize.
Barilla for Professionals supported the chefs' arrival and stay in Parma, while Academia Barilla provided the location and oversaw the organization of the evening. "Barilla for Professionals has been a long-time partner of the Italian Chefs Federation, proudly displaying its logo in Italy and around the world on its premium pasta products dedicated to the foodservice industry, such as the new Barilla Al Bronzo for Professionals. Sponsoring this training session for the Italian National Chefs at the Academia marks another important moment of our collaboration, with the aim of bringing the joy of good Italian food to the top of international cooking competitions, thanks to our team of the best Chefs in Italy," said Marco Gandolfi, Food Service Channel Marketing Associate Director of Barilla for Professionals.
Test 110 is a simulation designed to test the team on the dynamics of a service to a large number of diners, verifying organization, timing, team coordination, quality and consistency of preparations.
An opportunity to exchange ideas, fine-tune every detail, and transform training into essential automatic skills for facing the international competition. All this in a place where the culinary profession can be expressed at the highest levels, thanks to the Academia's training kitchens and the expertise of Barilla chefs. 110 people, including many Barilla employees, tested the results. The Group offered them a preview of the culinary offerings of the Italian National Chefs Team, the same dishes that will then be replicated during the competition. The decision to organize this test together with Barilla for Professionals responds to the demand for the utmost excellence. Academia Barilla is one of the few venues capable of reproducing the conditions of the Culinary World Cup and is a hub of gastronomic culture: its Library, inaugurated in 2005, houses the largest collection of gastronomic books in Italy, with over 18.000 volumes, alongside 5.000 historical Italian and foreign menus and gastronomic engravings from 1500 to 1900. Furthermore, the Barilla Group is the world's leading food company by reputation, according to the Global RepTrak 100 2026.
The Italian National Chefs Team is a division of the Italian Chefs Federation. It brings together chefs from across the country, selected through rigorous testing or selected through national and international competitions. They dedicate themselves fully to their assigned tasks. Above all, team spirit prevails, and must be clearly understood and prioritized. Projects, programs, and strategies are shared, and activities are carried out through discussion and sharing, striving to always promote Italian gastronomic tradition and culture at the highest levels. General Manager Gianluca Tomasi is guiding the Italian National Chefs' journey: "For the Italian National Chefs, which brings Italian cuisine to the international stage through global competitions, proudly showcasing our products, our flavors, and our gastronomic identity, being able to count on the support of a company like Barilla is a source of great pride and prestige. Barilla is a symbol of Italy around the world," said Tomasi, "and an internationally recognized excellence. Sharing a journey with such a valuable company means strengthening the bond between two expressions of Made in Italy that, through expertise, research, and passion, contribute to the quality and culture of our country. This collaboration is born from a concrete synergy, fueled by the exchange of ideas, experiences, and professionalism, with the shared desire to promote Italian cuisine and its excellence. It is precisely from these collaborations that the strength of a shared identity is born, capable of facing international challenges by bringing the best of Italy to the world."
The Italian National Chefs team comprises three departments: Training, headed by Chef Antonio Danise. He is responsible for conveying all of NIC's knowledge, from technical experience to philosophy, and the proper image of the chef profession within hotel management schools and the professional catering industry, through theoretical and practical activities. Events, headed by Chef Vito Amato, manages FIC catering activities for trade shows, championships, or other major events, with the aim of promoting and enhancing all of Italy's resources. Competitions, headed by Chef Pierluca Ardito, ensures the NIC team's participation in the most important and prestigious international competitions on the WorldChefs circuit. Representing Italy in the competition will be a team composed of professionals who have shared a long training journey: Pierluca Ardito – Competitions Manager; Angelo Biscotti – Junior Manager; Francesco Cinquepalmi; Giuseppe De Vincenzo; Luigi D'Antonio; Mattia Matuozzo; Luca Bnà; Stefano Barghini; Francesco Locorotondo; Giampiero Ingrao; Andrea Serale.
The first test for the Italian National Chefs will be the Chef's Table, scheduled for November 22nd. Here, every element takes on fundamental importance: technique, precision, creativity, balance of flavors, aesthetics, organization, and team coordination. The team must be able to convey a precise gastronomic vision through the menu, mastering every preparation down to the smallest detail. November 24th will be the turn of the Hot Kitchen, also known as the Restaurant of Nations. This is a completely different test in terms of size and organization. The team must face a real high-volume catering operation, preparing and serving a three-course menu for 110 people. The 110th Test tests the team's ability to work as a single organism: timing, cooking, regeneration, plating, distribution, and service must proceed in perfect sync. It's not enough to create an excellent dish once. You have to be able to reproduce it 110 times while maintaining the same quality standards, respecting timing, organization, hygiene, and procedures. This is where the concept of team takes on its most concrete meaning. Every detail is tested and re-tested. Each team member knows their role and that their work is part of a larger mechanism. The opening ceremony will officially open on November 20th, while the event kicks off at Luxexpo The Box on November 21st. The Chef's Table will be on November 22nd, while the Hot Kitchen will be on November 24th, and Italy will be present.
The NIC thanks FIC President Rocco Cristino Pozzuolo, the entire management and working group of the Italian Chefs Federation for their support and trust, all its colleagues for their esteem, and everyone who has contributed to the national team's journey. A special thanks goes to its partners, who have chosen to accompany the Italian Chefs National Team on this adventure and to provide concrete support on the journey to Luxembourg: Barilla for Professionals, Academia Barilla, Neptura, Ballarini Professionale, Orogel Food Service, Cirio Alta Cucina, Cast Alimenti, Cataringross, Lo Specialista, Sirman, Zorzi, Sanelli, Lurisia Premium Beverages, Cantine Riunite, and Metro. Their support is an important part of this journey: because behind every team that takes to the field there are also companies, professionals, and organizations that believe in the value of Italian cuisine and decide to invest in its future. Also supporting the Italian Chefs National Team in this new challenge in Luxembourg is the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forestry (MASAF). The NIC teams, through their successes in recent years at the most important international competitions, have been a true example for many young chefs and have represented Italy at the highest levels, bringing the professionalism of our chefs and the excellence of Italian products and cuisine to the world. The collaboration with Masaf is part of this process of exchange within major international showcases, to support the promotion and dissemination of Italian gastronomic culture, its agri-food products, and, in particular, the recognition of Italian Cuisine as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, which Italy achieved last December.
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