The end of January still seems far way, but in fact it’s very close. Just over two months and the works at Identità Milano will begin. It will be the 18th edition of the most important international congress on signature cuisine in Italy and one of the most prestigious ones in the world. It was born in 2005 to give voice, visibility and accompany the growth of Italian chefs. It then gradually expanded to the many 'bordering districts', i.e. the world of pizza, pastry, wine, mixology, products of excellence, and hospitality.
At MiCo in Milan, from Saturday 28th to Monday 30th January, practically all the top players in the industry in our country will take the stage and - after the pause imposed by Covid - a wide selection of international guests too. Here we can offer you a first, still incomplete preview of the speakers who will be in the spotlight in the Auditorium. Let's see what we can reveal to you day by day. THE COMPLETE PROGRAMME IN PROGRESS
SATURDAY 28 JANUARY 2023
Morning - In the Auditorium we get off to a strong start with the theme of Identità Milano which is 'Ladies and gentlemen, the revolution is served' (for more info on the theme read here or go to the end of this article). We’ll start at 10.30 a.m. with the customary welcome by Paolo Marchi and Claudio Ceroni, founders of Identità Golose. This will be followed by what has in turn become a classic appointment: the introduction to the theme of the congress, full of verve & culture, by Davide Rampello, artistic director and curator. At 10.55, the first lecture, or rather the first talk in the new Identità Talk format: a star speaker, Harold McGee, American food scientist and celebrated author of best seller On food and cooking will talk about Osmocosm, the universe of odours. After him, at 11.25, another icon: Andoni Luis Aduriz, chef-patron of Mugaritz in Errenteria, Spain. Back to Italy for the 11.15 lesson: Luca Travaglini, co-founder of Planet Farms, will tell us about a new way of conceiving vegetable farming, with Enrico and Roberto Cerea from Da Vittorio in Brusaporto (Bergamo). Before the lunch break, two more international and 'stellar' guests: David Gelb and Brian McGinn, respectively creator & executive producer, and executive producer & director at Chef's Table.
Afternoon - We will start again at 3 p.m. with two Italians in whom Paolo Marchi believes a lot, possibly representing the young Italian cuisine of the future: Richard Abou Zaki and Pierpaolo Ferracuti from Retroscena in Porto San Giorgio (Fermo). At 3.40 pm there will be a talk that we can’t reveal yet, it still needs confirmation; at 4.20 pm we will return to broaden our vision with a special female speaker: Fatmata Binta, founder of the Fulani Kitchen Foundation in Ghana and winner of the Basque Culinary World Prize 2022. From Africa to South America: at 5 pm the great, Brazilian Alex Atala from D.O.M. in São Paulo, Brazil. With him the first day's works in the Auditorium will come to a close.
SUNDAY 29th JANUARY 2023
Morning - After the welcome address by
Paolo Marchi and
Claudio Ceroni, at 10.40 am the stage is set for
Carlo Cracco and
Luca Sacchi of
Cracco restaurant in Milan. At 11.20 am, the first international guest of the day is
Angel Leòn, chef-patron of
Aponiente in Cadiz, Andalusia. At noon, the microphone will go to Canadian
Jessica Rosval, the very talented chef at
Casa Maria Luigia in Modena, Italy: she will talk to us about
The Fire Revolution. Another woman at 12.40pm: Colombian
Leonor Espinosa, chef-patron of
Leo restaurant in Bogotà and
World's 50 Best Female Chef 2022.
Afternoon - After the break, another woman will talk in the Auditorium of Identità Milano 2023: Antonia Klugmann of L'Argine a Vencò in Dolegna del Collio (Gorizia), at 3.00 pm. Around 40 minutes later the spotlight will be on Moreno Cedroni and Luca Abbadir of La Madonnina del Pescatore in Senigallia (Ancona). At 4.20 pm, a new appointment with Identità Talk: Andrea Aprea of restaurant Andrea Aprea in Milan, and Riccardo Monco, Alessandro Della Tommasina and Alessandro Tomberli of Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence will talk about 'Our starred revolution'. We will close the day, at 5 pm, with world pastry and chocolate champion Davide Comaschi.
MONDAY 30th JANUARY 2023
Morning - Opening of the last day's work as always entrusted to the initial greetings of Paolo Marchi and Claudio Ceroni, at 10.30 am. This will be followed by a lecture still to be confirmed, while at 11.20 am we will fly to Spain with Paco Morales from Noor from Córdoba. At noon we will remain in the Mediterranean area, with a must at Identità, the lesson by maestro Corrado Assenza of Caffè Sicilia in Noto (Syracuse). This will be followed by what has always been considered the highlight of the congress: the speech by Massimo Bottura from Osteria Francescana in Modena, at 12.30 pm.
Afternoon - After the lunch break, grand finale. At 3 pm the stage will be set for Niko Romito from Casadonna in Castel di Sangro (L'Aquila). At 3.40 pm another prestigious lesson, for which we’re just waiting for a final confirmation. Closing the proceedings in the Auditorium, from 4.20 pm, the great Albert Adrià of Enigma in Barcelona.
We would also like to remind you that the 2023 version of Identità Milano will be very different from the previous ones, completely renewed also in form and manner; after all, the theme this year is 'Ladies and gentlemen, the revolution is served'. Of course, we had to undergo a revolution ourselves. As Paolo Marchi, founder with Claudio Ceroni of the event and its curator, explained here: ' Themes like economic and environmental sustainability, and attention to the work conditions of employees have been crucial in every field of society for a few years now. But first the pandemic and then the war started by Russia have shaken the roots of the catering and hospitality industry with a force that was impossible to imagine. All that has happened in the past three years, and is still far from being overcome, forces us to think in a completely different way, to question what we have we built so far. Nothing will ever be like the autumn-winter 2019/20, so here is the theme of Identità Milano 2023: Ladies and Gentlemen, the revolution is served. And those who still have not understood this, need to open their eyes so as not to be overcome by the events. Indeed, because there are times in life that have the destructive force of a tsunami, and against which, nothing in our will, can oppose immediate resistance. (...) Identità Milano is returning to fully carry out its mission of narrating change and innovation. The 2023 edition, from the 28th to the 30th of January, from Saturday to Monday, will see us going back to dates that are more logical for exhibitors, speakers, public and ourselves. We’ll all meet at MiCo, the congress centre in Via Gattamelata in Milan, to test ourselves with the current and future revolution. Having well in mind that we will never cease to seek quality, wherever it may be. Let us not let circumstances, commonplaces, and traditions condition us'.
HERE THE COMPLETE PROGRAMME IN PROGRESS
Translated into English by Slawka G. Scarso
