These chefs will go straight to your heart – at S. Pellegrino Sapori Ticino

The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach 

My grandmother used to say. Well, also to a woman’s stomach, because S.Pellegrino Sapori Ticino, the  most important food festival in Europe, is my favorite event of the year. Everything is beautiful about it, everything is sexy: the food, the crowd, the locations, the idea behind.

After showcasing the work of more than 400 Michelin stars in the best Swiss locations, pairing up chefs from the Ticino region with international professionals preparing fabulous meals in top Swiss locations, S.Pellegrino Sapori Ticino has arrived at its 18th edition, stronger than ever.

The Germany you wouldn’t expect

This year, the theme is Germany, a unique gastronomic reality that is positively surprising both guests and media.

I attended two events, one at the  Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues  and one at the Widder in Zurich. 

A highlight was the photo session before the dinners. The chefs always have such a good time together, and make jokes or complain that they are not photogenic enough. But they stop the traffic! Being all dressed up with their hats, people can’t resist filming them or observing what’s happening. It does help that the hosts are working in close contact with the Ticinesi (Swiss Italians and Italian), because this makes everybody more open and talkative.

Another favorite moment was in the kitchen, of course, which I always love to visit.

In both events, the dinner preparation started calmly. Drinks and finger food were served, while Giorgia Ghezzi-Panzera, the photographer, quietly took pictures on the side. But then she started directing the chefs. Action! Cheering and moving around, everybody got into the fun mood. Once I managed to land on their lap – what a dream.

Adter that, dinner started, and work became hectic, the way you would expect. The combination of the staff interactions, the mix of languages, the divine food smells, and the adrenaline-filled air was a fascinating example of great team work.

Gala dinners

We, the guests, got treated to the result of this alchemy.

In Geneva, the Grand Ballroom and the formal setting made us feel the importance and quality of what we were experiencing. In Zurich, the cool city atmosphere was suitable for chatting and networking, and discussions went on until the morning after, when many of us met outside of the hotel, by chance.

My favorite dish were the Astice Blu by Federico Palladino (in Geneva), and the scampi by Jacopo Rovetini. At least, I think…It is very hard to decide!

The Geneva team was headed by  Michele Fortunato, who hosted  Marco Badalucci,  Alessandro Boleso,  Federico Palladino and Marco Veneruso.

The Zurich team was led by  Tino Staub, who hosted Luca Bellanca,  Cristian Moreschi,  Jacopo Rovetini, and  Egidio Iadonisi.

I joined the loudest table and moved around quite a bit – challenging the waiters, who didn’t know anymore where I was sitting. But the service was immaculate, and I experienced one the best evenings ever.

I was also very moved by an unexpected gift by Danny Stauffacher, Marta Lenzi and Marco Gagliati – the minds behind the S.Pellegrino Sapori Ticino Gourmet Festival. They contacted painter Luca la Marca, also from the Ticino region, and commissioned him a portrait. He picked one of my recent pictures and showed the photo in a totally different way, with oil colours. I absolutely loved it.

History

S.Pellegrino Sapori Ticino was born from the idea of bringing to Canton Ticino all the best of international food and wine to collaborate with Ticino hotels and chefs. The great tourism potential of the area, rich in natural beauty, history and unique landscapes, today more than ever also passes through food and wine, a basic factor in choosing a destination.