VILLA FRANCIACORTA IN SUPPORT OF LIFE

Following the June 8th event in Verona, on July 1st Villa Franciacorta will host world-class chefs, making the village of Villa Franciacorta the star of the show.

"Solidarity means concrete commitment, beyond words!" Villa Franciacorta , an integrated winery managed by the Bianchi-Pizzol family, has decided to confirm its commitment to solidarity by renewing its partnership with Chefs For Life, a charity initiative that brings together renowned chefs and companies to support organizations engaged in scientific research, personal care, and social work. Villa Franciacorta wines will be featured, alongside dishes created by the (each time different) Chefs For Life "brigades" throughout all 2026 events. Specifically, after the first event on May 6th at the prestigious Tuscan estate Villa Viesca, owned by the Ferragamo family, on Monday, June 8th, MasterChef for Life was held at the Giardino Giusti in Verona. The culinary and solidarity event—with 160 participants and over €25,000 raised for cystic fibrosis research—featured a collaboration between former stars of the famous television cooking show and Michelin-starred chefs.

On July 1st, the format arrives in the village of Villa Franciacorta , completing the trio of 16th-century locations hosting Chefs For Life 2026. For this occasion, the village will be transformed into a large open-air restaurant. A table will be set up in the center of the village, and a team of Chefs For Life —supported by resident chef Mauro Zacchetti of Ela, an osteria in the Villa— will offer their services pro bono, creating unique dishes inspired by Villa Franciacorta wines. The evening of July 1st will be dedicated to the Carolina Zani Melanoma Foundation, committed to prevention, early diagnosis, and scientific research on melanoma.

" After having joyfully 'experienced' iconic and historically significant locations like Villa Viesca and the Giusti Garden, we will be proud to welcome Chefs For Life to our ancient village for this important occasion, " said Roberta Bianchi. " We have supported Chefs For Life for over ten years because it is a project that truly puts people at the center and transforms the collaboration between Italian excellences into something concrete and truly tangible. It does so through good food and fine wine, so that the Convivio is nourishment for the body and soul. An approach made up of few proclamations and many results, in which we fully identify. For Villa Franciacorta, social commitment is an integral part of our way of doing business. The values my father instilled in us continue to guide us every day and represent a vision destined to remain ever-present, spanning generations."

The June 8th event featured a spectacular, collaborative cooking format, with 16 former contestants of the talent show paired with 16 professional chefs from the Chefs for Life network. The 32 chefs worked as a team, creating four-handed dishes for the evening's guests. Mon Saten, with its class and elegance, welcomed guests to the aperitif; followed by Boké, Villa Franciacorta's rosé, paired with gourmet pizza by Franco Pepe , an award-winning chef recently named Best Chef 2026 by the Elle Gourmet Award.

Information about Villa Franciacorta

Villa Franciacorta is a historic winery in Franciacorta, founded in 1960 by Alessandro Bianchi. Today, it is recognized for its production of wines made exclusively from vintage grapes grown on the estate. Located in the sixteenth-century village of Monticelli Brusati, the estate houses a historic winery alongside multiple underground cellars. It represents a place where wine, hospitality, and local culture blend together, creating a unique and profound experience. The village also features Elà Osteria Contemporanea, a charming restaurant offering refined, distinctive cuisine, and Agriturismo Villa Gradoni Charme & Nature, a hospitality facility nestled in the estate's vineyards. Among Villa Franciacorta's most representative labels are Emozione, Villa Franciacorta's first Franciacorta, created in 1978; Mon Saten, one of Franciacorta's most iconic Satens; Diamant Pas Dosè; and Extra Brut, authentic expressions of the winery's style and the terroir's great potential. Always guided by a strong family vision, Villa Franciacorta combines tradition, sustainability, and innovation, promoting a corporate culture founded on quality, social responsibility, and the creation of value for the community. www.villafranciacorta.it

About Chefs For Life

Chefs For Life is a solidarity project launched in 2015 that brings together some of Italy's most respected chefs, restaurant professionals, and top-notch Italian companies with the goal of supporting charitable initiatives for children, families, and vulnerable individuals. Through food and wine events and charity dinners held throughout Italy, Chefs For Life transforms cooking into a concrete instrument of solidarity, raising funds for organizations and associations committed to social causes. Over the years, the project has involved hundreds of professionals and partners, helping to support numerous charitable activities and establishing itself as one of the most significant social responsibility initiatives in the Italian fine dining scene. www.chefsfor.life

Chefs For Life, June 8, Verona (Giardino Giusti): the chefs involved

The all-star brigade : Liubica Komlenic, Chicco Cerea, Bobo Cerea, Chiara Pavan, Franco Pepe, Giancarlo Morelli, Diego Crosara, Tomaz Kavcic, Peter Brunel, Giuseppe Di Iorio, Salvatore Bianco, Massimo Fezzardi, Alberto Quadrio, Debora Vena, Fabio Mazzolini, Carlo Bresciani, Giuseppe Lamanna, Mauro Lazzari. The Masterchef Italy brigade : Matteo Canzi, Antonio Lorenzon, Antonio Colasanto, Anna Zhang, Rubina Rovini, Tracy Eboigbodin, Simone Finetti, Jack Canevali, Francesco Aquila, Dalia Rivolta, Niccolò Califano, Irene Volpe, Menir Ebbardary, Matteo Lee, Edoardo Franco, Eleonora Riso.