Vinòforum prepares for a grand closing

Everything is ready for the final of La Città della Pizza 2025 and the weekend's events, until Sunday 14 September in Piazza di Siena, Villa Borghese.

Vinòforum is in full swing: after the success of the first few days, the Roman event is gearing up for a truly unique weekend, featuring top-notch culinary experiences, meetings with leading names in signature cuisine, and the highly anticipated finale of La Città della Pizza 2025. This edition will conclude on Sunday, September 14th with the final round of the national competition seeking out new pizza talent in Italy. During the selection process held last April at GARUM - The Library and Museum of Cuisine in Rome, over 70 pizza chefs from 13 regions competed.

Michele Friello of La Storia, Luca Fusacchia of Bordo, Carlo Fiamma of Pizza e Cantina, Roberto Cupo of Robertino Cupo Pizza, Mirko Massaccesi of La Pizza di Mirko alla Valle, Antonio Martino of Peppo a Cinecittà, Emanuele Rossi of Der Keller, Pasquale Gulluscio of I Fratelli Gulluscio and Massimo Rocco of L'Oasi del Don: these are the nine finalists who will have the opportunity to showcase their talents in front of a panel of experts and the entire audience in Piazza di Siena. Each of them will present their signature dish, pairing it with Leffe Abbey Beers and using the highest-quality ingredients available in their pantry, such as Molino Casillo flours, Gioiella dairy products and Cirio Alta Cucina tomatoes. Together with the others, they will provide training products and services worth €4,000, which will constitute the prize for the winner.

"Vinòforum represents the beating heart of Italian food and wine, and pizza deserves a place of honor ," emphasized Emiliano De Venuti, organizer and CEO of Vinòforum . " We're looking forward to this weekend with enthusiasm, confident it will offer extraordinary tastings and encounters, enriched by the overwhelming energy of the talented pizza chefs competing. We're convinced that these final days will be the ideal conclusion to this great festival of taste that is Vinòforum, which annually satisfies the trade and thrills the general public."

But the time for pizza doesn't end here: the Pizza d'Autore dinner calendar continues with a meeting on Friday between Abruzzo, Campania and Sicily together with Gianluigi Di Vincenzo of Giangi Pizza e ricerca (Arielli), Antonio Tancredi of Diametro 3.0 (Casoria) and Melania Guarnieri of Panificio Grammo (Palermo), while on Saturday Pier Daniele Seu of Seu Pizza Illuminati e Tac (Rome) and Alessandro Lo Stocco , brand ambassador of Molino Casillo, will take to the stage.

The final evenings will feature three unmissable The Night Dinners created in collaboration with La Molisana : Friday the 12th will feature Stefano Bartolucci of RossoDiVino Restaurant in Valmontone, with a menu inspired by Mediterranean flavors, accompanied by scenes from one of the classic Italian comedies, "Febbre da Cavallo." This will be followed on Saturday the 13th by Ciro Scamardella of Pipero Restaurant, offering a culinary journey through traditional recipes and contemporary interpretations inspired by "The Great Beauty." Closing out this edition of the format will be Anastasia Paris of Futura Ristorante, who will bring her take on modern cuisine and exquisite pairings, featuring one of the most iconic villains in cinema history, from the film "Hannibal." All dishes will be paired with top-quality wines selected by Dalle Vigne , a top-quality national distribution network. The table setting is by Paşabahçe and Pratesi Hotel Division.

To make the unique space even more welcoming and technologically efficient, our partners: Pedrali, Berkel, Informasistemi and D'Agostini Lab .

On Friday 12th, appointment at the Temporary Restaurants with Jacopo Caira of Felice a Testaccio (Rome), Gianluca Marrella of Osteria Da Francesco (Rome) and Pietro De Luca of Agriturismo La Collina (Monte Compatri) who will leave the baton on Saturday to Alessandra Verdile , Federico Pitti and Andrea Verdile of Osteria Della Vittoria (Rome), Daniele Maragnani of Bon's (Rome) and Anthony Morosillo of Caligola Osteria Sincera (Rome). While, to close the program on Sunday there will be Aldo Serra and Marcello Acquarelli of Hostaria 100 Celle (Rome), Emanuele Mastroianni of Tacito (Rome) and Federico Salvucci of Fase Cucina Spontanea (Rome).

On the Top Tasting side, with the masters of AIS Lazio, on Friday the 12th there's a " Journey through the wines of Upper Piedmont " featuring Nebbiolo, Vespolina, and Croatina, to discover the complexity, elegance, and identity of each grape variety. Saturday and Sunday feature a double event: starting with " Sweets of Italy," a tasting of passito wines from various regions to delve into the age-old art behind these wines. It continues at 9:30 pm with " Excellent Bubbles: Comparing Italian Spumanti and Champagne ," an unmissable opportunity to learn about the terroirs, production methods, and distinctive notes of each sparkling wine. The final day will be entirely dedicated to French winemaking, with "The Essence of French White Wines ," from the freshness of Chablis to the complexity of Sancerre, and the aromatic charm of Alsace. This will be followed by "The Essence of French Red Wines, " tasting the finest red wines, from the finesse of Bordeaux to the depth of Burgundy and the character of Rhône. All tastings are curated by Paşabahçe , a global leader in table glass.

Furthermore, there will be appointments with Unaprol - Fondazione Evoo School , pairings with Gli Amici del Sigaro Toscano, exclusive tastings at Casa Barolo, top-notch dinners at Anima, The Rome EDITION's signature restaurant, and a discovery of Spanish winemaking with the Spanish Tourist Board.

The Masterclasses on Lazio wines, promoted by the Lazio Region and Arsial , continue. The focus of the weekend, on Friday, September 12th, will be local businesses that combine research, creativity, and advanced technologies to open new perspectives in the world of wine. Saturday, September 13th, at 7:30 pm, opens with a masterclass highlighting the role of consortia and cooperatives working to ensure quality, protect the territory, and promote regional DOC and DOCG wines. At 9:00 pm, there will be a meeting dedicated to companies led by new generations, who stand out for their fresh and dynamic approach, combining innovation and respect for tradition. Sunday, September 14th, concludes with a Business Dinner for industry professionals, curated by chef Doriano Perciballi of Locanda Dorica in Velletri.

The events organized by the Calabria Region – Arsac to discover the region's wines and specialties continue, dedicated to wine & food lovers, journalists, and enthusiasts.

Acqua Orsini's Gocce di Eccellenza events, the four-handed chef and bartender dinners for industry professionals, also conclude in grand style. On Friday the 12th, it's the turn of Michele Pacino (Baffetto – Puglia) and Alan Sozzi (seen by Oliver – Rome); on Saturday the 13th, Ciro Cucciniello (Carter Oblio – Rome) and Giorgio Menotti (Culto – Rome) take the stage; Sunday closes with Antonio De Stasio (La Spelunca SMC Vetere) and Carmine Castiello (Kong Salerno – Salerno).

The Digital Garden, designed by Leffe, Pergosystem, Sunsquare, Cappiello Design, and D'Agostini Lab, is also coming to an end. It will once again host interviews and in-depth discussions with key figures from Vinòforum 2025. All content will be available on Vinòforum's social media platforms.