Everything is ready in Parma for the ‘Cena dei Mille’

The four-course menu to be served during the seventh edition of the ‘Cena dei Mille’, to be held in Parma’s historic centre on 8 September, has been revealed. The ‘guest chef’ is Gennaro Esposito, a two-Michelin-starred chef and owner of La Torre del Saracino in Vico Equense, near Naples, whose name joins the event’s roll of honour alongside stars of Italian and international cuisine, including Carlo Cracco, Chicco Cerea, Davide Oldani and Giancarlo Perbellini. The ‘Cena dei Mille’ offers a unique experience, and the thousand tickets sold out in just six minutes – in 2025 it took nearly an hour – attracting food enthusiasts from all over Italia. Over 80 tickets were purchased by enthusiasts from across Europe, and there will certainly be those travelling from the US and even Australia. Part of the proceeds will be donated to charity, including, amongst others, the Emporio Solidale in Parma.

The evening, organised in collaboration with Parma City Council, will kick off with a convivial aperitif featuring 18 stations. Twelve of these will be dedicated to food: six will represent the supply chains of the Parma Food Valley: Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, pasta (Barilla), tomatoes (Mutti and Rodolfi Mansueto), milk (Parmalat) and anchovies (Delicius, Rizzoli Emanuelli and Zarotti). A group of multinationals boasting a consumer turnover of 12.5 billion euros in 2025 (+8.7 per cent on 2024). The other six stations will feature the Protection Consortia for Culatello di Zibello, Coppa di Parma and Salame Felino, Piacenza PDO cured meats and Borgotaro mushrooms, alongside Coppini Arte Olearia and Destinazione Turistica Emilia with Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia. Finally, the remaining six stands will be dedicated to beverages, divided equally between wines, non-alcoholic drinks and mixology.

The starter will be provided by Parma Quality Restaurants, featuring a ‘cream of tomato soup with crisp vegetables, prawns and basil oil’ – a choice that pays homage to the local area. ‘It stems from a desire to pay tribute to Parma, starting with a vegetable deeply rooted in our region,’ explains Enrico Bergonzi, president of the Consortium which brings together over 40 restaurateurs from the province. The tomato forms the basis of a reimagined gazpacho, with celery, basil and cucumber adding crunch and freshness, and a touch of mango providing an exotic note.”

The first course is the creation of guest chef Gennaro Esposito, who has chosen his iconic ‘Mixed pasta soup with rockfish’ to pay tribute to the Parma Food Valley. The second dish from Chef to Chef Emilia Romagna, ‘White ox, vineyard peaches and Fragno truffles’, is dedicated to the region’s rural heritage. “It’s a dish inspired by the past, when oxen were an integral part of farm work in the Parma countryside and butchers prided themselves on offering their succulent meat during festive periods,” explains Massimo Spigaroli, honorary president of Chef to Chef Emilia Romagna and president of the Parma UNESCO Foundation. “Hence the idea of revaluing these important cuts of meat, which are now disappearing.” The ox, fattened for six months to ensure maximum marbling, is thinly sliced, rolled up and finished in the oven, served with a sauce made from the trimmings and enriched with truffle, alongside late-season vineyard peaches drizzled with Fortana wine.

Alma, the International School of Italian Cuisine, has chosen the ‘Oro della Bassa’. ‘We wanted a sweet finale that would showcase the richness of the produce from the Bassa region,’ explains Matteo Berti, the school’s academic director. “In the form of panna cotta, one of the typical local plants – sweet clover – takes centre stage, whilst the insert of custard with pollen echoes its sweetness and kaleidoscopic variety of flora.”