Chances are you’ve probably never been to or even heard of the city of Udine (located in the Friuli Venezia Guilia region) in Italy. But that’s going to change as it’s now become the home of Ein Prosit— one of the country’s largest food and wine events. Founded in the neighboring city of Tarvisio 21 years ago, this year, it has moved an hour away (although the opening/ preview events still take place here)– a “movable feast that celebrates the sunny side of fine dining,” as organizer Paolo Vizarri describes, “creating synergies at the borders. That’s why we are in Italy, but we have a German name, we do not believe in the differences and the walls that they build.”
Think: collaboration dinners by literally some of the world’s best chefs, wine tastings, workshops, masterclasses, food trucks, music, dancing, DJs (Massive Attack’s DJ Daddy G and former Portishead DJ Andy Smith were our official DJs for the event!)
At Ein Prosit 2019, a star-studded lineup of 47 chefs from around the world and Italy cooked at various restaurants around the city from October 24 to 28– imagine that! From overseas, there were: Virgilio Martinez (Central, Peru), Zaiyu Hasegawa (Den, Japan), Ana Roš (Hiša Franko, Slovenia), Alain Passard (L’Arpège, France), Vladimir Mukhin (White Rabbit, Russia), Luca Fantin (Bulgari- Il Ristorante Luca Fantin, Japan), Maksut Askar (Neolokal, Turkey), Manu Buffara (Manu, Brazil), Tim Butler (Eat Me, Thailand), Anatoly Kazakov (Selfie, Russia), Alberto Landgraf (Oteque, Brazil), Christophe Hardiquest (Bon Bon, Belgium), Joris Bijdendijk (Rijks, Netherlands).
From Italy, some of the chefs included: Massimiliano Alajmo (Le Calandre, Rubano), Corrado Assenza (Caffè Sicilia, Noto), Renato Bosco (Saporè, San Martino Buon Albergo), Riccardo Camanini (Lido 84, Gardone Riviera), Martina Caruso (Signa, Salina), Giuseppe Iannotti (Krèsios in Telese Terme), Antonia Klugmann (L’Argine a Vencò, Dolegna del Collio), Norbert Niederkofler (St. Hubertus, San Cassiano), Niko Romito (Reale, Castel di Sangro), Diego Rossi (Trippa, Milan), Franco Pepe (Pepe in Grani), Federico Sisti, Mauro Uliassi (Uliassi, Senigallia), Ciro Scamardella (Pipero, Rome), and many, many more!
And the best thing is– EIN PROSIT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! Fine dining dinner prices range from €80 to €250, inclusive of wines!
Here’s a photogenic recap of what transpired via the dinners I attended during my trip:
Virgilio Martinez (Central, Lima) at Ilija Restaurant, Tarvisio
Virgilio Martinez of Central (No. 2 on Latin America’s 50 Best; No. 6 on World’s 50 Best) and Mil brought Peru’s rich biodiversity to us— cactus and clams from the dry, desertic coast; squid and sargassum from the sea terrain; sea urchin and loche squash from the dessertic waters; shrimp, cecina and belloca plantain from the lush Amazonian plain; beef from the Andean plateau. The stunning tasting menu featuring Peru’s terroir, ecosystem, altitudes and culture was a strong way to kick off Ein Prosit 2019 at its original home of Tarvisio, Italy!
Vladimir Mukhin (White Rabbit, Moscow) and Anatoly Kazakov (Selfie, Moscow) at Ristorante Vitello d’Oro, Udine
Vladimir Mukhin of White Rabbit in Moscow (No. 13 on World’s 50 Best) and Anatoly Kazakov of Selfie in Moscow (No. 65 on World’s 50 Best) narrated Russia’s social, cultural and economic landscape through their dishes at their collaboration dinner at Ristorante Vitello d’Oro, the oldest restaurant in Udine.
Sunflower seeds in Russia is the “poorest” ingredient— commonly eaten by babushkas in the villages as a snack. Caviar, on the other hand, is the most expensive ingredient. These people who eat caviar never really meet and dine with those who eat sunflower seeds— hence the chefs decided to serve these two contrasting ingredients together— as if to have these people all together in one table.
Coupled with poshehonsky young cheese with tomatoes and bottarga; Cabbage stalk and Sakhalin shrimp; Okroshka (cold Russian soup with lacto-fermented mushrooms); Quail, Jerusalem artichoke and fried Russian ants—- this wonderful interactive dinner was, hands-down, one for the books!
Diego Rossi (Trippa, Milan) and Federico Sisti at Enoteca da Fred, Udine
Trippa by chef Diego Rossi, is one of the hottest restaurants in Milan, celebrating, as in its name— tripe, and all kinds of offal: kidney, liver, heart, lungs, etc. This, for the reason that they are atypical from most meat cut offerings (which allows him to play around), and more importantly— so that there is no wastage!
Together with chef Federico Sisti, they prepared a super fun and creative collaborative dinner of fried tripe with paprika mayonnaise; fried sweetbreads topped with katsuobushi; ravioli di coratella (ravioli of lamb offal), dashi of montone (adult male sheep), and soba with tomatoes and lamb tartare— to the beats of former Portishead DJ Andy Smith, at Enoteca da Fred in Udine for Ein Prosit 2019.
Ana Roš (Hiša Franko, Kobarid) and Manu Buffara (Restaurante Manu, Curitiba) at Locanda al Cappello, Udine
Having two superwomen forces (who are are changing the landscapes of their respective countries and cities) cook together at Locanda “Al Cappello” was beyond special. World’s Best Female Chef 2017 Ana Roš of Hiša Franko in Slovenia (No. 38 on World’s 50 Best), who had her first date here with Valter Kramar, brought three of her signatures from across the border: potato cooked in hay; fig with coffee, yoghurt, foie and sage; roebuck with ‘horseradish cream’ and pine cones; apple and goat milk croissant. Manu Buffara of Restaurante Manu in Curitiba, Paraná in south Brazil (No. 42 in Latin America’s 50 Best) shared her mission of educating people (kids, too) through what they eat, and recognizing “forgotten” local ingredients like the stingless bees which populate their city. This she communicated through her milk ice cream dessert served with honey and pollen from these stingless bees, after savory courses of leek and lardo, and lamb tartare wrapped in kale with lamb’s head sauce. Live Slovenian music (good friends of Ana) entertained us throughout the evening.
Italy Today: Massimiliano Alajmo (Le Calandre, Rubano), Riccardo Camanini (Lido 84, Gardone Riviera), Luca Fantin (Bulgari- Il Ristorante Luca Fantin, Tokyo), Norbert Niederkofler (St. Hubertus, San Cassiano), Niko Romito (Reale, Castel di Sangro), Mauro Uliassi (Uliassi, Senigallia), Emanuele Scarello at Agli Amici, Udine
The only dinner that was not open to the public, “Italy Today” was a showcase of how the country’s culinary scene is evolving, while hinging onto its roots. The cast of chefs is spectacular, some of the country’s top whose restaurants sit on both the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list AND the Michelin guide: Massimiliano Alajmo of Le Calandre in Rubano (3 Michelin stars, No. 31 on World’s 50 Best), Riccardo Camanini of Lido 84 in Gardone Riviera (1 Michelin star, No. 78 on World’s 50 Best), Luca Fantin of Bulgari- Il Ristorante Luca Fantin in Tokyo (1 Michelin star, No. 18 on Asia’s 50 Best; No. 107 in the World), Norbert Niederkofler of St. Hubertus in San Cassiano (3 Michelin stars, No. 116 on World’s 50 Best), Niko Romito of Reale in Castel di Sangro (3 Michelin stars, No. 51 on World’s 50 Best), Mauro Uliassi of Uliassi in Senigallia (3 Michelin stars; No. 61 on World’s 50 Best), and host chef Emanuele Scarello of Agli Amici (2 Michelin stars– the only one in the region!) The grand finale was one extremely large panettone, where each of the chef brought an ingredient to contribute to it– what a party!
Ein Prosit Food Truck: Renato Bosco (Saporè, San Martino Buon Albergo)
One of the absolute BEST things I ate on this trip was Renato Bosco’s signature doppiocrunch pizza, or double crunch pizza! To quote Identita Golose, he had “synthesized a new idea of pizza, breaking down the borders between focaccia and Neapolitan style. Searching for new textures, charmed by the call of sourdough, this pizza-researcher invented his signature dish: The Crunch and Double Crunch Pizza, an extremely crispy dough that keeps a nice tenderness on the inside and is pleasant to the palate.” The crunch, the crisp, the flavors… I was legit in bliss!!
How to get to Udine: From Venice, it is a 2-hour train ride. From Milan, it’s a 4-hour train ride.
Ein Prosit is organized by Conzorzio di Promozione Turistica del Tarvisiano, in collaboration with the Friuli Venezia Griulia autonomous region, PromoTurismo FVG with the support of the Municipality of Udine and the Fondazione Friuli. For more information, email: info@einprosit.org
*Most photos taken with a Leica DLuxe7
