Franco Pepe’s pizza was a hit, with everyone eager to give it a try at the Weekend Food Festival
The first day of the Weekend Food Festival surpassed all expectations and lived up to its status as a prestigious European festival of the gourmet and food industry. World-renowned culinary stars such as Franco Pepe, Ricard Camarena, Eduard Xatruch, Ana Roš, Eneko Atxa, Mate Janković, Simon Rogan, Deni Srdoč, and many others shone brightly in Rovinj, delighting the numerous audience. Attendees clamored for seats at lectures and masterclasses, while the relaxed atmosphere and quality music continued into the late evening hours.
The biggest stars of Friday
The heart of Istria is being transformed into the epicenter of activity this April, as its hosting the biggest names in the global culinary scene, numerous industry experts and speakers, as well as all gourmet enthusiasts. Chef Eneko Atxa, whose restaurant Azurmendi has been named the world’s most sustainable restaurant twice and holds three Michelin stars, addressed the audience through a live video broadcast from the Basque Country. Nikos Bakoulis, a prominent mixologist and co-founder of The Clumsies and Line bars, which are currently positioned in the top 50 bars in the world, spoke about the latest trends in the world of bars. Bakoulis is known not only for his exceptional mixology skills and numerous awards for innovative cocktail creations but also as one of the drivers of global cocktail trends with a strong focus on sustainability, which is this year’s festival’s guiding principle. Friday at the Weekend Food Festival also featured demo cooking presentations by giants of the international culinary scene, with Eduard Xatruch, a Spanish chef and restaurateur with a Michelin star, leading the way. Xatruch managed to show why his restaurant is called Disfrutar – which means “to enjoy” in Spanish. Franco Pepe, who was named the world’s best pizzaiolo by the Best Chefs Awards, conveyed a heartfelt message to the audience. He emphasized that for him, making pizza isn’t just about selling a product, but about creating an emotional experience for his customers. The excited crowd applauded him thunderously, eager to try his “inverted Margherita” pizzas or the Marinara pizza he created as a homage to the pizza his father used to make. Everyone wanted to try and take a photo with the chef, who was even the subject of a documentary on Netflix.
As a prelude to Saturday’s promising events, an evening party was held that was sure to excite
The evening party started with a pizza party and continued with the rhythms of the Montefiori Cocktail band, while Saturday’s program confirms why the Weekend Food Festival is a unique place for socializing, exchanging ideas, inspiration, and education. The rich program includes chefs Rasmus Munk, Dabiz Munoz, Karime Lopez, Takahiko ‘Taka’ Kondo, and David Skoko, as well as a lecture by the Member of the European Parliament Biljana Borzan, who will talk about the action of the EU and member states on reducing food waste and increasing food donations. Along with numerous panels, lectures, masterclasses, and gala dinners, Saturday will also feature this year’s FoodTech Start-Up Competition for start-ups. This innovative competition was created in collaboration with Maistra, Infobip, Pepermint, and Kaufland, designed to discover fresh and innovative ideas and provide support to the budding talents of the food and hospitality industry.
Entrance to the festival is free for everyone on Sunday.
