The awards ceremony for the first "Night of Taste" organized by Great Taste is underway.
Bergamo, September 3, 2025 – Val di Noto D.O.P. extra virgin olive oil, 48-month Parmigiano Reggiano D.O.P., amber beer made with Moscato grape must, as well as Valtellina bresaola and roast turkey. The five senses were on high alert from the first to the last bite to select the finest products from our culinary heritage during the first Italian "Notte del Gusto" (Night of Taste) by Great Taste, held on September 2 at the Gres Art 671 cultural center in Bergamo. Over 200 attendees, including producers, journalists, institutions, and industry professionals, attended the award ceremony for Italy's finest specialties, presented by a panel of experts. This was the first time in the initiative's thirty-year history that the event took place in Italy, in Bergamo—one of three Italian capitals recognized by UNESCO as a "Creative City of Gastronomy."
The Italian event of Great Taste, the world's leading food and beverage accreditation program, was organized by the Guild of Fine Food and La Tavola di Mecenate with the aim of evaluating, showcasing, and promoting Italian food products and preparations (from cheeses to cured meats, from pasta to honey, from beers to coffee, from spirits to chocolate). The evening opened with remarks by Christabel Cairns, Associate Managing Director of the Guild of Fine Food, and John Farrand, CEO of the Guild of Fine Food, who stated: "We are delighted to celebrate some of Italy's finest products. The Guild of Fine Food has been organizing Great Taste for over 30 years. It is a recognition program known worldwide for its impartiality and rigorous judging process. This year, it was a great honor to bring the tasting and judging sessions to Italy."
Guests were able to taste the products awarded the Three Stars by Great Taste and witness the awards ceremony for the best competing products in the categories "Regional Excellence Northeast," "Regional Excellence Northwest," "Regional Excellence Central," "Regional Excellence Southern," and "UNESCO Italy Creative City Excellence," the latter reserved for products from the three Italian cities recognized by UNESCO as "creative cities" for gastronomy: Alba, Parma, and Bergamo. The final award, "The Night of Taste," was chosen by the audience during the evening.
THE AWARDED ITALIAN "THREE STARS," READY FOR THE INTERNATIONAL FINAL
Gian Mario Zana of the La Tavola di Mecenate Association presented the 13 products recognized as the best from over 300 entries: Gongorzola D.O.P. Nero Piccante by Igor Gongorzola, Bresaola Zerozero 100% natural by Sep Valtellina – Gioporro Group, Brenta cow's milk cheese Gold Selection by Latterie Vicentine, rolled lard by Bertelli Salumi, Parmigiano Reggiano D.O.P. from the Allegro Social Cheese Factory – 48 months, ‘Giovanna’ Pancetta in Tre Cotte from the Capitelli delicatessen, Fino de Aroma Extra Dark Chocolate 75% Hispaniola Organic from Slitti Chocolate, RePavo – Turkey in Porchetta from Bacalini, Cacio di Afrodite pecorino from the Il Fiorino Cheese Factory, Organic wholemeal orecchiette made from the Cappelli variety of wheat from AmoreTerra, Pallone di Gravina cow’s milk cheese from the Stella Dicecca Cheese Factory, Caprino di Puglia from the Il Carro Cheese Factory and Tonda Iblea EVO oil from Spedalotto.
An exceptional award went to Pèrsis Birra Italian Grape Ale (IGA) from the Pagnoncelli Folcieri Farm, recognized as a "UNESCO Italy Creative City of Excellence" with two Great Taste Stars – awarded by Claudio Cecchinelli, Deputy Global Coordinator of Creative Cities of Gastronomy.
Alberto Gottardi reiterated: "All the products participating in the first edition of Great Taste in Italy, evaluated by a team of judges composed of Italian experts and judges from the international Great Taste Awards team, received very flattering reviews. We thank the institutions that believed in the importance of the project, and in particular the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, the Ministry of Business and Made in Italy, the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) and the Bergamo Chamber of Commerce for their patronage, and the Lombardy Region and the Department of Agriculture for their patronage and support."
This event reaffirmed Italy's leading role in the global taste landscape and celebrated the winners of the first edition of Great Taste in Italy, who will represent our country at the international final of the Great Taste Awards 2025, scheduled for London on September 9th.
THE GREAT TASTE IN ITALY COMPETITION AND ITS NUMBERS.
Great Taste in Italy is the edition entirely dedicated to Italian food and agricultural products of Great Taste, one of the most authoritative food and beverage evaluation systems in the world, organized by the Guild of Fine Food. For over 30 years, this format has selected and awarded the finest food products, involving more than 500 judges and over 14,000 products from over 100 countries in each edition. 14,340 products participated in Great Taste 2025: only 39.6% received at least one star, while just 1.9% earned the coveted Three Great Taste Stars. The first Italian edition attracted over 300 submissions from across the country, evaluated by more than 40 judges—journalists, chefs, and professionals—who blind-tasted the entries, providing producers with valuable insights to enhance their strengths and address any potential weaknesses. Great Taste is an award that certifies quality globally and offers winners new opportunities for visibility and positioning on the national and international markets. With this first edition, Great Taste in Italy offered not only a tasting and meeting experience, but also a moment of dialogue around the values that make Made in Italy agri-food unique: quality, authenticity, and passion.
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