From Carlo Cracco to Massimo Spigaroli, from Isa Mazzocchi to Andrea Incerti Vezzani, there are several starred chefs who, alongside Parma Quality Restaurants and Chef To Chef, meet in the ducal city on Tuesday 4 September: the idea is to transform the historic center of Parma in an outdoor gourmet restaurant, for a thousand guests. The purpose of the "Dinner of the Thousand", which ideally opens the "September Gastronomic" event, is also beneficial: part of the funds raised will go towards the Emporio Solidale di Parma project. Presale is starting, with tickets on sale on VivaTicket and parmacityofgastronomy.it

Parma, 2 August 2018 - Tickets for the "Thousand Dinner", scheduled for 4 September in Parma, will officially open today, Thursday 2 August. The sales circuits are those of VivaTicket.it and ParmaCityOfGastronomy.it and the cost is 85 euros per person, plus presale rights. For info, the toll-free number is available: 800.977925

The "Dinner of the Thousand" is part of the program "September Gastronomic", promoted by the Municipality of Parma and the Parma Foundation UNESCO City of Gastronomy, under the direction of Parma Alimentare and "Parma io sto sto!" And with the support of Destinazione Emilia. It is a great choral project, in collaboration with Consorzi di Tutela and numerous and important food companies in the area, with the aim of enhancing the gastronomic excellence of the Food Valley and strengthening the appeal of the Parma brand as a foodie tourist destination, to the interior of an area of ​​great attraction such as Emilia. As explained by the Councilor for Tourism and UNESCO Project Cristiano Casa, "Since 2012, focusing particularly on the food offer, Parma has had an increase in tourist presence of 26%, with a 32% increase in the number of foreign visitors. Positive are also the first five months of 2018 which see a general increase in attendance of 11% and of foreign visitors by 8%. We look to the future with confidence: in 2020 Parma will indeed be the Italian Capital of Culture ".

Tuesday, September 4, the historic center of Parma will host a 400 meter long table, transforming itself into a charming “fine dining” restaurant under the stars, for a maximum of one thousand guests. The "Dinner of the Thousand" will help raise funds for the Parma Solidarity Emporium: a project that took its first steps in 2009 and represents the response of the community of Parma to families in financial difficulty.

The gastronomic proposal - from the appetizer to the dessert - will be of a gourmet nature, both for the quality of the raw materials used - Parma is the cradle of gastronomic treasures such as Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, Prosciutto di Parma DOP, Culatello di Zibello DOP, Salame Felino PGI, Coppa di Parma IGP and many others - both for the "parterre de rois" of chefs involved. Starting with Massimo Spigaroli, starred chef and President of the UNESCO Parma City of Gastronomy Foundation, and the restaurateurs of Parma Quality Restaurants, the association, chaired by chef Enrico Bergonzi, which brings together the best expression of Parma's haute cuisine. As chef Spigaroli explains: «With the Cena dei Mille, Parma wants to present the products and tradition of the territory, telling them in a creative way to pay tribute to the UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy award won in 2015. However, ours is not just a simple culinary appointment: we want to show how food is a culture of beauty, goodness and the social ».

To support chef Spigaroli and Parma Quality Restaurants in the preparation of the "Dinner of the Thousand" will be a representation of Chef To Chef, the consortium of the 50 best chefs in Emilia-Romagna, united by the objective of favoring the evolution of regional gastronomy and the his affirmation at national and international level: in Parma will be present the Piacenza-born Isa Mazzocchi (one Michelin star) and Filippo Chiappini Dattilo and the Reggio Emilia Gianni D'Amato and Andrea Incerti Vezzani (one Michelin star).

To embellish the evening and to give a touch of sweetness to the menu of the "Dinner of the Thousand" will be the chef Carlo Cracco, who will offer his dessert, recalling the Parma tradition with a touch of creativity.

During the evening, before the "Cena of the Thousand" starts, guests will be able to enjoy a variety of appetizers and finger food based on the excellence of the Emilian Food Valley. Starting from the Parma ones, from Prosciutto di Parma DOP to Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, from canned tomatoes (offered by Mutti and Rodolfi Mansueto) to fish preserves (Delicius Rizzoli, Isola d'Oro, Rizzoli Emanuelli and Zarotti), passing through other masterpieces art of cured meats such as Culatello di Zibello DOP, Coppa di Parma PGI and Salame Felino PGI. Do not miss the Casa Barilla pasta and dairy products from Parmalat, as well as the extra virgin olive oil from Coppini Arte Olearia. Even the provinces of Piacenza and Reggio Emilia, with their gastronomic treasures, will be protagonists of the aperitif: from Piacentino, will arrive Pancetta Piacentina DOP and Coppa Piacentina DOP, from Reggiano, instead, Traditional Balsamic Vinegar DOP of Reggio Emilia and the erbazzone. The aperitif time will be enlivened by the Ruinart champagne, historic Maison, born in 1729. The wines that will accompany the "Cena dei Mille" will be an expression of the excellence of the Emilian wine offer, with Parma represented by the Consortium for the Protection of Wines Colli di Parma DOC, Piacenza from the Consorzio Tutela Vini DOC Colli Piacentini and Reggio Emilia by the Consortium for the Protection and Promotion of Reggiani Wines DOC. The official mineral waters of the evening will be San Pellegrino-Acqua Panna. Moreover, Bormioli Luigi will take care of the assortment of glasses and glasses while Bormioli Rocco will present all the guests of the evening with a special limited edition souvenir dish.

Main sponsors of the evening will be BMW and Credit Suisse, Acqua di Parma, O Luxury and Valenti sponsors.