The first edition of the Chef Residency project, promoted by the Prosecco DOC Consortium in collaboration with Tuorlo Media, draws to a close. The programme featured four international culinary residencies, welcoming chefs from Brazil, South Korea, Canada and the United Kingdom and supporting the development of young professionals through an exchange of techniques, ingredients and traditions from different cultures.
Treviso, 19 October 2026 – Prosecco DOC Chef Residency 2026 has established itself as an international format that goes beyond product promotion, positioning Prosecco DOC as a platform for connection, exchange and cross-cultural creativity within contemporary gastronomy.
Each residency was designed as an immersive experience unfolding in two complementary stages: first, an exploration of the Prosecco DOC region, its traditions, culture, food and wine heritage; then, masterclasses bringing together chefs and students at House of Mediterraneo in Milan. Each residency culminated in a closing dinner, pairing different expressions of Prosecco DOC with dishes created by the chefs and young students.
“Chef Residency has shown how Prosecco DOC can become a truly universal language, bringing different culinary cultures into dialogue through the values of openness and conviviality that define us,” comments Giancarlo Guidolin, President of the Prosecco DOC Consortium. “We are proud to celebrate our roots while opening ourselves to the world, fostering new connections and opportunities for the next generation of professionals to grow.”
The programme was enriched by high-profile collaborations, including its partnership with the Associazione Maestro Martino, chaired by Chef Carlo Cracco, which played a key role in developing the project and fostering connections between chefs, students and culinary traditions from different countries.
The initiative secured coverage in more than 50 national and international media outlets and generated over 1 million views on social media, taking the stories of the residencies beyond the kitchens and events themselves.
“Chef Residency perfectly embodies our approach to communication: creating projects that deliver authentic experiences, meaningful content and real connections between people and cultures,” comments Luca Genova, CEO and Founder of Tuorlo.
Brazil: a conversation that continues beyond the last glass
Chef Mauricio Zillio and food consultant Danilo Nakamura arrived in Italy with two suitcases filled with Brazilian ingredients, including fruit, chocolate, coffee, spirits, chillies and spices, introducing the young chefs to flavours they had never tasted before. For Nakamura, the true outcome was not a menu, but “a conversation that will continue long after the last glass of Prosecco”. For Zillio, it lay in the ease with which different influences came together in the kitchen.
The menu’s signature dish was “Churrasco de Cupim, Arroz de Pequi e Vinagrete”: a traditional roasted cut of zebu beef served with rice flavoured with pequi, a fruit native to Brazil’s Cerrado region, and a fresh Camone tomato salad. A creation that expressed Brazil’s culinary identity through some of its most distinctive ingredients.
South Korea: discovering a new pairing
For Chef Areum Yoon, one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Korean gastronomy, the residency was also an opportunity to meet the people behind every bottle and discover their commitment to grape quality, sustainable farming and the passion of family producers. She found many connections between Italian and Korean cuisine, from the importance of shared family meals to the quality of ingredients and respect for tradition. Among her most significant discoveries was the harmony between Prosecco DOC and Korean cuisine, opening up new possibilities for the menus at her restaurant.
One of her most original creations was “Grouper and Scallop in a Korean Herb Essence”, served with omija chilli paste. The dish brought together Mediterranean ingredients and Korean culinary tradition through a balance of freshness, aromatic complexity and spicy notes.
Canada: Dmetro Sinclair’s five-course menu
The most popular dish by Chef Dmetro Sinclair, Executive Chef of Nora Gray in Montréal, was “Pork”: a much-loved classic rooted in Québec’s culinary tradition, reinterpreted with a refined, contemporary approach while retaining its comforting, convivial spirit. Sinclair highlighted his commitment to helping improve the restaurant industry, drawing inspiration from the young Italian cooks shaping their careers in line with their own values and vision.
United Kingdom: Bethany Hipwell celebrates British ingredients
The programme concluded with Chef Bethany Hipwell, Head Chef of The Two Pigs, who previously spent ten years at Hambleton Hall. Her menu celebrated outstanding British ingredients, telling the story behind each dish. The creation that most impressed guests and young professionals alike was “Orkney Scallop” with spiced carrot and almond crumble. In the chef’s words, it “brings together flavours, textures and technique. A harmonious combination of elements that reflects the very spirit of Chef Residency: bringing different influences together through a shared passion and love of food”.
As its first edition draws to a close, Prosecco DOC Chef Residency leaves a legacy that extends well beyond a culinary project: a model for dialogue between cultures, regions and new generations. Meaningful opportunities for exchange and discussion have given rise to fresh interpretations of contemporary cuisine.
Made possible by the convivial and welcoming character of Prosecco DOC, and its ability to forge lasting connections through the universal language of gastronomy, the programme will continue in 2027, welcoming new culinary traditions from Switzerland, the United States, Japan and China.
Participating wineries: Borgo delle Rose, Brilla!, La Marca, Maschio dei Cavalieri, Masottina, Mionetto, Perlino, San Simone, Villa Sandi, Viticoltori Ponte.
