MILAN, Italy – Host 2023, scheduled to be held at fieramilano in Rho from Friday, October 13 to Tuesday, October 17, highlights a return to an edition with pre covid numbers – more than 2,000 exhibitors from 50 countries are registered – accompanied by a rich, high-profile schedule, filled with 800 appointments increasingly focused on sustainable and responsible innovation.
Smart Label: beyond the Award, an ecosystem of innovation
Among all of them, the Smart Label – Host Innovation Award, the award promoted by HostMilano and Fiera Milano in partnership with POLI.design and sponsored by ADI – Association for Industrial Design stands out. In just six editions, it has become the global reference for innovations that mark a real change in the sector.
In addition to the awards ceremony, which will be held on Friday, October 13, the 26 proposals selected by the independent international jury will also be displayed in the dedicated Smart Label area, a true stage for cutting-edge innovation, and included in an ad hoc publication, the Smart Label Index.
Alongside Smart Label, in collaboration with POLI.design,Host will present Design Talks, a series of refresher seminars dedicated to architects and hospitality experts ranging from topics such as user experience, sensor design and wellness, up to the challenges of sustainability. The talks are also an opportunity to receive educational credits for registered architects.
Luxury pastries, chocolate and panettone in the spotlight
Highly anticipated return of Luxury Pastry in the World by Iginio Massari: the “master of masters” once again proposes his hub dedicated to the most creative and innovative pastry, which will host demonstrations, tastings and talks by more than twenty of the most important pastry chefs on the international scene, including Michel Belin, Markus Bohr, Pierre Marcolini, François Sthal, and Andrea Zanin.
New this year is ChocolateCulture@Host23, the first B2B event dedicated to chocolate industry. Led by internationally renowned maître chocolatier Davide Comaschi at Host 2023, the ChocolateCulture@Host23 team will for the first time promote and celebrate the chocolate industry. An event that will highlight how chocolate is playing a leading role through innovation, with studies on molecular pairings and research into varieties, types and applications to create new consumption experiences that are both unforgettable and sustainable.
Another notable new entry is the World Team Panettone Championship organized by theAccademia dei Maestri del Lievito Madre e del Panettone Italiano, whose finalists for the first edition have just been revealed: Argentina, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Poland, Spain and Taiwan. Representing Italy will be yeast masters Claudio Gatti, Aniello di Caprio, Giuseppe Mascolo and Beniamino Bazzoli.
Professional catering and baking prepare for the future
With respect to catering, professional development will be the main focus. The events of Smart Food – Smart Chefs – Smart Future will represent a path between ingredients, people and sustainability outlined by APCI – Associazione Professionale Cuochi Italiani where the great protagonist will be APCI Chef Lab, the “smart” evolution of the National APCI Chef Italia. Major challenges in the restaurant industry-such as digital transition, sustainability, skills-will then be discussed in the FIPE workshops – Italian Federation of Public Establishments.
Also, the Academy 2023 curated by FIC – Federazione Italiana Cuochi will offer master classes, training and institutional meetings while visitors can dialogue with consultants, designers and producers from FCSI – Foodservice Consultants Society International in a large professional kitchen, seminar and meeting rooms and a lounge.
Anima Confindustria Meccanica Varia with its associations and with EFCEM Italy will also set up a true Food-Technology Lounge with a full calendar of meetings, featuring technical and regulatory updates, business appointments and insights into market trends.
Alongside the show-cooking by A.P.Pa.Fre. – Fresh Pasta Producers Association of Small and Medium Enterprises – with testimonial Paola Naggi, Best Female Chef of Italy 2018 – the European Pizza Championship, organized by the Italian Pizza and Pasta magazine also stands out.
From bar to bakery, challenges reveal new trends
Exciting challenges between grand masters will also enliven these areas. For the gelato-pastry sector, FIPGC – International Pastry, Ice Cream and Chocolate Federation – will bring its exciting championships back to Host 2023: The World Trophy of Pastry Gelato and Chocolate will see 12 Nationals compete in three different categories.
In the fourth edition of the Cake Designers World Championship teams from Italy, Brazil, the U.S., Poland, Belgium, Sri Lanka, France, Mexico, Peru, Japan, China, and Malaysia will face each other, while Italy, Japan, China, Peru, Colombia, Australia, France, and the Netherlands are the nations competing for the The World Trophy of Professional Tiramisu.
The coffee world will see the return of the events curated by AICAF, the Italian Academy of Coffee Masters, and ALTOGA, the Italian Association of Coffee Roasters and Importers and Food Wholesalers. The traveling format among the Coffee Addition stands with Gianni Cocco and the challenges between baristas stand out.
In the Italian Coffee Grand Prix coffee baristas, bartenders, and coffee shop workers , coming not only from Italy but also from AICAF member countries Croatia, Morocco, and Mexico will face each other while the Moka Challenge stands out for being a competition open to everyone.
For the Italy Lags Battle/World Lags Battle ALTOGA is partnering with Latte Art Grading System for the Italian national semifinals and then the world finals of an event involving 50 countries.
Finally, ideas and strategies for staying abreast of market development will be the focus of Mixer Educational: a series of refresher and training sessions curated by the magazine Mixer – the magazine of reference for public establishments – intended for operators in the sector and carried out in collaboration with influential partners such as Aibes, Circana, FIPE, Formind, Immediando, Progettica, TradeLab.
The full schedule of Host Milano events is available online.
Host Milano will be held at fieramilano from 13 to 17 October 2023. For updated information click here.
