MILAN, Italy – A rich menu of events including show-cooking, in-depth seminars, performances and national and international competitions, in the presence of the greatest chefs, professionals from the world of coffee and masters of ice cream, chocolate and pastry from all over the world: at HostMilano (at fieramilano, from today to 26 October 2021), as always, business isn’t everything.
To educate and inform, as well as to stay up to date on the trends that will shape the professional hospitality of the future, the agenda includes over 800 events that, once again, make Host the trendsetter of everything related to the three macro-areas of the event: Professional Catering, Bakery, Pizza and Pasta; Coffee, Tea, Barware, Coffee machines and Vending; Ice cream and Pastry; Furniture, Technology and Tableware.
Events: Host hits the aces
There’s a place of honour on the programme belonging to the great showcase that is the SMART Label – Host Innovation Award, a recognition that has now become an international staple for anything to do with innovation. Organised by Fiera Milano and HostMilano in collaboration with POLI.Design, Consortium of Politecnico di Milano, with the patronage of ADI – Italian Association for Industrial Design, this year the award proved to be more coveted than ever: this is demonstrated by the presentation of about eighty “submissions” and awarding to 25 Italian and international companies that presented the products/services/projects considered most “disruptive” in terms of functionality, technology, environmental sustainability, ethics or social implications.
On the pastry front, after its success two years ago, “Luxury Pastry Around the World” by Iginio Massari is making a comeback. The concept developed by the international and Italian pastry maestro pairs up some of the biggest names in the world of sweets from all over the globe and calls on them to discuss the latest trends in high-end pastry.
An entirely new entry for the 42nd edition of Hostmilano, however, is the agreement reached with the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), the association representing thousands of coffee professionals, from producers to baristas all over the world, to hold the top event in the coffee industry during the five days of the event: the SCA 2021 World Barista Championship (WBC), World Brewers Cup (WBrC) and World Cup Tasters Championship (WCTC).
To promote, through an international comparison, respect for the traditional artisan panettone, raising public awareness of the importance of quality, value and uniqueness of a traditional cake made without the use of chemical additives: this is the goal of the Panettone World Championship, a championship organized by the Academy of Masters of Mother Yeast and Italian Panettone, which returns to Host2021 and celebrates the most famous Italian leavened cake in the world.
Professional catering: all the meetings
The menu for the Professional Catering macro-area is also worth tasting. FIPE-Federazione Italiana Pubblici Esercizi (Italian Federation of Public Establishments) presents Ristorazione 4.0, a privileged Observatory that, through best practices, reports, meetings and workshops, will shed light on a path of digitalization that is still to be developed in the public establishments sector.
The Horeca Digital Academy, the meeting signed by APCI-Associazione Professionale Cuochi, is also dedicated to training. During the five days of the event, experts in the sector, restaurateurs, chefs, bakers, pastry chefs, entrepreneurs and start-ups will take turns on stage to “teach” professionals how to reinvent their professionalism.
Innovate, change and grow will be the three key words of FCSI Italia’s presence. A series of meetings and workshops on technical-scientific, managerial and economic issues will animate the association’s “sustainable and safe stand”, where Professional Members and Allied FCSI, together with Universities, institutions and market players, will present the opportunities to better face the challenges of the New Normal.
Right in the heart of the exhibition, the Food-Technology Lounge will provide a vital space for learning, meeting and training. A showcase of Made in Italy technology for professional catering, made available by the associations of ANIMA Confindustria Meccanica Varia including Aqua Italia, Assofoodtec, UIDA and EFCEM Italia, alongside the ICIM Group and Eurovent.
Finally, the collaboration with Federcuochi and its FIC Academyhas been renewed, hosting industry experts, journalists and chefs at its stand, with cooking shows, master classes and “conferences” by partner companies.
Coffee events are back ato HostMilano
Among national and international competitions, in the presence of great baristas, latte artists and experts of the black bean in its various declinations, the program starts with the II° Italian Latte Art Grading Championship, organized by Latte Art Grading System and ALTOGA-National Association of Coffee Roasters and Importers and Food Wholesalers. The winners will be admitted to the second edition of the Wlags Battle (World Latte Art Grading System Battle), also scheduled at HostMilano.
Then the VII° Grand Prix of the Italian coffee shop is back, organized by Aicaf-Accademia Italiana Maestri del caffè and ALTOGA. After the success of its past edition, Coffee Addition – The itinerary event and coffee tasting corner will also make a reappearance, organised by AICAF and ALTOGA. An event touring the exhibition’s pavilions which will benefit from the innovative flair of Gianni Cocco, set to discover new recipes through coffee, chocolate, cocoa, spices and other regional ingredients.
Ice cream and pastry: protagonists in the world of dessert
If coffee is celebrating, dessert is no different. On the stage of the macro-area dedicated to Gelato Pastry, FIPGC-International Pastry, Ice cream and Chocolate Federation and its president Roberto Lestani are the driving force behind three not-to-be-missed events: the Tiramisù World Championship, one of the best-known Italian recipes abroad; the FIPGC International Pastry Award and the new format The Best Pastry Chefs in the World, during which 18 World Champions will have their say on the future of pastry at an international level.
The second edition of Contest School will also be on the agenda, an initiative aimed at Professional Institutes in the Service sector, specifically food, wine and hotelier services, still sponsored by FIPGC in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.
The “sweetest” program closes with Art Gallery, with over 200 live works and shows of workmanship on display by Italian and international pastry chefs.
Bread Pizza Pasta, the whole agenda of the fair
Many initiatives are also planned in the macro area dedicated to the art of baking. It starts with the Bakery Association of Milan and Provinces of Confcommercio Milano, who are stars with Bakery Academy. Among laboratory sessions, meetings with food journalists and tastings, at the association’s stand there is a real ‘treat’: the Milanese Bakers will provide their contribution to the creation of the best sandwich, a symbol of 100% Italian Street Food.
Show-cooking and training sessions will also animate the pasta makers’ stand for members of A.P.Pa.Fre.-Associazione Produttori Pasta Fresca della Piccola e Media Impresa (Association of Fresh Pasta Producers of Small and Medium Enterprises) who, during every day of the event, will present their products with the aim of highlighting the issues related to the world of pasta, from the choice of fresh and high quality raw materials, to the use of appropriate machinery and equipment.
Closing the menu dedicated to the art of baking, Slices – Pizza Culture for professionals (organized by Pizza e Pasta Italiana): seminars, show cooking, debates and real “slices” of organizational culture and processing techniques dedicated to pizza professionals.
Digital Talks a series of in-depth seminars makes a return, designed again in collaboration with POLI.design, aimed at architects and experts in the sector looking for professional training opportunities. These sessions will centre on highly topical issues such as using big data, analysing new urban scenarios, the evolving concept of luxury and applications made possible by new technologies.
HostMilano takes place at fieramilano from today, Friday 22, to Tuesday 26 October
For updated info: host.fieramilano.it, @HostMilano.
