WHEN CULTURE MEETS THE TABLE

Filippo Cogliandro, Florence and the new language of culinary responsibility

STANDFIRST

A book. A dish. A glass. In Florence, gastronomy becomes literature, identity and civic responsibility as chef Filippo Cogliandro opens the second edition of Mangiarsi le Parole.

There are culinary experiences designed to impress.

And then there are those designed to remain.

On 7 October 2026, Florence will host an encounter where cuisine moves beyond taste and becomes a language of memory, territory and social responsibility.

At the A. Saffi Hotel and Catering Institute, the second edition of Mangiarsi le Parole will open with Filippo Cogliandro, the Calabrian chef whose professional journey has become inseparable from his commitment to legality and civic engagement.

The official programme places Cogliandro at the centre of an afternoon where literature and gastronomy meet: at 5 p.m., he will present Io chef per la mia terra, written with Oreste Paliotti; at 7 p.m., students of the Saffi Institute will translate the book's inspirations into a tasting experience.

EDITOR'S NOTE

When a chef tells the story of his land, the plate becomes more than food. It becomes a document of identity.

This is the cultural premise behind Mangiarsi le Parole, a project created by journalist Domenico Guarino and produced by Pamela Panico for p.Dom Communication.

The concept is deliberately elegant in its simplicity:

One book.
One dish.
One glass.

The format reconnects food with literature, conviviality and reflection, while placing young hospitality students at the centre of the experience.

In an age of spectacularised gastronomy, the project chooses another path: intimacy, culture, education and meaning.

THE CHEF WHO TURNED COURAGE INTO A CULINARY LANGUAGE

Filippo Cogliandro's story is rooted in Calabria and in a decisive personal choice.

According to the Premio Nazionale Paolo Borsellino, Cogliandro reported a request for pizzo in 2008 and subsequently developed a sustained commitment to legality and civic responsibility. He was awarded the Paolo Borsellino Prize for his civic engagement.

His Le Cene della Legalità project subsequently transformed gastronomy into a vehicle for public awareness and solidarity.

The initiative has also been documented as a journey through Italian cities, using the chef's personal experience to promote a culture of legality and support victims of organised crime.

Here, gastronomy is not an ornament.

It is testimony.

QUOTE TO HIGHLIGHT

“A dish can become a story. A story can become memory. And memory can become responsibility.”

Editorial interpretation inspired by the philosophy of the event.

FROM CALABRIA TO THE WORLD

The narrative surrounding Cogliandro extends beyond Italy.

His professional identity is connected to a broader idea of hospitality: one capable of creating opportunities, transmitting knowledge and placing food at the service of community.

Recent initiatives connected to his work have also linked culinary training with solidarity projects in Gambia, including activities involving students and the project Cucina Solidale in Gambia.

This international dimension makes his presence in Florence particularly significant.

Calabria becomes the point of departure.

Florence becomes the meeting place.

The table becomes the common language.

THE NEXT GENERATION

The most sophisticated element of Mangiarsi le Parole may be the role assigned to students.

They are not merely an audience.

They are creators.

After engaging with the selected texts, fourth- and fifth-year students at the Saffi Institute develop dishes inspired by the literary material. The result is a transformation of words into flavour, narrative into technique and culture into hospitality.

This is where education meets contemporary gastronomy.

And where the future of hospitality acquires a human dimension.

KEY FACTS

EVENT
Mangiarsi le Parole — Second Edition

DATE
7 October 2026

LOCATION
A. Saffi Hotel and Catering Institute
Via del Mezzetta 15, Florence — San Salvi

17:00
Presentation of Io chef per la mia terra

19:00
Tasting inspired by the book, created by Saffi students

FEATURING
Filippo Cogliandro
Domenico Guarino
Marco Gemelli
Mimma Dardano

IN COLLABORATION WITH
Il Gomitolo

EDITORIAL CONCEPT
One book. One dish. One glass.

THE LUXURY OF MEANING

Luxury, today, is increasingly defined not only by rarity, craftsmanship or aesthetics.

It is defined by meaning.

The ability to connect excellence with values.

To transform a meal into an experience.

To turn a story into cultural capital.

And to give a new generation the tools to carry that story forward.

On 7 October, Florence will therefore host more than a literary-gastronomic event.

It will host a conversation between Italy and the world, cuisine and culture, memory and future.

At the table, words will become flavour.

And flavour will become a form of memory.

EDITORIAL CREDITS

Original narrative: Cristina Vannuzzi Landini
English adaptation / Creative Direction: Amedee Martin Mieke — CEO & Creative Director, African Minds
Editorial signature: Mokili Mobimba Ruya