Parma, UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy, took a leading role at the recently concluded “2025 International Cities of Gastronomy Fest,” held as part of the celebrations for Macao’s designation as the “East Asia City of Culture 2025.”
Promoted by the Macao Government Tourism Office, the event brought together 36 UNESCO Creative Cities and served as a key platform for cultural and culinary exchange, with the aim of fostering intercultural dialogue and sustainable development through cuisine. The 2025 edition placed a special focus on the use of spices and aromatic herbs—essential elements of local culinary traditions.
Representing Parma were Marco Bosi, City Councillor appointed for UNESCO Creative City, and Mario Marini, Head of Territorial Marketing and City Branding for the Municipality of Parma, who both attended the Opening Ceremony and the International Gastronomy Forum held on July 14.
“This mission to Macao gave us another opportunity to present Parma and its outstanding gastronomic heritage to the world,” Councillor Marco Bosi said. “It also served to strengthen ties with other UNESCO Creative Cities and to renew our friendship with Hong Kong, thanks to a meeting with the Consul General of Italy, Carmelo Ficarra. Encounters like these are always enriching: engaging with such diverse cultures opens up new perspectives and sparks ideas and projects in line with the vision and values of the UNESCO Network.”
The Parma Quality Restaurants Consortium was also part of the delegation, represented by its President, Chef Enrico Bergonzi, accompanied by personal chef Marisa Maffeo, a former collaborator for Parma’s “Laboratorio Aperto.” During the City of Gastronomy Showcase, Chef Bergonzi presented two creative variations of traditional Parmigiano fresh stuffed pasta, enhanced with herbs and spices inspired by Macanese cuisine. These recipes skillfully blended tradition and cultural fusion, offering a vivid example of the gastronomic dialogue between Parma and Macao.
“Participating in events like this allows us to engage with fellow chefs from across the globe and to explore vastly different food cultures firsthand. This is essential to understanding how cuisine is evolving on a global scale and provides valuable inspiration for going beyond the traditional boundaries, ” Chef Bergonzi said. “Parma has always held a strong position within the UNESCO Network—thanks to the dedicated work of our institutions and the renowned quality of our typical local products. However, we must continue to innovate. As chefs, innovation is part of our mission, and this festival has been a continuous source of inspiration.”
The mission concluded in Hong Kong, where the delegation met with Carmelo Ficarra, Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong and Macao. “This was an important opportunity to strengthen institutional relations and to promote the city’s local excellence abroad,” the Consul General said. “It also marked a step forward towards future collaboration that will bring Italy and Parma even closer to Hong Kong and Macao—and vice versa—while promoting bilateral relations and long-standing traditions. There is so much potential in this region, which has shown strong interests in our country and its rich heritage.” He also extended an invitation to Parma to take part in upcoming events scheduled for the second half of the year, particularly in sectors strategic to Italy’s national exports.
