Taste of Rome Festival 2019

Travel to Rome in September and you’ll experience the finest haute cuisine in the city’s largest restaurant festival to date.

This event lasts for four days over the 19th to the 22nd of September and hosts fine dining restaurants around the city who create 4-course meals that you can mix and match to create your perfect menu. The festival explores fresh innovators of the industry as well as the restaurants that have made their mark on great dining experiences. There is a range of gastronomical activities that you can enjoy and even activities for the younger members of the family such as the Kids Garden where they can join in with their own cooking classes. Activities for those a little older include lessons with the top chefs of Rome, cooking demonstrations, tastings of beer and wine, along with food.

Events and Activities

This is your chance to spend an evening being in the presence of Michelin star chefs and seeing how they work their kitchen to produce masterful dishes. The festival is held at the Auditorium Parco Della Musica and includes events such as Kitchen School, a BBQ Academy, and a Johnnie Walker Experience Bar; a space dedicated to the brand. For those who were after a VIP experience, your tickets will include entry to the Diners Club International VIP lounge at the Hanging Gardens where you’ll be spoilt for choice with the many cocktails and dishes available to you. There’s even The Residence by Zacapa which will see a new chef everyday producing dishes that remain true to the fresh produce and traditions of Rome, meals that you can enjoy only at the Taste of Rome.

Cashless System

This year the cashless system of the Sesterzio Card will be used to pay for anything and everything in the festival. Sesterzio was once the historical currency of Rome and this pseudo currency will be the only way to pay in the festival. You can purchase these cards at the entrance or in any of the wine bars. The currency conversion is easy: 1 sesterzio is equal to 1 euro.

Taste of Rome 2018

The 2018 Taste of Rome was one of the biggest in attendance, said to have reached a guest count of around 25,000. The entry fee was 16 euros and there were 18 restaurants that participated in the festival. Some of these were Acquolina with chef Angelo Troiana, Glass Hostaria with chef Cristina Bowerman and La Terrazzo Hotel Eden with Fabio Cierco. Guests tried over 70 dishes at the trade show that ran from the 20th of 23rd of September, tasting wine with sommeliers, took masterclasses and had fun at the cocktail academy. The price of each dish ranges from 6 to 10 sesterzio.

• Theme of Taste of Rome 2018

  Each year the theme of the festival was ‘Art’ and the philosophy that food has long been a central expression of artists and vice versa. So, with that in mind, the theme delved upon the evolution of food in Italy, with chefs being asked to create a dish that best represents the piece of art that has inspired the chef. The question posed to them was what the chefs’ thoughts were about the relationship between art and culinary experiences. It’s still a little early for the theme to be announced this year however stay tuned as it will be announced in a couple of months.

• Signature Dishes of 2018

  In the foodie haven that is Taste of Roma, some signature dishes of 2018 were the dressed tomatoes, burrata, dormouse and lovage, the feature of this dish being that the ravioli enveloped whole cherry tomatoes. Then there’s the most Instagrammed dish of the festival; the Sweet Peach, which included 4 types of Italian peaches nestled below a white chocolate disk beautifully hand painted to resemble a balmy, summer peach. What will be the standouts at this years event?

Metamorphosis

Chef Roy Caceres has headlined the Michelin star restaurant into the list of Rome’s greatest restaurants. The contemporary space is straightforward and elegant with wood elements imperative in the design of the warm and earthy room. Modern fusion cuisine is the style of food served up and guests can choose from dishes such as the Scallop Ceviche with roasted avocado and nduja struffolli, anti pasta with red prawns or for dessert, apple, pine nuts and jasmine blossom. Caceres signature dish, however, is the Uovo 65, a deconstructed carbonara served in an egg that is cooked at 65 degrees for 40 minutes. If you ever find yourself in the fancy Parioli district of Rome, be prepared to pay at least 110 euros for 6 dishes, or 150 for 10 dishes, and remember, nothing is what it seems.

Imago Hassler

This Michelin star restaurant opened in the 1950s and much to the surprise of locals became the first rooftop restaurant in Rome. Located on the 6th floor of the Hassler hotel, this refined and elegant dining space offers a fusion cuisine headed up by Chef Francesco Apreda. His travels to Japan have been incorporated into his food, evident by dishes such as the ravioli paired with a Japanese style broth and the traditional Italian pastry sfogliatella served with a side of green tea ice cream. Aside from this, Apreda’s worldly travels have crossed over into the simplicity of his dishes like the duck with charred seasonal sides and the sweet mozzarella offered as a dessert option. Dining here will set you back 150 euros for a 6-course tasting menu however with a menu as good as Imago’s and the 180 degrees panoramic views of the Roman skyline, it’s definitely worth a visit.

Related article: The Daily Lives of the Ancient Romans