The Business Design Centre in London on 16th – 17th July 2022

The Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium (Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano) has been announced as a headline sponsor of the National Geographic Traveller Food Festival, taking place at the Business Design Centre on the 16th – 17th July 2022. Celebrity chef and brand ambassador, Gennaro Contaldo, will also be in attendance over the two-day event.

The National Geographic Traveller Food Festival brings together various cuisines and popular, high quality brands from around the globe. Held in the heart of Islington, the festival will feature speeches from experienced food writers and demonstrations from professional chefs. Tickets to the two-day exhibition are available on the National Geographic Traveller website.

Over the two-day event, representatives from Parmigiano Reggiano will be stationed at stand C17, sampling two different ages of Parmesan from half wheels of cheese. Celebrity chef and brand ambassador, Gennaro Contaldo will also be present throughout the event, running two cooking demos of his recipe for Tagliatelle with Parmigiano Reggiano and Lemon, demonstrating the versatility and flavour of the only Parmesan. Attendees will also have the opportunity to purchase a signed copy of Gennaro’s latest cookbook, Limoni, at a book signing on Saturday 16th July.

Ahead of the festival, Gennaro Contaldo commented: “I’m very much looking forward to showcasing all the wonderful ways to use Parmigiano Reggiano at the National Geographic Traveller Food Festival. As the only Parmesan, it is an extremely versatile cheese which should be a staple in most food lovers’ kitchens, so I’m excited to show people why nothing compares to the real thing!”

Attendees will also be able to take part in a treasure hunt during the event, where the winner will be provided with a prize from Parmigiano Reggiano, alongside other goodies.

About Parmigiano Reggiano

Parmigiano Reggiano is a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product and one of the oldest, richest cheeses in the world. Made in a small area of northern Italy – including the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, and parts of Mantua and Bologna – it has undergone very little change to the production process and is essentially still produced the same way it was nearly 1,000 years ago.

Parmigiano Reggiano is made with only three ingredients – milk, salt, and rennet – and therefore contains no additives, only natural bacteria. To create its distinctive taste, the cattle have a specific diet, and Parmesan has a minimum maturation period of one year, but it can mature for much longer, even up to 48 months.

Parmigiano Reggiano is the only cheese that can be legally called “Parmesan”. Other Italian hard cheeses may be mistaken for Parmesan due to their shape, but as they are not produced under Parmigiano Reggiano’s exact conditions and area of origin, they cannot be called Parmesan under EU and UK law.

For more information on Parmigiano Reggiano, visit https://www.parmigianoreggiano.com/

About Gennaro Contaldo

Born in the Amalfi Coast, Gennaro has lived in London since 1969, eventually opening his critically acclaimed restaurant, Passione, which was awarded “Best Italian Restaurant” in 2005. Since then, he has published multiple award-winning cookbooks; starred in the BBC Two television series, Two Greedy Italians; appeared on many of Jamie Oliver (his protégé)’s television shows; and has even won a Guinness World Record for the most ravioli made in two minutes!

Gennaro Contaldo has been Parmigiano Reggiano’s UK brand ambassador since 2020, having developed a series of recipes and a documentary video for the brand, as well as featuring in Parmigiano Reggiano’s first television advert in the UK in early 2022.

About the National Geographic Traveller Food Festival

The National Geographic Food Festival promotes and exhibits various cuisines and food brand from around the world, in an annual festival held in London. The event showcases masterclasses, speeches from expert food writers and demonstrations from professionally trained and well renowned chefs.