Gente di Lago e di Fiume

From October 12th to 15th 2024, Lake Maggiore hosted the seventh edition of “Gente di Lago e di Fiume”, a festival combining gastronomic excellence and sustainability. The event took place between Verbania, Stresa, Baveno, and Isola dei Pescatori, offering a unique opportunity to discover and enjoy freshwater-related culinary traditions, with more than one hundred chefs involved, including twenty starred chefs. Our Shops Engel&Völkers Lago Maggiore and Lago d'Orta had the honor of sponsoring this extraordinary Festival, which combines culture, cuisine and territory!

A Festival to Promote the Culture of Fresh Water

The heart of the event has always been in promoting the culture related to fresh water and raising awareness towards the protection of its resources. The pay-off, "Coltivare l'acqua dolce - Cultivating Freshwater,” recalls the need for a balance between man and nature, a crucial issue in an era of climate change and environmental degradation. The festival aims to be a meeting point between passion for food and reflection on sustainability, with a focus on educating young people and protecting biodiversity.

Spreading Events and International Collaborations

Before the official opening, the festival has already made itself known locally through special menus dedicated to freshwater in selected restaurants in Piedmont and Lombardy. Since October 12th, the festival has enlivened several locations around Lake Maggiore, with a special focus on Isola dei Pescatori, where more than twenty starred chefs have tried their hand at reinterpreting traditional dishes in a context of creativity and collaboration.

New to this edition was the participation of starred chefs from Singapore, such as Daniele Sperindio and Rishi Naleendra, who brought a note of Asian fusion cuisine. A unique opportunity to compare different culinary traditions and enrich the local gastronomic heritage.

The Key Events of the Seventh Edition

The evening of Saturday, October 12th, on the Verbania-Pallanza lakefront was enlivened by the “Mixology Experience,” where the best Italian bar-tenders challenged each other with freshwater-inspired cocktails, becoming one of the highlights of the seventh edition. On Sunday, October 13th and Monday, October 14th, Isola dei Pescatori featured chefs, who delighted the participants with their dishes. Dinner at the two-Michelin-starred Piccolo Lago Restaurant provided a truly unforgettable gourmet experience with all proceeds dedicated to important sustainability projects.

The festival closed on Tuesday, October 15th at the Teatro Maggiore in Verbania, which hosted “Gente di Lago e di Fiume Educational” a day dedicated to young people and their future in the world of gastronomy.

The Gente di Lago e di Fiume Festival is an unmissable opportunity to enjoy a unique gastronomic experience and contribute to the protection of natural resources. Do you want to learn more about the festival's initiatives and maybe even cook the recipes proposed in the previous editions? Visit  www.gentedilagoedifiume.com !