Vermont Italian Cultural Association was honored to welcome Chef Mario Marini to Vermont as part of his recent visit to Boston. Marini is a chef and master butcher who traveled from Parma, a city in the heart of Emilia-Romagna. The region is sometimes referred to as the "breadbasket of Italy" because of its extensive agricultural production and rich culinary heritage.

Chef Mario is a graduate of ALMA, the School of Italian Culinary Arts. He wears many hats, including that of the head of Territorial Marketing and City Branding for the Parma region. He is also the President of the "Parma Food Museum Association", a collection of nine museums, each dedicated to one of the PDO/PGI

products typical of the region. Mario also operates Il Cielo di Strela restaurant in an agriturismo, a lodging with a restaurant at a working farm in the hills above Parma. As Chef Ambassador of ALMA, Marini travels to events and exhibitions sharing his deep passion for Italian gastronomic traditions.

A special four-course dinner was held on June 4 at the Essex Resort & Spa’s Junction restaurant for 40 invited guests. The dinner was planned in collaboration with Greg Lang, Director of Culinary/Executive Chef at the resort. The menu, curated by Chef Mario, featured dishes prepared using local ingredients from Vermont producers including Trencher’s Farmhouse, Monti Verdi Salumi, La Panciata, Vermont Salumi, and Parish Hill Creamery. The Junction’s open kitchen format, which includes a chef’s table alongside the preparation counter, allowed guests to observe and interact with Chef Mario and the Essex culinary staff.

The event was sponsored by the Consolato Generale d'Italia a Boston. The Consul General, Arnaldo Minuti, hosted the evening in celebration of La Festa della Repubblica (Italian National Day). He was joined by his colleagues from the Boston Consulate including Silvia Salomoni, Paolo Gaudenzi, Ivana Marroncelli, and Carlo Carratelli.

While this was Chef Mario’s first visit to Vermont, he knows well the shared values between Italy and Vermont—places united by a passion for supporting local farmers, celebrating regional flavors, and preserving culinary traditions that shape our communities.

Before leaving Vermont, Chef Mario led a demonstration in the Essex Resort’s Viking Room, a holdover from when the resort operated as the New England Culinary Institute (NECI). The room includes several Viking stoves and tables arranged to showcase demonstrations and cooking classes. Students from area culinary programs and technical schools were invited to attend.

Mario’s Vermont tour concluded with visits to area producers including 5th Quarter Butchery in Waitsfield and Monti Verdi Salumi in New Haven, followed by dinner at the Inn at Shelburne Farms one of Vermont's pioneering farm to table restaurants.

Grazie di tutto, Cuoco Mario. Speriamo di rivederti presto in Vermont! (Thank you for everything, Chef Mario. We hope to see you again soon in Vermont!)