On October 13, The Great Exchange brought together Chef Carlo Cracco and Prosecco DOC at TOG Bistrot in Milan to celebrate Italian excellence and the culinary exchange between Italy and the Americas.
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MILAN, Oct. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Some journeys continue to shape the way we eat, bringing cultures and traditions together across generations. Among them is the journey of ingredients from the Americas, which crossed the Atlantic over the centuries and found their way into European kitchens. Tomatoes, corn, potatoes, cocoa, peppers and vanilla transformed recipes and eating habits, eventually becoming essential to Italian cuisine.
Rather than simply being added to existing dishes, these ingredients were embraced and reimagined through local techniques, flavors and customs. Many of the dishes we now consider traditional Italian cuisine grew out of this exchange—a culinary heritage shaped over time by cultural encounters, adaptation and reinterpretation.
This is the inspiration behind “The Great Exchange – A Culinary Journey Between Two Worlds,” a project by Maestro Martino Food Academy, an initiative of Associazione Maestro Martino, chaired by Chef Carlo Cracco. For the occasion, Cracco joined forces with Lorenzo Di Pace, Resident Chef at TOG Bistrot, in collaboration with the Prosecco DOC Consortium.
Bringing together history, culture and contemporary cuisine, the project explores how food has long served as a universal language connecting people, ideas and traditions. Every ingredient carries its own place of origin, history and culinary uses, but encounters with other cultures allow it to take on new meanings.
“Cuisine is one of our most dynamic forms of cultural heritage. It evolves, changes and grows through encounters between people and different cultures,” said Chef Carlo Cracco, President of Associazione Maestro Martino. “Telling the story of how ingredients have traveled also means telling the story of our culinary identity and the value of cultural exchange, which continues to shape the way we eat today.”
Prosecco DOC embodies this balance between a strong sense of place and an openness to the wider world. Deeply rooted in its Italian origins yet recognized and enjoyed internationally, Prosecco DOC featured in pairings inspired by the ingredients at the heart of the project. Its role extended beyond the glass, highlighting the wine as an ambassador of Italian excellence and a reflection of an Italian way of life that embraces connections with other cultures and traditions.
“Prosecco DOC is rooted in a distinct territory, but it has always approached the world with curiosity and openness. Supporting The Great Exchange is a way of celebrating an Italy that welcomes cultural exchange. At the table, just as in the glass, identity grows stronger through dialogue with other cultures,” said Giancarlo Guidolin, President of the Prosecco DOC Consortium. “We have been the Official Sparkling Wine of Maestro Martino Food Academy for six years, and we are delighted to join Chef Carlo Cracco for this special evening at TOG Bistrot, where a passion for food comes together with training opportunities for young people and a commitment to showcasing Italian excellence. The Americas account for more than 26% of Prosecco DOC exports, led by the United States, the denomination’s largest market, with over 130 million bottles exported. Despite the challenges posed by inflation and tariffs, the U.S. market continues to demonstrate resilience and promising growth potential. Canada is also showing very positive momentum, having surpassed 10 million bottles in 2025 and recorded 17% growth in the first half of 2026. Emerging South American markets are equally dynamic, with Brazil standing out as one of the most promising.”
The Great Exchange came to life through a dinner at TOG Bistrot in Milan, Maestro Martino Food Academy’s training restaurant. From ingredients that traveled between continents to the combinations we enjoy at our tables today, the evening told the story of a cuisine that has never stood still—one that continually welcomes, transforms and incorporates new influences into its identity.
Through The Great Exchange, Maestro Martino Food Academy reaffirms its commitment to promoting Italian food culture as a means of education, storytelling and dialogue across communities. Beginning with ingredients, the project opens a conversation about the people, places and cultures that brought them together.
ABOUT PROSECCO DOC AND THE PROSECCO DOC CONSORTIUM
Prosecco DOC is a leading expression of Italian winemaking, rooted in a distinctive territory spanning Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Rich in tradition and blessed with a favorable climate, the region gives the Glera grape its signature elegance, balance and contemporary appeal. The Prosecco DOC Consortium protects and promotes the wine’s unique identity, which has become a global symbol of the Italian lifestyle. In recent years, Prosecco DOC has strengthened its identity through meaningful connections to its place of origin and traditions, with initiatives spanning food and wine, art, culture, history, cinema, design and sports. A source of inspiration for new cocktails, Prosecco DOC and Prosecco DOC Rosé complement everything from aperitifs to desserts, enhancing dishes both simple and sophisticated. Their versatility makes them natural partners for exploring cuisines from around the world and sharing moments of conviviality in true Italian style.
ABOUT MAESTRO MARTINO FOOD ACADEMY
Founded as an initiative of the cultural association Associazione Maestro Martino, chaired by Chef Carlo Cracco, Maestro Martino Food Academy has been supporting the next generation of Italian hospitality professionals through education and training since 2011. Its work follows two complementary approaches: educational and social.
The Academy’s educational model operates through two training restaurants, Villa Terzaghi and TOG Bistrot, and four production workshops. Under the guidance of management, front-of-house and culinary professionals, students take an active role in all aspects of daily operations. They also gain hands-on experience in workshops covering baking and pastry, cooking, mixology and table setting, supporting restaurant operations and third-party production.
Education also underpins the Academy’s social mission through its support of Fondazione TOG ETS, which provides rehabilitation services for children and young people with complex neurological conditions, including cerebral palsy and genetic syndromes associated with intellectual disabilities. Using advanced rehabilitation methods and technology, the Foundation develops personalized care programs designed to nurture each child’s abilities and development and help them achieve the best possible quality of life. Every activity offers a tangible way to support this mission: 15% of the revenue generated contributes to the children’s and young people’s rehabilitation programs.
ABOUT ASSOCIAZIONE MAESTRO MARTINO
Founded in 2011 by Chef Carlo Cracco, who serves as its President, Associazione Maestro Martino is a cultural association dedicated to developing the next generation of Italian hospitality professionals through education. It offers a fully funded training program for outstanding students from hospitality schools across Lombardy.
ABOUT TOG BISTROT
TOG Bistrot is a socially driven hospitality project bringing together culinary innovation, inclusion and professional training to support future generations. Located in Milan’s lively Dergano neighborhood, the bistro and café supports Fondazione TOG ETS, which provides rehabilitation services for children and young people with complex neurological conditions, including cerebral palsy and genetic syndromes associated with intellectual disabilities. Through advanced rehabilitation techniques and technology, the Foundation develops personalized care programs to encourage each child’s individual growth and abilities and improve their quality of life. Every visit to the bistro helps support this work, with 15% of its revenue contributing to rehabilitation programs for children and young people.
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SOURCE The Prosecco DOC Consortium
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