From 20 to 26 September, a new food festival is set to make its debut in Val di Fassa, bringing together chefs, producers and the flavours of the mountains. With autumn menus, workshops, walks and tasting tours, the area is transformed into one huge open-air dining table.
There comes a time in the mountains when summer gives way to the warm colours of autumn, the days grow shorter and the cuisine once again reflects, with even greater intensity, the woods, pastures, meadows and harvests. It is precisely this atmosphere that provides the backdrop for the first edition of “Fassa Fall… in love with Food”, the new food festival which, from 20 to 26 September leads to Val di Fassa A week dedicated to the flavours and finest produce of the region.
Around ten chefs, the same number of local producers and a cuisine deeply rooted in the mountains are the key elements of an event created with a specific aim in mind: telling the story of the Val di Fassa through food, bringing together the chefs’ creativity with the ingredients and the knowledge of local communities.
The programme is structured around three main areas: themed menus in restaurants, workshops and immersive experiences, and a grand final tasting in the open air.
The flavours of autumn are arriving in restaurants
At the heart of the event are “The Menus”, offered by various restaurants, including Moena and the Sella Pass. A culinary journey through contemporary interpretations of ingredients and recipes linked to the mountains, curated by some of the leading figures in Fassa’s culinary scene.
The chefs taking part include Paolo Donei, Michelin-starred chef at the Malga Panna restaurant in Moena, Martino Rossi at the Fuciade Mountain Hut, Riccardo Schacher at the Foresta restaurant in Moena, Ruben Cadrobbi at the Zucoria restaurant in Pozza, Alessandro Bellettato at the Hotel Majon Miramonti in Alba di Canazei and Gaetano Bonanno at the Valentini Mountain Hut.
In their dishes, autumn becomes a season to savour: mountain produce, local ingredients and personal interpretations come together to create menus designed to showcase the valley’s culinary character.
The full calendar of restaurants and events is available at Fassa.com.
From mushrooms to cheeses: the taste workshops
For those who want to go beyond just a taste, the festival offers a series of paid workshops and activities dedicated to experiencing products, people and traditions first-hand.
You can start with the Törggelen at a mountain hut in Alba, alongside chef Alessandro Bellettato, or set out to discover mountain craft beer with Daniel Riz, founder of the Rampèer Brewery in Campitello.
For those who love the woods, there is an experience dedicated to mushroom foraging and preparation, accompanied by the chef Paolo Naccari at the La Montanara restaurant in Canazei.
There is no shortage of events where gastronomy, art and nature come together, such as the workshop led by Giulia Deluca and Ruben Cadrobbi at the Zucoria restaurant in Pozza.
At the’El Mas farmhouse in Moena, the cheesemaker Peter Decrestina is leading a masterclass on cheese, whilst in Vigo the’Fiores Farm Holiday, run by Nadia Pitto welcomes visitors for a guided tour accompanied by a snack prepared by the chef Nicola Vian at the El Filò restaurant.
A Ciasa do Paré, in Soraga, Aurora Brunel and Alessandro Suffritti Finally, they offer an experience designed for vintage honeys, with a walk through meadows, among grasses and the scents of the Alps.
These are opportunities to get to know the valley not only through what ends up on your plate, but also through the actions, places and people that make that cuisine possible.
The grand finale takes place along the River Avisio
The closing event of the festival is scheduled for on 26 September in Fraine, near Pera, where food meets the landscape in a truly itinerant tasting experience.
Along an easy path that runs alongside the the Avisio stream, from late morning onwards, you’ll be able to visit the charming little wooden huts set up for the occasion and sample the dishes created by the chefs Stefano Ghetta at the Hotel Gran Mugon in Tamion, Matthias Trottner from Baita Checco in Ciampedie, Gaetano Bonanno at the Carlo Valentini Mountain Hut on the Sella Pass, Moreno Valentini by Tobià de Zeli from Alba di Canazei and Nicola Vian at the El Filò restaurant in Pozza.
The common thread running through the event will be the region’s local produce: vegetables, herbs, honey, cured meats and cheeses, supplied by local producers.
The tastings, which are subject to a charge, will be accompanied by wines from Trentino, craft beers, mountain fruit juices, cheeses and cured meats. The experience will be rounded off with a guided walk around Pera and Pozza and live music from the Popcorner, a young band that sings in the Ladin language.
A finale designed to be savoured at a leisurely pace, amidst flavours, nature and music, and suitable for families too.
A new season for mountain cuisine
With “Fassa Fall… in love with Food”, Val di Fassa has chosen to portray autumn through what it does best: bringing people together the local area, hospitality and cuisine.
It is not merely a festival dedicated to cuisine, then, but a journey of discovery through the valley, explored through its ingredients and the people who bring them to life. From restaurants to mountain huts, from farm stays to the footpaths along the Avisio, food becomes the starting point for getting to know a mountain that takes on a special charm in autumn.
This inaugural edition promises to transform the autumn foliage season into a season of culinary delights and aims to become a new fixture on Trentino’s gastronomic calendar.
“Fassa Fall… in love with Food” takes place from 20 to 26 September in Val di Fassa.
To find out about the menus, view the full programme, sign up for the workshops and buy tickets for the closing event on 26 September, please visit Fassa.com.
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