Despite being a relatively small country, Italy boasts 20 different regions, each with its own customs, traditions and—last but not least—cuisine. Which regions have superior cuisine is a point of contention amongst Italians, says Stefano Terzi, co-owner and chef at Vice Versa in New York City.

“We’re talking about Italians here,” Terzi says. “Of course we argue about it. We are an opinionated bunch, and we love food. It’s a hot topic of discussion, that’s for sure.”

While that topic will always be up for debate, most can agree that the nuances and complexities of regional Italian cuisine continue to inspire chefs and delight diners around the globe. In fact,  the foremost experts in Italian cuisine admit that the layers involved in the subject matter are ever expanding.

“I’m 53, I was born in Italy, and I’m still learning about the different regional cuisines,” says Lorenzo Boni, executive chef at Barilla America. “Italy has so much to offer outside of the traditional Tuscan, Sicilian, and Neapolitan cuisines that you hear so much about. If you dig into it, you can really find and learn some amazing new stuff.”

So why dig in? For one, diners’ appetite for Italian has expanded. Boni indicates that when he first moved to the U.S. over 30 years ago, there were very few authentic Italian restaurants in New York City, let alone the rest of the country. That has changed a great deal over the past few decades and the conversation has shifted toward a deeper understanding of Italy’s regions and their associated cuisines. When operators offer new and enticing Italian menu items, highlighting regions can be a great way to establish credibility and target diners looking for varied experiences.

Secondly, learning more about regional Italian cuisine can spark innovation and help forge new trends. Consider that a fan favorite like cacio e pepe—which translates to “cheese and pepper”—grew 126 percent on menus between 2017 and 2021. The “beautifully simplistic” dish hails from the Lazio region, where Rome is located. The region is also responsible for a similarly traditional but trendy dish: carbonara, the rich pasta dish made with egg yolks, cheese and pancetta.

“After 100 years of Italian-American staples like spaghetti and meatballs, alfredo sauce, or lasagne bolognese—and there’s nothing wrong with those, they can be just as delicious as anything—but I think people want to try new and different things,” Boni says. “I’ve seen right here in Chicago over the last few years, restaurants have opened that showcase the Piemonte region, while others focus on Bologna. Roman food has become very popular, too. These are amazing places with amazing food that you can build entire menus around.”

“Italy has so much to offer outside of the traditional Tuscan, Sicilian, and Neapolitan cuisines that you hear a lot about.”

Terzi opened Vice Versa, his authentic Italian restaurant in downtown Manhattan, in 1999. He agrees with Boni—back then, it would’ve been difficult to pull off some authentic Italian menu items. He’s been impressed of late, though, how much more interested diners seem to be in the various regions of Italian cuisine. Presenting the dish authentically, Terzi says, has become key in earning a diner’s trust. In turn, that trust will give the chef more latitude to experiment and explore the various regions of Italy, so long as the dish is approachable.

“In New York, people have no problem telling you when something is not good,” Terzi says. “We have people who come in consistently and they try the same thing. But if I’ve earned their trust I can get them to try new things; for example, if they want to try fresh sardines but maybe they’ve never had them. If you prepare something well and do it right, they realize that good Italian food is good Italian food, just like good food is good food.”

In order to create an authentic regional Italian dish, both Terzi and Boni say that chefs must start with properly-sourced, high-quality ingredients. And when it comes to pasta, both chefs agree that Barilla sets the standard in terms of quality.

“Barilla’s pasta is an incredibly consistent product,” Terzi says. “Whenever you open a bag of Barilla, you know what you’re going to get. It’s always going to be the same length, the same surface, the same product. That consistency shows they have a large amount of knowledge about how to make pasta. The relationship between price and quality at Barilla is unbeatable.”

Terzi also credits Barilla for the way the company identifies the needs of foodservice chefs and creates products that will help them solve challenges. For example, the recently released Barilla Frozen is pre-cooked, line-ready pasta made for labor-strapped chefs. The pasta is also built with the off-premises journey in mind.

“We’ve always been committed to finding solutions for foodservice operators,” Boni says. “A lot of restaurants nowadays don’t have access to skilled labor, or time for training, or sometimes they don’t have the correct cooking equipment. Barilla Frozen works extremely well to improve consistency, help minimize labor costs and make kitchen operations more efficient.

“And pasta, I think, is the perfect platform to help you create a billion different recipes,” Boni continues. “It’s where you can showcase some of your regional knowledge and show diners you know what you’re talking about, that this is authentically Italian.”

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Lazio

Pasta: Rigatoni, Bucatini | Cheese: Pecorino Romano | Dishes: Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe

Home to Rome, the Lazio Region in central Italy contains some of Europe’s most storied history. With hundreds of years of gastronomic culture, and famous ingredients—from the lentils of Onano to the pork jowl bacon guanciale—it’s no wonder that the region is also considered a culinary hotbed.

“Roman food is lovely in its simplicity,” Boni says. “Those classic dishes like carbonara and cacio e pepe are made of just a few ingredients, prepared well. In today’s kitchens, that’s a real plus.”

Piemonte

Pasta: Tajerin, Tagliatelle | Wine: Barolo | Ingredients: Beef, White Truffle

The Piemonte Region of Italy sits at the foothills of the Alps, bordering both France and Switzerland. The region’s cuisine is centered around its rich agricultural land and its most famous export: the white truffle. The white truffle can be added to various sauces and dishes to turn up the flavor.

Chef Boni suggests the region’s most popular dish is Bagna Cauda, which translates to “hot bath.” The fondue-like dip is traditionally made with olive oil, garlic, and anchovies; an umami-rich flavor combination that today’s diners can embrace, especially when interpreted as a pasta dish.

Emilia-Romagna

Pasta: Tortellini | Wine: Sangiovese | Cheese: Parmigiano

The Emilia-Romagna Region of Italy is responsible for many of the country’s most famous exports, including Proscuitto di Parma, parmigiano reggiano, balsamic vinegar, and tortellini.

Like many regions of Italy, the Emilia-Romagna region encompasses a variety of subregions that each hold rich culinary traditions. For example, Chef Boni hails from Bologna, in the center of the region. Growing up, Chef Boni says he had never heard of balsamic vinegar, which comes from Modena.

“The cities are only 20 miles away, but back in that time it felt like they were worlds away,” Boni says. “Now it’s a global flavor. I think it helps illustrate how the food of Italy is really city-based, even 20 or 25 miles of distance could mean a world of difference.”

To learn more on Italian regional cuisines, visit barillafs.com/resources.