In an era where the restaurant industry often chases trends, fast contaminations, and the spectacularization of cuisine, there are still events capable of bringing back the authentic value of Italian gastronomic tradition to the center of attention — events that speak not only about dishes, but about collective memory, cultural identity, and territorial heritage.
It is within this context that Primi dei Primi 2026 took place, one of the most authoritative events dedicated to Italian pasta and the national gastronomic culture, held from May 1st to May 3rd in the historic center of Sansepolcro.
For three days, the Tuscan town was transformed into a great laboratory of Italian culinary culture, welcoming chefs, industry professionals, journalists, producers, and enthusiasts from all over Italy, in a continuous dialogue between territories, regional traditions, and contemporary interpretations of Italian cuisine.
Among the protagonists of the 2026 edition were also Villa Maya and chef Susy Fantei, who for years has been committed to a gastronomic journey focused on preserving Tuscan and Italian tradition through a cuisine that is concrete, identity-driven, and deeply connected to the memory of the territory.
Alongside her was Yuri Diolaiti, director of Villa Maya and life partner of the chef, a central figure in the development of the restaurant’s project. Together, they share not only a professional journey, but also a human one, built around a common vision of hospitality and cuisine: authentic, rooted in the territory, and deeply connected to people.
The chef also wished to publicly thank Yuri Diolaiti, life partner and director of Villa Maya, for the support and shared work that over the years have contributed to the growth of the restaurant’s gastronomic project.
For the Tuscan reality, participating in an event of this caliber means far more than simply taking part in a prestigious gastronomic event; it means contributing to the preservation and transmission of a cultural heritage that belongs to the entire country.
“Viva l’Italia”: a symbolic dish celebrating Italian cuisine as a heritage of humanity.
One of the most significant moments of Chef Susy Fantei’s participation was undoubtedly the presentation of the dish “Viva l’Italia”, served during the evening of May 2nd.
An apparently simple creation, yet built around a very precise message: to pay tribute to the recognition of Italian cuisine as a heritage of humanity and to celebrate those flavors which, more than any other element, represent the country’s gastronomic identity around the world.
Pasta, tomato, Parmigiano, and basil — four essential and immediately recognizable ingredients, capable of evoking Italy even before the first taste.
Chef Susy Fantei chose to reinterpret these symbols of tradition using the “Monumenti d’Italia” pasta shape, delicately tossed in a Parmigiano fondue and served on her rustic tomato sauce with crispy fried basil.
The result was a deeply evocative dish, conceived not to impress through theatrical effects or forced constructions, but to authentically convey the cultural strength of Italian cuisine.
“Viva l’Italia” was born from the desire to remind people that Italian food represents not only gastronomic excellence, but also a shared cultural heritage, shaped over centuries through family traditions, territories, inherited gestures, and ingredients that are part of everyday life.
A philosophy also shared by Yuri Diolaiti, who over the years has helped build around Villa Maya an experience made not only of cuisine, but also of hospitality, human connection, and the enhancement of the local territory.
At a historical moment in which cuisine often risks turning into entertainment, Villa Maya’s choice is to bring the focus back to the most authentic essence of Italian gastronomy: well-crafted simplicity, memory, territory, and the human value of food.
The Cappelletti of Camaiore: the gastronomic memory of Tuscany
The participation of Susy Fantei continued the following day with a masterclass dedicated to traditional Tuscan cuisine, during which the chef presented one of the symbolic dishes of the local gastronomic culture: the Cappelletti of Camaiore.
A historic recipe from the Tuscan hinterland, deeply connected to holidays, family lunches, and the memory of traditional homes, which still preserves a strong identity value for the territory today.
And this is precisely the common thread behind the work that Chef Susy carries forward together with Yuri Diolaiti within Villa Maya: to recover, preserve, and tell the stories of recipes that otherwise risk disappearing or losing their cultural meaning.
For me, it is important to preserve and pass down the culinary history of our territory so that these dishes are not lost,” the chef explained during the meeting
A statement that perfectly summarizes a gastronomic philosophy built on respect for tradition, yet far removed from any form of sterile nostalgia, because preserving Italian cuisine does not mean freezing it in the past, but keeping it alive, understandable, and contemporary.
A shared vision between cuisine, hospitality, and territory
Behind the journey of Villa Maya there is, in fact, a daily commitment shared between cuisine and hospitality, between gastronomic research and the relationship with guests.
On one side, the identity-driven and territorial cuisine of Chef Susy Fantei; on the other, the work of Yuri Diolaiti, who over the years has helped build an experience capable of enhancing not only the dish itself, but also the human and cultural context surrounding it.
A vision that today represents one of the distinctive elements of the Tuscan reality: telling the story of the territory through experience, conviviality, and a cuisine that remains deeply connected to its roots.
Italian cuisine as a shared cultural language
One of the aspects that makes Primi dei Primi 2026 particularly appreciated within the national gastronomic landscape is the atmosphere of collaboration created among the participating chefs.
Not a competition, but a moment of authentic exchange between professionals united by the desire to enhance Italian cuisine and local identities.
For three days, Sansepolcro became a meeting point for experiences, regional cultures, and different gastronomic stories, all capable of communicating through a shared language: the language of Italian tradition.
“All my colleagues, like one big family, take part with their dishes, making these days of celebration truly unique,” said Chef Susy Fantei.
Special recognition was also given to the organizers Vittorio Camorri, Annamaria Farina, and Fausto Arrighi, who each year succeed in transforming the event into a landmark occasion for the promotion of Italian gastronomic culture.