The 2026 Pebble Beach Food & Wine festival returns with its signature mix of prestige tastings, luxury pairings and culinary icons. Italy stands out with a concentrated lineup of chefs and winemakers ready to help you experience Italian cuisine at its finest.
From walk-around indulgence to seated dinners specializing in regional traditions, the Italian events this year are living, evolving interpretations driven by some of the most recognizable names in contemporary Italian cooking.
Sauced: An Italian Walk-Around Hosted by Rocco DiSpirito and Gabe Bertaccini
Few chefs have defined Italian cooking for American audiences quite like Rocco DiSpirito. The James Beard Award winner and television personality brings both gravitas and energy to Sauced.
Joining him is Gabe Bertaccini, the Florence-born chef that has appeared as a competitor, judge, mentor and co-host on a slew of shows, including Ciao House, 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing and Beat Bobby Flay. Together, they promise an evening where classic Italian dishes and culture come to life.
Read Appetito’s coverage on Rocco DiSpirito’s latest Italian projects.
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Castello di Montepò: The Future of the Biondi Santi Family Hosted by Tancredi Biondi Santi
Italian cuisine is incomplete without its wines, and no name carries more historical weight than Biondi Santi.
Tancredi Biondi Santi guides guests through the next chapter of his family’s winemaking story at Castello di Montepò in Southern Tuscany. Best known for their legacy in Brunello di Montalcino, the family is now focused on highlighting Sangiovese Grosso BBS11.
For serious wine lovers, this is one of the most compelling Italian experiences of the festival.
European Elegance: Hosted by Anthony Giglio and Chef Nelson Germane
Wine educator Anthony Giglio teams with Top Chef alum Chef Nelson German for a curated pairing experience representing the European Union’s finest regions.
While broader in scope than Italy alone, the event showcases the continent’s culinary craftsmanship through six meticulously selected wines paired with chef-driven dishes.
For those who approach Italian cuisine through its relationship to European gastronomy, this seminar offers elevated European flavors and a meticulously curated tasting.
Appetito met up with Giglio last November at the Austin Food & Wine Festival.
Flavors of Italy: Dinner Hosted by Karen Akunowicz, Amy Brandwein and David Nayfeld
The festival’s Italian centerpiece is a collaborative dinner that reads like a who’s who of modern Italian cooking in America.
Karen Akunowicz, James Beard Award winner and chef behind Boston’s Fox & the Knife and Bar Volpe, brings her Emilia-Romagna training and bold pasta work to the table.
Amy Brandwein is a James Beard Award nominee and the chef behind Centrolina in Washington DC.
David Nayfeld, chef-owner of San Francisco’s Che Fico and Via Aurelia, has built a reputation redefining California-Italian cuisine with seasonal West Coast produce and Italian technique.
Together, the trio crafts a seated dinner with expertly curated wine pairings from Banfi, aligning each course with Italian winemaking heritage.
Read our previous spotlight on Karen Akunowicz’s approach to Italian cooking.
Appetito previously featured David Nayfeld’s California-Italian vision at Che Fico and Via Aurelia.
Explore Appetito’s coverage on Amy Brandwein.
Pebble Beach Food & Wine has always been about good food, great wine and the people behind them. This year, the Italian events remind us just how strong Italy’s influence still is — from historic wine families to thoughtful pairings and chefs who keep tradition alive. For tickets, visit the Pebble Beach Food & Wine website.
