Press release | Italia Reloaded. Tradition, Aesthetics and Innovation between Taste and Memory: Sip of Italy
SIP OF ITALY
Siam Paragon, Nextopia 5th Floor, Community Centre 5A
April 23th (OPENING RECEPTION) – May 12th
The fourth edition of the “Capitals of Italian Creativity in the World” competition saw the Italian Cultural Institute of Bangkok emerge as the winner. In collaboration with the Embassy of Italy in Thailand, the victory was achieved through the multidisciplinary project “Italia Reloaded: Tradition, Aesthetics, and Innovation between Taste and Memory.”
Part of a broader program dedicated to coffee culture, “Sip of Italy” is a multidisciplinary event that explores the world of coffee through its cultural, social, and sensory dimensions.
Passione Italiana. L’Arte dell’Espresso
April 24th – May 12th, 2026
Presented by the IMF Foundation and EP studio, curated by Elisabetta Pisu with exhibition design by Distortion Studio, this exhibition traces the evolution of coffee as a universal symbol of Italian identity—a point of convergence for design, ritual, and sustainability. The showcase celebrates coffee as a platform for cultural exchange and connection. It tells the story of how a daily ritual can unite history, politics, industrial design, cinema, and social commitment, creating a unique bridge between Italian identity and Thai creativity. The exhibition features 40 iconic objects created by internationally renowned designers—ranging from Alessandro Mendini’s “Oggetto Banale” to Matteo Frontini’s “Turbo Moka.” These are displayed alongside historic professional machines from MUMAC (the Coffee Machine Museum of the Cimbali Group), including rare models from the 1920s and the famous 1950s Marte by Faema and Brillante by La Cimbali.
Opening Ceremony: April 23th
Program
3:30 PM: Registration and commencement of the opening ceremony.
4:00 PM: Inauguration of the exhibition “Passione Italiana: L’Arte dell’espresso” (Italian Passion: The Art of Espresso) featuring an opening speech by H.E. Paolo Dionisi, Ambassador of Italy to Thailand, followed by the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Atmosphere: Live DJ set featuring atmospheric music by DJ Lazzaro throughout the event.
The Espresso Academy Italian Coffee Training Institute of Bangkok, along with Caffè Morettino, Illy, Caffè Don Bruno, and Lavazza, will present live demonstrations on various espresso preparation methods and classic Italian coffee drinks. The event offers visitors a chance to discover the variety of Italian coffee preparations and professional barista techniques, concluding with a tasting experience.
Sip of Italy – Lecture Series
April 23th at 6:00 PM
Massimiliano Marchesi, coffee sommelier, presents the lecture: Italian Coffee: Curiosities, Traditions, and Contemporary Culture
This educational session introduces the audience to the defining characteristics of Italian coffee culture, exploring the traditions, curiosities, and habits that have shaped the Italian ritual of “prendere un caffè” (having a coffee).
Particular attention will be paid to how Italian espresso became a global benchmark for coffee preparation and consumption, as well as the social role of coffee bars in the daily lives of Italians. The lecture will offer historical insights, cultural anecdotes, and contemporary perspectives on coffee consumption in Italy.
April 24th at 6:00 PM
Tomaso Mannu, chef, food designer, and gastronomic researcher, presents the lecture: Coffee Beyond the Cup: Culinary Identity & Product Development
Coffee is often considered merely a beverage, but its aromatic complexity and cultural significance make it a powerful culinary ingredient. This lecture explores how coffee can move beyond the cup and into the kitchen as an effective tool for product innovation, flavor creation, and gastronomic storytelling.
Through examples from contemporary cuisine and food design, the session examines how coffee can be utilized in dishes, sauces, ferments, and seasonings, transforming it from a drink into a versatile ingredient. Particular attention is given to how culinary context, origin, and preparation influence the identity of a product or dish. The lecture provides a practical framework for thinking about ingredients not only in terms of taste but also through market positioning, cultural identity, and creativity.
Participants will gain deep insights into how chefs, food entrepreneurs, and hospitality professionals can develop distinctive dishes or products by building a coherent identity around a single ingredient.
April 25th at 11:45 AM
Tomaso Mannu—chef, food designer, and gastronomic researcher—presents the lecture: Circular Coffee: Sustainability and By-Product Innovation.
The production of coffee generates a complex ecosystem of materials that extends far beyond the beverage itself. From the coffee cherry fruit to the grounds remaining after brewing, many of these resources are traditionally discarded despite their potential culinary, agricultural, and commercial value. This conference explores the circular life cycle of coffee and examines how by-products of the coffee supply chain can be transformed into new ingredients, food products, and experiences. Through examples drawn from gastronomy, fermentation, and product innovation, the session demonstrates how circular thinking can generate both environmental and economic value.
One case study is cascara, the dried husk of the coffee cherry, which illustrates how an overlooked by-product can evolve into beverages, syrups, and packaged products when supported by careful design and effective storytelling. By considering coffee as a system of materials rather than a single product, the lecture offers participants a broader understanding of sustainability in food culture and provides practical insights for hospitality, culinary practice, and food entrepreneurship.
April 27th at 6:00 PM
Don Bruno, a missionary and roaster from the Laudato Si Social Enterprise, together with a specialist from his coffee plantation, presents a talk titled: Coffee as a Cultural Bridge: Thailand and Italy.
During a visit to local villages in the Lampang province of Northern Thailand, Father Bruno noticed that many residents’ hands had a reddish tint. He discovered this was caused by chemicals used to treat the corn seeds that farmers were planting with their bare hands. Furthermore, the intensive cultivation of corn—the primary source of income for many families—led to deforestation and the burning of vegetation, resulting in barren mountains and severe environmental imbalances.
To protect the health of these communities, safeguard the environment, and improve farmers’ livelihoods, the missionaries launched a new project in 2012. They began supporting the cultivation of perennial plants to replace corn, teaching the art of coffee roasting, and purchasing agricultural products directly from farmers at fair prices.
The story of Don Bruno and the missionaries of Laudato Si Social Enterprise is a true example of sustainability and social commitment. Founded by Italian missionaries who have been working since 2000 to assist communities in Lampang—specifically in the districts of Chae Hom, Wang Nuea, and Mueang Pan—the enterprise chose the name “Laudato Si” to express its commitment to environmental care and organic farming.
This mission is inspired by Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’, which calls for the protection of our “common home,” the planet: “An integrated approach to combating poverty is necessary to restore dignity to the excluded and, at the same time, to take care of nature.”
“Jazz & Coffee” performance by Bruno Brugnano’s Bangkok New Trio
April 30th at 6:00 PM
In addition to the exhibition and lectures, Nextopia hosts a rich cultural program featuring Italian artists renowned both internationally and in Thailand. To mark International Jazz Day, the Bangkok New Trio—featuring Passakorn Morasilpin on tenor saxophone, Tanarat Chaichana on double bass, and Bruno Brugnano on guitar—presents “Jazz & Coffee.” This musical performance offers the audience a synesthetic experience, weaving together a sophisticated dialogue between sound and the sensory experience of coffee. The Trio is a well-established artistic group in Thailand and is considered a “crown jewel” of the jazz scene in the Thai capital.
BimBi Italiani: From Coffee to Creativity
April 25th from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
BimBi Italiani is a global non-profit organization (Third Sector Entity – ETS) registered in Italy, dedicated to promoting the Italian language, culture, and identity among children, youth, and families worldwide. It operates through an international network that develops and implements educational, cultural, and creative programs, fostering intercultural exchange and community building. In Thailand, BimBi Italiani operates through its first international branch, registered as Italian Kids (Thailand) Co., Ltd., which serves as the local operating entity. Through this structure, the organization designs and implements cultural and educational initiatives, linguistic and creative paths, events, workshops, and collaborations with schools, cultural institutions, and private sector partners.
In the context of “Sip of Italy,” BimBi Italiani offers a full day of activities. The program is as follows:
Morning Session
Story Time Adventure – The Journey of a Little Coffee Bean: An interactive storytelling session by Curtain Up Studio | 10:45 – 11:45
Afternoon Workshops
Bean & Bottle – From Trash to Art: Curated by Wishulada | 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM
Little Explorers: Turn Coffee into Fertilizer! Curated by Little Legend | 4:15 PM – 4:30 PM
Ongoing Activities
Paint with Coffee: Creative arts corner
Book Corner: Discover and take home a story in celebration of International Book Day
Coffee Art Station
Sensory Play Corner: For the little ones
The proposed activities bring children closer to their parents’ world, transforming an “adult” beverage like coffee into an educational, fun, creative, and family-friendly experience that unites Italian art and culture.
Thanks to these activities with strong educational value, the central themes of Sip of Italy—particularly sustainability and recycling—take shape through the lively and curious eyes of children, guiding them to reflect on the importance of environmental respect and turning play into a concrete learning opportunity.
Ajarn Tonk, Fortune Teller: The Future at the Bottom of a Coffee Cup
May 1st 11:00-13:00 and 15:00 to 19:00
Within a context of sustainability, creativity, and environmental awareness, we present a coffee-themed divination session where expert seer Ajarn Tonk interprets coffee grounds through personalized readings. The reading of coffee grounds—an ancient practice that has valued what would otherwise be considered waste since its inception—takes on an emblematic meaning within this project. It transforms coffee residues into tools for knowledge, intuition, and creativity.
Ajarn Tonk, known as “The Precision Seer” (Ruengsit Kittiworapol), is an established master of divination specializing in Coffee & Tea Reading, or Tasseography. This is an ancient practice with roots in Middle Eastern and Eastern European cultures. This symbolic form of interpretation, passed down through centuries alongside the rituals of tea and coffee, is based on the shapes left by leaves and grounds in the cup, viewed as reflections of a person’s energy and experiences.
Other Related Events
Massimiliano Marchesi presents “Hospitality in a Cup” to students of the hospitality course
April 24th at 12:00 PM at Bangkok University
Within the framework of “Italia Reloaded: Italian Tradition, Aesthetics, and Innovation between Taste and Memory,” the Italian Cultural Institute in Bangkok promotes Italian expertise in the coffee industry with an educational meeting at Bangkok University. The lecture by Coffee Sommelier Massimiliano Marchesi is part of a comprehensive program of educational activities at Bangkok University that began in December 2025, aimed at promoting and enhancing Italian food and wine culture. Looking ahead, the initiative aims to structurally introduce a module dedicated to Italian cuisine within the curriculum of the University, a center recognized for its excellence in hospitality and tourism programs.
During his conference at Bangkok University, which hosts the International Tourism and Hospitality Management (ITHM) program, Massimiliano Marchesi—a management engineer trained at the Politecnico di Milano and former Coffee Ambassador for Nespresso Italy—takes students on a journey through the history and processing of coffee in Italy.
His intervention traces the cultural evolution of this iconic beverage, delving into preparation techniques and service styles, the art of blending and roasting, the principles of sensory analysis, and the increasingly central role of coffee in high-end dining. The session offers both a technical and cultural perspective, demonstrating how, in Italy, coffee is not just a drink but a daily ritual.
Fine Dining with Wine and Coffee Pairing
April 26th at 7:30 PM
A special dinner will be held on the evening of April 26th in Bangkok at iO Italian Osteria | Hansar. The event is part of the “Sip of Italy” project, dedicated to promoting Italian coffee excellence in Thailand.
The evening features a carefully crafted tasting menu accompanied by wine pairings, enriched by an innovative sensory experience that integrates coffee into each course in an original way, creating a unique dialogue between wine, coffee, and Italian cuisine.
The experience is curated by coffee sommelier Massimiliano Marchesi and Chef Anna Borrasi.
Espresso Academy: Italian Coffee Training Institute in Bangkok
April 28th–30th
Presentations, tastings, and in-depth sessions designed to offer Academy students opportunities for discovery and exchange within the worlds of coffee and mixology.
Caffè Vergnano
April 28th–30th
Caffè Vergnano will feature a program of tastings and lessons on the art of mixology, showcasing the richness of a sector that blends tradition and innovation. This presence reaffirms Italy’s ability to transform gastronomic culture into experience, knowledge, and connection.
