A Dublin-based pasta chef has won Italy’s prestigious Fresh Pasta Championship for 2026 with a dish using ingredients he foraged in Co Carlow.
Giovanni Mannino, who works in Grano in Stoneybatter, Dublin 7, took the top prize in the Naples contest with his Irish version of traditional Italian dish, trofie al pesto. He sourced most of the ingredients from Irish soil.
The 24-year-old chef from Palermo in Sicily said he came to this country five years ago and “fell in love with the nature in Ireland” while gardening in Co Carlow.
“I picked the nettles myself, some baby potatoes from my friends, and peas and pine nuts,” said Mannino. He named his winning dish “Trofie Bilingue”, or “Trofie Between Two Cultures”.
“The idea behind the dish was to tell the story of my journey between Italy and Ireland through food,” he added.
“Bringing Irish ingredients to one of Italy’s most important fresh pasta competitions was an important part of that story, and it was something that resonated strongly with the judges.”
The annual fresh pasta contest brings together chefs from a wide spectrum, from Michelin-level chefs to home cooks.
“It’s incredible. I can’t really believe it. The other competitors were super good, they were owners of restaurants in Italy. [I am] so happy,” Mannino said.
His dish is a “huge thank you to Ireland”, he said.
“I can’t see myself leaving Ireland. I really love it and I’m really grateful. [This country] has given me a lot.”