From 24 to 30 November 2025, Kosovo will host the tenth edition of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World (SCIM 2025), whose main theme will be: “Italian cuisine between health, culture, and innovation”, organized by the Embassy of Italy in Pristina in collaboration with the ICE Agency in Tirana, also responsible for Kosovo.
The aim of the initiative is to highlight the multiple dimensions through which Italian cuisine can be interpreted, as a mosaic of knowledge and values, focusing particularly on Italian food as a healthy, balanced, and sustainable nutritional model, as well as on the elements of innovation and research that distinguish it.
For SCIM 2025, the Embassy of Italy in Kosovo will feature as its special testimonial the Executive Chef of the Procaccini Restaurant in Milan, Emin Haziri, recently awarded his first Michelin star. Chef Haziri, an Italian national of Kosovar origin, is among the most prominent new figures of Italian cuisine. Due to his remarkable personal story—having reached Italy on foot with his family at the age of seven, leaving Kosovo during the war—he represents a powerful symbol of the richness and beauty of relations between Italy and Kosovo.
The Ambassador of Italy to Kosovo, Maurizio Antonini, stated: “This tenth edition of SCIM reminds us that Italian cuisine has always been a constantly evolving heritage: a dialogue between creativity, well-being, research, and quality that connects territories, histories, and people. In this spirit, we are particularly pleased to enable the return to Kosovo of Emin Haziri, the exceptional testimonial of this edition. His presence embodies the deep bonds of friendship and cooperation between Italy and Kosovo, and demonstrates how culture—and cuisine—can become authentic bridges between our communities.”
For the occasion, Chef Haziri has designed an exclusive menu for SCIM 2025 for the Gala Dinner (by invitation only), organized by the Embassy of Italy, which will take place on 27 November at the Swiss Diamond Hotel in Pristina.
Chef Haziri stated: “Receiving my first Michelin star is an emotion I still struggle to describe. Returning to Kosovo immediately afterward, on the occasion of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World, holds an even deeper meaning for me. It is the place I come from, the land my family had to leave when I was a child, and being able to return today as an Italian chef brings a sense of closure. I will bring with me a piece of the Italy that welcomed me, trained me, and gave me the opportunity to build my future, and I will do so through a menu that tells a story of health, innovation, and culinary culture. It is an honour to serve as the testimonial of this edition and to represent, through my personal story, the living and sincere connection between Italy and Kosovo.”
During the dinner, guests will have the opportunity to taste Italian wines from the Le Macchie Winery, expertly paired with each course by the Italian Sommelier Association (AIS) – Club Albania, thanks to the support of the ICE Agency in Tirana.
Furthermore, throughout the week, the Embassy will host in Kosovo professors and students from the “Vergani Navarra” Institute of Ferrara, a centre of excellence in the field of food and wine studies. Thanks to their contribution, a week rich in culinary and educational experiences will be offered.
Activities will begin on 25 November with an educational session dedicated to the theme of the event, featuring a lecture on Culinary Medicine at UBT University in Pristina, delivered by Professor Tommaso Centrella of the Vergani Navarra Institute, combining medical and nutritional knowledge with gastronomy and focusing on the beneficial properties of key ingredients of Italian cuisine.
On 26 November, a masterclass for restaurateurs will be held by Chef Haziri along with professors and students from the Vergani Navarra Institute at the company Frigo Deluxe, specialized in professional kitchen equipment.
Afterwards, Ambassador Antonini, together with Chef Haziri, will participate in the popular TV programme “Ora e pasdites” to discuss Italian cuisine and SCIM 2025 with the wide audience of viewers.
On 27 November, at the Pristina Tech Park, the event “Taste the Future: HoReCa & Slow Food Connections” will take place within the framework of the HoReCa Kosovo project, valued at 4 million euros and implemented by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) together with the ILO, aiming to train young people and create employment opportunities in the tourism and hospitality sectors.
The week will conclude on 28 November with a public show cooking at Albi Mall, during which the professors and students of the Vergani Navarra Institute will present dishes representative of Italian culinary tradition, designed to highlight the beneficial and healthy properties of key ingredients while respecting tradition.
We invite you to follow the events of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World on our social media — #SCIM2025
