Contemporary Friulian cuisine arrives in Bibione for the special dinner event “Friuli Meets Bibione”, scheduled for Friday, March 20, 2026, at the Duca d’Aosta Restaurant of the Savoy Beach Hotel & Thermal SPA.
The evening will feature Chef Alessandro Castelnuovo and Chef Anna Barbina, the creative mind behind AB Osteria Contemporanea in Lavariano, near Udine. The event will bring together Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto through a tasting menu designed to showcase regional ingredients, culinary traditions and modern techniques.
Ahead of the event, we spoke with Chef Anna Barbina about her culinary philosophy, the importance of ingredients and the meaning of this collaboration.
A gastronomic dialogue between Friuli and Bibione
The dinner at Ristorante Duca d’Aosta was created as a meeting point between two chefs who share a similar approach to cuisine: respect for seasonal ingredients, attention to product quality and a passion for culinary research.
For Anna Barbina, working with another chef is always an opportunity for exchange and creativity.
“When chefs speak the same culinary language, the dialogue develops naturally. I immediately felt a strong connection with Alessandro Castelnuovo, and that makes this collaboration particularly exciting.
It’s always inspiring to step outside your own kitchen and engage with another chef and a new territory. In this case, Friuli meets Bibione, and the goal is to combine different sensibilities while maintaining a shared vision.”
The aim of the evening is to create a genuine gastronomic dialogue between land and sea, connecting two neighboring regions with distinct yet complementary culinary identities.
The contemporary Friulian cuisine of Anna Barbina
At AB Osteria Contemporanea, located in the heart of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Anna Barbina has developed a personal culinary style that combines technique, research and deep respect for local gastronomic traditions.
For the chef, everything begins with the ingredient.
“My work always starts with the raw ingredient. I like to meet producers and truly understand the product before even thinking about the recipe. Everything else develops from there.”
Vegetables, roots and fermentation techniques play an important role in her cooking, often becoming the starting point for complex and layered flavors.
“Among the key elements of the menu for the evening will be vegetables, roots and fermentations. I enjoy working with the plant world because it allows you to create deep and complex flavors. These are ancient techniques that we can reinterpret today in a contemporary way.”
The result is a cuisine that is essential yet expressive, capable of telling the story of Friuli through ingredients and refined techniques.
Being a chef today: a changing profession
The restaurant industry is evolving, and the presence of women in professional kitchens is steadily growing.
According to Anna Barbina, positive changes are happening, even if the path is not always easy.
“Things are changing, but some differences still exist, unfortunately, and I say this as a new mother. Ours is a profession with very intense rhythms, and for women there can be additional challenges – motherhood, for example, but not only.”
However, she sees encouraging signs in the industry.
“Many kitchens are becoming less rigid and less hierarchical, where what really matters are skills and professionalism.”
Restaurants as places to discover food
For Anna Barbina, a restaurant should offer more than just a meal: it can also be a place to learn and discover new aspects of food.
“A restaurant is first of all a place of pleasure and conviviality, but it can also become a space where people discover something new about food.”
She believes that diners today are increasingly curious about the origins and preparation of what they eat.
“People don’t just want to taste a dish anymore. They want to know where an ingredient comes from, how it has been processed and what journey it took from the raw product to the final dish.”
Because of this, the dialogue between chefs and guests becomes an important part of the dining experience.
Meeting the guests during the dinner in Bibione
During the special dinner at Ristorante Duca d’Aosta, Chef Barbina hopes to spend time in the dining room and interact with guests.
“For me it’s an important moment: seeing people’s reactions and understanding whether what we cooked truly reached them at the table. That exchange is incredibly rewarding.”
This makes the event not only a gourmet dinner, but also an opportunity to meet the chefs and discover their culinary vision.
A gastronomic event to experience in Bibione
The event “Friuli Meets Bibione” offers a unique opportunity to discover contemporary Friulian cuisine in dialogue with the Veneto region.
A tasting experience designed for guests who appreciate gourmet cuisine, local ingredients and the meeting of different culinary traditions.
To discover the full menu and reservation details, read the article dedicated to the dinner event at Ristorante Duca d’Aosta.
Redazione Etgroup
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