L'Evoluzione della mia Pappa al Pomodoro by Chef Vincenzo Guarino. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Beijing fans of Italian food may think they've stumbled onto the set of Who's Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? next week. Like in that 1978 film, a star chef with a grand accent can be found in every direction if you're eating in one of the capital’s top Italian restaurants.

The 8th annual Italian Cuisine World Summit, a celebration of Italian food and lifestyle, is going on the road this year, kicking off in Beijing after a Hong Kong preview.

An opening gala dinner at the Kempinski Beijing hotel's Via Roma restaurant on Tuesday will be followed by events at five other restaurants in Beijing and one in Tianjin, plus a master class by master butcher Simone Fracassi (Via Roma) and a qualifying event for the Italian World Pizza Summit (La Pizza).

Paolo Gramaglia, Vincenzo Guarino, Fortunato Ostacolo, Daniele Repetti and Fracassi will be guest master chefs at Via Roma for the gala opening dinner.

Two of the chefs coming to Beijing have three Michelin stars in each of their toques: Italy's Heinz Beck and Hong Kong-based Umberto Bombana. They will team up for a special dinner at Opera Bombana on Wednesday only.

Repetti will be cooking at Peking Cafe on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Seppia e piselli by Chef Luciano. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Gramaglia will be in the Flames kitchen at the Hilton Beijing Wangfujing on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Ostacolo will be at La Pizza Wednesday and Thursday.

Luciano Monosilio and Guarino will be at Cepe in the Ritz-Carlton Financial Street on Saturday, with Monosilio staying on the following four nights.

Via Roma, site of the opening gala dinner on Tuesday, will also host the champion acrobatic pizza chef Vincenzo Tesauro on Wednesday, Fracassi on Thursday, and Guarino (wine dinner) on Friday.

Tianjin events, at Bella Vita restaurant, will feature the acrobatic pizza chef Vincenzo Tesauro on Thursday; Fracassi and Ostacolo will take over host Samuele Rossi's kitchen on Friday; a quartet of the guest chefs will team up for a "summit farewell party" on Saturday night.

Contact individual restaurants for times and prices.

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