The path to the next World Pesto al Mortaio Championship has officially begun, and one of the first qualification rounds took place in Genoa Pra’ during the event dedicated to Genoese basil, “Profummo de Baxaicò”.
The event, held May 15-17, celebrated Pra’ basil through meetings, tastings, and cultural and solidarity initiatives, including a fundraiser organized together with the Pra’ Green Cross for a new ambulance.
Contestants competed in a mortar competition following the historic Genoese recipe, testing technique, dexterity and the ability to make the most of traditional ingredients.
The elimination round involved fans, curious people and new “pestaioli” eager to join a competition that over the years has become an international event dedicated to Ligurian gastronomic culture.
With this first qualification phase, therefore, the path to the 2028 World Pesto al Mortaio Championship kicks off, with new events and selections involving fans from all over Italy and abroad in the coming months.
The audience was able to witness live the preparation of pesto al mortaio, a symbol of knowledge passed down through time and still capable of uniting different generations around the scents and gestures of tradition.
