On the day when Academia Barilla first opened its doors, it also inaugurated one of its cornerstone initiatives: The Visiting Chef Program. Its objective is to bring to Parma and to the students at the Academia Barilla the most innovative and accomplished chefs who have made a particular contribution to the Art of Italian Gastronomy. Through this program Academia Barilla hopes to foster the development and the flourishment of Italian culinary arts, and to sponsor creative collaboration between culinary artists in Italy and abroad.

Three rising stars of Italian gastronomy in Italy and the US took part in the demonstration that launched the Visiting Chef Program: Moreno Cedroni, a Michelin star chef and president of the Jeunes Restaurateurs d'Europe, Italy, Scott Conant, Executive Chef and owner of L'Impero restaurant, New York, recipient of the James Beard Foundation Award, and Nicola Bindini, Executive Chef of Academia Barilla.