On October 7th, 2004, Academia Barilla and Zagat Survey® presented the first ever guide to America's Top Italian Restaurants. In the beautiful setting of the Four Seasons Hotel, Academia Barilla hosted an award luncheon for media, opinion leaders and top Italian chefs and restaurateurs in the Chicago area. The accolade of "Top Italian Restaurant of Chicago" was awarded to Chef Tony Mantuano of "Spiaggia" (the first photo on the right), a splendid Italian restaurant whose menu exalts tradition and innovation in Italian Cuisine.

The award itself combines three elements that have been key to Academia Barilla's mission. First, it represents a plate, the central stage of gastronomic experiences. Second, it features the colors of the Italian flag to highlight the role of land and regional heritage in the Art of Italian Gastronomy. Finally, the body of the award is a globe which refers to the international appeal of Italian cooking.

The event was honoured by the presence of Tim and Nina Zagat who shared with the guests the latest ZagatSurvey findings regarding Italian cuisine in America. A recent poll conducted on Zagat.com showed that 36 percent of diners choose an Italian restaurant when interested in authentic, high-quality ingredients. According to Zagat's 2005 Chicago Restaurant Survey, 30 percent of local diners say Italian is their favorite cuisine, followed by American (18 percent), French (15 percent) and Japanese (11 percent).

The menu for the luncheon was created by Giancarlo Perbellini of the Michelin-starred "Perbellini" restaurant in Verona. Perbellini (second photo on the right) shared with the luncheon guests his views on the importance of tradition, innovation and authenticity in Italian gastronomy.

Guido Barilla, Chairman of Barilla, Gianluca Bolla, CEO of Barilla, and Gianluigi Zenti, director of Academia Barilla, presented Academia Barilla's mission and its enthusiasm about the creation of this new guide.