Parmigiano Reggiano Day takes place on 27 October, with the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium marking the occasion with a week-long celebration across 13 Italian restaurants in Dubai and Abu Dhabi from 26 October to 1 November 2026.
Participating venues will serve dishes featuring Parmigiano Reggiano at different stages of maturation, with some offering the traditional Pasta alla Ruota experience, where freshly cooked pasta is finished in a wheel of the cheese.
Dubai venues include Gloria Osteria, Mamabella, Belcanto, Arrogante, Vera Versilia, Chic Nonna, Siena and Gigi Rigoletto. In Abu Dhabi, the participating restaurants are TOTÓ, Verso, Villa Toscana, Novikov and Amalfi Ristorante.
The initiative forms part of the Consortium’s international campaign, “Più Grande Insieme” (“Greater Together”), celebrating the expertise and connections behind Parmigiano Reggiano.
Nicola Bertinelli, President of the Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano, comments: “Parmigiano Reggiano Day celebrates the ‘King of Cheese’ and Italian culinary heritage. The Middle East is an important market for us: in the first eight months of 2026, sales in the GCC increased by 10% compared with the same period last year, reaching 197 tonnes, up from 179 tonnes. More broadly, exports accounted for 54.8% of total Parmigiano Reggiano sales in the first eight months of 2026, up from 51.5% in the same period of 2025. We are delighted to celebrate Parmigiano Reggiano Day in the UAE with our partners, creating a week of memorable culinary experiences for cheese aficionados. Across Dubai and Abu Dhabi, selected Italian restaurants will give guests the opportunity to discover, taste and experience Parmigiano Reggiano through dedicated dishes created by their chefs, and through different tasting experiences.”
Launched on 27 October 2012, Parmigiano Reggiano Day was established following the May 2012 earthquakes in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, which damaged more than 360,000 ageing wheels of the cheese. The initiative encouraged people worldwide to prepare dishes using Parmigiano Reggiano and share them on social media, helping raise awareness and support affected cheesemakers.
Guests can contact participating restaurants directly for reservations.
