The long-awaited event celebrating flavor, culture, and integration returns to the beach of San Vito Lo Capo. The Cous Cous Fest 2026 welcomes internationally renowned chefs ready to battle it out in the kitchen for the top spot at the renowned event, transforming the semolina cruò into a bridge between different peoples and culinary traditions.
The competing teams
Algeria
Led by Walid Benattia, executive chef and owner of Maison des Mets, supported by Asma Benattia, Imane Bouchene, Amine Boukrra, and Hadia Dib, a team that combines gastronomy, visual arts, and cultural transmission.
Brazil
With Paulo Ricardo Souza Aires, founder of the Reserva restaurant in Rome, along with Comis Antonio Goncalo De Brito Neto. They will be competing with traditional northeastern Brazilian couscous.
France
Formed by Elio Genualdo and Guillaume Pierre Arnaud Heckmann, who trained at the Ferrandi School in Paris, they will present a refined Mediterranean couscous with brodetto, red shrimp tartare, organic Sicilian lemon confit, capers, prickly pear jelly, pomegranate, lime, wild fennel, and whipped butter bisque.
Italy
Represented by San Vito chef Enrico Figuccia of the Lo Stagnone restaurant, teaming up with the chef and student winners of the Conad Italian Couscous Championship.
Morocco
With Badr Benjelloun, chef and owner of the Catania gastropub Casbah del Moro, ready to amaze with his contemporary and fusion soul food.
Senegal
Mother-and-son duo Fatimata Diagne and Mouhametd Babou, owners of Mouba Gastro Food in Madone, will present "Khadija," a Senegalese couscous made with lamb and mixed vegetables.
Spain
Avelino Alfaro and Jose David Pardo, of the Fideuà de Gandia Cultural and Gastronomic Association, present the recipe "Marima de Valencia," linked to the memory of Valencians who emigrated to Algeria during the Spanish Civil War.
Cous Cous Fest United
A symbolic and high-impact team that unites Palestinian chef Shady Hasbun (Chef Shady Food Lab in Arezzo) and Israeli chef Tze'ela Rubinstein (Cooking in Toscana in Lucca).
The competing dishes will be judged by a technical jury led by Angelo Mellone, Director of Rai Daytime Entertainment, supported by journalists and food experts.
The public will also play a central role thanks to tickets for the popular jury, ready to decree the winning dish of this unmissable edition.
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