12 July 2025 – Piazza Torino, Jesolo Lido (VE)
GRIGLIE RO20: 20 YEARS OF BARBECUE PASSION
A truly one-of-a-kind event took centre stage on Saturday 12 July in Jesolo. For the first time ever, 20 mayors from six different provinces – and from across the political spectrum – set politics and paperwork aside to compete at the grill, celebrating the 20th anniversary of an event that has become an undisputed symbol of the Veneto Region’s summer: Griglie Roventi (literally, Hot Grills), Italy’s renowned barbecue championship for amateur cooks. Marking its twentieth year, the competition chose to celebrate the milestone with a night that broke all conventions.
In a packed Piazza Torino, filled with cheering spectators, the administrators’ challenge was won by the unexpected duo Marco Donadel and Arianna Lazzarini, mayors of Roncade and Pozzonovo respectively. Their proclamation came just before the official competition winners were announced, in a blaze of yellow – Pantone 2006, the year the event first launched – which also served as the theme colour for the 2025 edition.
The enthusiasm of the crowd did the rest, alongside the creativity and culinary flair of the participants, their passion for the grill, and the lively hosting of Moreno Morello and Elisa Bagordo. The two special presenters, supported by the music of Radio Wow, further elevated the spirit of a format that, over two decades, has captured the public’s imagination and drawn thousands of barbecue lovers from across Italy and beyond.
FROM POLITICS TO THE GRILL: MAYORS FIRE UP JESOLO
The big talking point in the run-up to the event was the brand-new “tricolour challenge” between mayors. There was plenty of curiosity – and an element of suspense – as none of the participants knew in advance who their cooking partner would be. The pairings, drawn at random at the start of the evening, led to more than a few surprises, with political rivalries giving way, for one night only, to fair play and a shared desire to have fun. Victory went to the Roncade–Pozzonovo pairing, who were awarded their prize by restaurateur Isi Coppola.
THE MAIN COMPETITION
Alongside the institutional challenge, the traditional competition saw 100 pairs of amateur grillers take part. As always, they were given 60 minutes to prepare their “dish of a lifetime” under the watchful eye of the jury, led by chef Alessandro Silvestri. Taking the top spot on the podium were Riccardo Saran from Casier and Alessio Dotto from Camalò, already bronze medallists in 2022. Their winning dish celebrated the flavour of the meat, paired with freshly prepared polenta gnocchi, saffron sauce and a creamy cheese spread. Second place went to Roberto Giorato and Stefano Zanni, based between Vigonza and the Venice area, who impressed with a bold mix of flavours: chicken wraps in sauce, stacked hamburgers with Casereccia polenta, ribs, and tricolour cups of cheese, cherry tomatoes and basil pesto. Third place was claimed by Edi Ceccato and Daniele Todaro from the Province of Udine, competing for the fourth time. They surprised the judges with an exotic-inspired finger food selection, also serving a special “Laguna Blu” cocktail.
In addition to medals and a barbecue grill, the winners received a generous gourmet prize kit including our Polenta Casereccia.
AND A COMMITMENT TO SOLIDARITY
As always, the evening also made space for solidarity. This year the organisers donated €1,500 to LILT Treviso (Italian League for the Fight Against Cancer), presenting the cheque to Vice-President Dr Christian Rizzetto.
