The space dedicated to new urban gastronomic cultures is born
Milan, June 2026 – Identità Milano 2026 broadens its horizons and opens the Congress even more to the city. Among the most significant novelties of the 21st edition of the International Congress of Signature Cuisine and Hospitality conceived by Paolo Marchi and Claudio Ceroni, scheduled from 7 to 9 June at the Allianz MiCo North Wing in Milan, Next Gen Lab debuts, a new format designed to express the evolution of signature street food and contemporary urban gastronomic cultures.
The project will transform the Congress Terrace into a real temporary food court, accessible not only to the participants of the event but also to the external public, with the aim of creating an open, dynamic and inclusive space dedicated to new forms of informal catering.
Created in collaboration with Sidewalk Kitchens, Next Gen Lab, the Milanese gastronomic collective born in via Bonvesin de la Riva which has become a reference point for quality street food, aims to be a permanent laboratory of ideas, languages and experimentation. Not just a refreshment point, but a privileged observatory on the transformations that are redefining the sector: from the evolution of consumption habits to the growing contamination between cuisine, design, urban communities and new forms of gastronomic entrepreneurship.
The beating heart of the format will be the All Day Station, active every day from 9.30 am to 6.30 pm, which will accompany the entire duration of the Congress. Here some realities selected for their ability to interpret the concept of urban food in an original and contemporary way will be the protagonists: Verde, Totost, Longoni and L’Altro Tramezzino.
Alongside this area, four Food Hubs will also come to life, operating from 11.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. and distributed in the different areas of the Terrace. The spaces will host the gastronomic proposals of Chuck’s, Pantera, Tofu Lab by Dalle:8 and Malinconico, creating opportunities for meeting, discovery and discussion between professionals, enthusiasts and the public of the city.
TheFork will also contribute to strengthening the urban dimension of the project, which will dedicate a specific card to the project within its platform, allowing visitors to book access with a “skip the line” formula and making the experience even more accessible.
The format was born thanks to a network of collaborations that involves NSS Edicola as media partners, Jet HR, Tebi and Dickies in the role of sponsors and Costa Group and ISA as technical partners. A synergy that testifies to the desire to build a project capable of dialoguing not only with operators in the sector, but also with a new generation of enthusiasts, students and young professionals interested in the world of catering.
Next Gen Lab is in fact part of the broader program of Identità Young, the path with which Identità Milano 2026 renews its commitment to the new generations. The initiatives include discounted rates for the under 35s, a Digital Map to easily find your way around the Congress spaces, a calendar of talks and meetings with chefs and entrepreneurs, dedicated editorial content and networking opportunities with emerging horeca realities.
Among the most eagerly awaited events is “Fuori Menu: la cucina oltre la scuola”, the panel scheduled for June 9 in the Spazio Arena, designed to offer students and young professionals a concrete look at the dynamics of the sector, going beyond traditional academic training.
With the launch of Next Gen Lab and the strengthening of the Identità Young project, Identità Milano 2026 confirms its desire to interpret the future of catering through a plurality of perspectives: from haute cuisine to hospitality, from business to new urban formats, enhancing contemporary languages and the generations that are helping to redefine the horeca landscape.