Girotonno in Carloforte, the Sardinian Culinary Event

During the second half of May, large schools of tuna leave the cold waters of the Atlantic to reach the warmer Mediterranean waters for breeding purposes. The fact that they travel thousands of kilometers in open sea, feeding exclusively on sardines, makes their meat particularly tasty and sought after. Off the coast in front of the tuna fishery, the intense ritual of the mattanza is repeated every year, leading to the capture and slaughter of several thousand specimens. With their meat, the chefs participating in Girotonno prepare delicacies that keep the festival’s days lively, which, among many moments, also features an exciting contest among emerging chefs from four countries, creating a high-level competition for the best tuna-based dish. There are also exhibitions, tastings, and tasting workshops for both experts and the general public; proposals of traditional recipes from other Mediterranean regions and countries (e.g. Sicily, Tunisia…) where the tuna fishery culture remains strong; tastings of Sardinian wines and the indispensable backdrop of music, singing, dancing, and performances.