Barilla Pasta, Recipe for Togetherness Since 1877

Since 1877, the Barilla family in Parma, Italy, has been at the helm of the Barilla food company, the world’s largest producer of high-quality pasta sauces, and Italian food products, for “The Joy of Food For a Better Life”.

A commercial inspired by a true story anecdote, of pastry chef ‘Pasticcino’, launched in time for the forthcoming Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, commemorates how food, even in a place as unexpected as a Formula 1 paddock, can turn strangers into family, reflecting Barilla’s deeply rooted culture and purpose for nearly 150 years.

Luigi Montanini, famously known “Pasticcino”, improvised a kitchen with two burners, a few pots and a box of Barilla pasta in the 1970’s, to prepare meals he served to teams and rivals alike, sitting on car bonnets and around folding tables, and started an unexpected tradition of fellowship, that Barilla hopes to continue with future Formula 1 seasons.

Publicis Milan advertising agency’s “The Lady and The Tramp” commercial for Barilla’s premium Al Bronzo pasta, crafted with bronze-cut dies, was superbly directed by multi award-winning, Belgium filmmaker, Xavier Maurice.

Commemorating the Disney Studio’s 100th Anniversary in 2023, the short-film features a charming, live-action, re-enactment of the animation classic’s, famous spaghetti scene.

The romantic ‘Lady and The Tramp’ interlude, with a cameo appearance by 2 star Michelin Chef, Davide Oldani, highlights Barilla’s premium Al Bronzo brand reinvention of crafted pasta, for the memorable sharing, of those special moments in life.

Masterly directed by celebrated filmmaker Xavier Mairesse, LePub Milan advertising agency’s 2023, impressively produced ‘Desperate Distractions’ commercial, Global Chief Creative Director Bruno Bertelli, describes as life happening around a table, when family members reconnect to enjoy scrumptious helpings of Barilla pasta.

In a world filled with numerous distractions, Barilla stresses the importance of breaking away from time consuming, inconsequential activities, for mealtimes together with loved ones, as a way of celebrating life.

Publicis Milan advertising agency’s insightful 2021 ‘A Sign of Love’ Barilla film-scenarios, directed by filmmaker Saverio Costanzo, with consummate skill of portraying nuanced emotions with carefully observed sensitivity, features a soundtrack from the Oscar-winning film “La Vita è Bella”, of “Beautiful that Way” by singer-songwriter, percussionist, poet, and composer, Achinoam Nini, professionally known as Noa, leaving nothing more to add to Barilla’s superb vignettes of human truth, that ‘actions speak louder than words’.

72andSunny advertising agency’s 2018 ‘Masters of Pasta’, Barilla commercial, directed by the filmmaking duo of brothers Mark and Matt Hoffman, introduces Barilla’s newly appointed brand ambassador, Roger Federer, to Michelin-starred chef Davide Oldani, for his first cooking lesson.

Exchanging his tennis racket for an apron, Federer watches Oldani’s every move closely, as he cuts, slices and dices, the freshest of ingredients, in a fast-paced, humorously tense relationship between Oldani and Federer, as together they master the perfect Barilla Spaghetti al Pomodoro.

Chef Davide Oldani remarked, that Barilla understands that simplicity is one of the hardest things to achieve.

“Celebrating the uniqueness of everyday ingredients and turning them into unforgettable dishes is still my biggest challenge every single day. I hope that after learning the basics of what makes a great pasta dish, Roger continues to practice his technique”.

Legend has it that ‘Carbonara’, the world’s most famous pasta dish, was a collaborative 1940’s venture by a young American soldier and an Italian Chef in Rome.

There are many stories about who had the original idea of combining American bacon, fresh eggs, Italian pasta, and grated Italian hard cheese. ‘CareBonara’ is Barilla’s celebratory version of the events leading to the creation of the simple, universally loved pasta dish.

Filmmaker Xvavier Maitresse’s award-winning, long-form narrative, is masterly in its cinematic scope and breadth, attention to detail, atmospheric era and portrayal, and for a Carbonara lover like myself, a delight to watch.