San Domenico Palace will host the fourth Gran Galà d’Autunno on 19 October, bringing Sicilian chefs together for a dinner supporting WonderLAD.
October in Taormina offers an opportunity to explore Sicilian cooking without the pace of peak summer. San Domenico Palace is preparing its fourth Gran Galà d’Autunno for 19 October, with chefs from across the island creating one evening’s menu.
The event supports WonderLAD, a Catania organisation working with children affected by cancer and their families. It combines the distinctive setting of a former Dominican convent with the skills of several contemporary cooks.
One kitchen, several perspectives
Host chef Massimo Mantarro, known for Principe Cerami, will be joined by Ciccio Sultano, Roberto Toro, Francesco Patti and Domenico Colonnetta. Giovanni Marco Carandino contributes the pastry element.
The value of a multi-chef dinner is the opportunity to experience different treatments of regional ingredients in one sequence. It is a special event menu, not the hotel’s regular dining offering.
From aperitif to dessert
The planned programme begins with an aperitif and then moves through dishes drawn from Sicilian seafood, produce and culinary traditions. Different chefs take responsibility for their contributions, while the overall evening is designed to have a common rhythm.
Guests should confirm the final menu and dietary arrangements directly with the hotel. A collaborative dinner can change details as ingredients and practical arrangements are settled.
A reason to stay beyond the dinner
The Chiesa Ballroom provides a setting that connects food with the building’s history. Taormina itself rewards time for the coastline, architecture and surrounding landscape before or after the event.
The fundraising purpose gives this particular evening a significance beyond a tasting menu. For visitors organising an October Sicily trip, the event is a dated experience that should be booked rather than treated as a daily restaurant service.