I had the opportunity to meet two Tucson, AZ chefs, Matthew Cable and Devon Sanner of restaurant Zio Peppe, during their recent visit to Parma. The two Americans were touring the city of Parma for a very specific reason: Tucson and Parma, over a decade ago, were awarded the international distinction of UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, making them “sister cities.”

The UNESCO delegations of each city have put the spotlight on their relationship through activities such as joint masterclasses and dinners, as well as taking turns to host chefs on their respective stomping grounds. Back in January, Parma Quality Restaurant chefs Mario Marini and Nicole Zerbini took a trip to Tucson, the first exchange before Parma was to host this September.