Lynch, Humm, Colicchio Among the U.S. Chefs Representing at the World's Fair

The food-focused Expo Milano 2015 — colloquially known as the next edition of the World's Fair — has been in the works for some time, and today, the folks programming the United States' entry have announced a partial list of participating chefs. The New York Times reports the James Beard Foundation (whose executive vice president Mitchell Davis is curating the U.S. exhibitions) will sponsor a restaurant in downtown Milan, featuring two-day pop-ups by chefs like Barbara Lynch, Daniel Humm, Tom Colicchio, Traci des Jardins, and John Besh (among others; about 50 chefs total are expected to participate). The restaurant, creatively named the James Beard American Restaurant, will also serve a Thanksgiving meal every Thursday during the expo; Sundays will feature live jazz brunch.

Additionally, a fleet of "generic" food trucks — i.e., trucks not tied to a specific restaurant, chef, or brand — will serve American classics like lobster rolls, hamburgers, Korean tacos, and barbecue. (The USA Pavilion website notes that Food Truck Nation will be "created with input from an advisory board of celebrated food truck operators and experts from across the U.S.") These projects join previously announced U.S. Pavilion exhibits like a 7,200-square-foot "vertical farm" growing 42 different American crops.