A collection of 240 tomato cultivars has been gathered in Apulia

In the Apulia region, at the luxurious Borgo Egnazia resort in Savelletri di Fasano, large-scale work is underway to study and preserve tomatoes. In the spring and summer of 2025, as part of the Casa delle Sementi (Seed House) project, 120 tomato variants were successfully restored, and today the collection has grown to approximately 240 cultivars. About 30 of them are already supplied to the kitchen of the Michelin-starred Due Camini restaurant.

The Seed House is led by agronomist and seed conservation specialist Angelo Giordano. He searches for rare variants in rural areas, scientific literature, and through a network of growers numbering about 30 participants. Giordano prefers to call such plants market-extinct rather than ancient, emphasizing their capacity for evolution. In the resort's gardens, research is conducted using organic methods and without the application of synthetic chemicals. According to the documentation of the first growing season, 200 disappearing species were planted across four hectares of land, 322 were restored, 84 promoted, and 73 exchanged.

The selected samples make their way to the kitchen of Due Camini chef Domingo Schingaro. The agronomist evaluates the yield and propagation potential of the cultivars, while the chef tests their flavor characteristics. As a result of this ongoing interaction, new dishes are born, such as tomato fusilli made from seven to eight tomato variants used as a sauce, dried puree, and fermented liquid extract. The project originators note the importance of the individual identity of each cultivar and are considering the creation of specialized tomato menus, similar to wine lists.