The Event
For one night, Chef Kathryne Bennett of Bionda explores the traditions of Emilia-Romagna, a region often regarded as Italy’s great culinary heartland. Here, food is shaped by fertile farmland, skilled hands, and a deep respect for time-honored methods that have endured for centuries.
The cuisine is rich not because it is extravagant, but because it is patient. Dough is worked until supple and silky, sauces are allowed to develop slowly over hours, and every dish reflects a culture that values craft over convenience. The result is food that is deeply satisfying—honest, generous, and unmistakably rooted in place.
> Wednesday, June 17, 2026
> 6PM – 8:30PM
> $95 per person
> The event is limited to 20 guests.
> **BYOB for wine and cocktails.
The Menu
The Location
Akira, 359 Mill St, Eugene, OR 97401
PARKING & ENTRANCE
Parking lot and street parking: Please use the lot on the north side of Akira; do not park in the spaces marked “reserved” (the spaces closest to the road).
* Entrance is wheelchair accessible.
Past Eugene Events
December 15th, 2025
Zest Kitchen & Bar
PIEMONTE was an evening celebrating the cuisine of Piemonte — Italy’s northern region nestled between the Alps and the Po River. Among other things, this corner of Italy is known for Barolo-rich cooking and as the birthplace of modern chocolate — blending mountain tradition with refined, rustic warmth.
February 25th, 2026
Akira
VALL d’AOSTA was an evening celebrating the region’s cuisine which is defined by mountain dairy, slow braises, rustic breads, and wines that warm against the cold. On the menu was a Fontina-rich antipasti and traditional alpine soup to porcini-laced beef, truffled polenta, and chocolate-hazelnut budino.
March 25th, 2026
Akira
For this dinner, Chef Kathryne Bennett brought the flavors of South Tyrol to the table — from speck dumplings and whole-grain spätzle to roasted chicken with beer and traditional baked apples. Served family-style, the menu reflected the rustic elegance of alpine cooking and the unique cultural crossroads that define this northern Italian region.
April 29th, 2026
Akira
For one night, Chef Kathryne Bennett of Bionda looked to Lombardy to present a dinner, where Italy’s most fertile plains meet the edge of the Alps. In this northern region, water moves through fields and valleys, nourishing a landscape that has long defined how—and what—people cook. Rice, dairy, and slow-cooked meats form the foundation of a cuisine that is both humble and precise.
