Among the most evocative events at the Italian Festa & Expo 2025 was the exhibition ‘I racconti delle radici’ (Tales of Roots), presented by the Italian Cultural Institute of Melbourne as part of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World.
Inspired by the writings of historian Massimo Montanari, the exhibition tells, through words and images, the story of Italian flavours as they travelled abroad from the late 19th century to the 1970s.
It’s a journey that intertwines the memory of migration with culinary creativity, showing how iconic dishes, from Milanesa a la Napolitana to the beloved Australian chicken parmigiana have become living expressions of Italian identity across the world.
I racconti delle radici celebrates the Italian gift for reinvention without ever severing the thread of tradition, turning food into a language of love that speaks of belonging, resilience and the enduring bond with one’s origins.
Dining and Cooking