The Italian Embassy in Singapore celebrated the recognition of Italian cuisine as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, a unanimously approved milestone that rewards not only a set of recipes, but a system of values that promotes biodiversity, knowledge transmission and conviviality.
The initiative was carried out as part of an agreement between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and GialloZafferano USA, the international division of Italy’s leading food media (@GialloLovesItaly). For over fifteen years, the brand has been a digital reference point for Italian cuisine around the world, making tradition accessible to millions of people through innovation and contemporary language.
Two live cooking events have been organized. The first, at the Ambassador’s residence, saw Italian chef Alberto Marcolongo transform spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino into a gastronomic experience of excellence, thanks to technique, creativity and care for the raw material.
The second event was held in collaboration with Barilla, which has been promoting quality, the Mediterranean diet and sustainability for 145 years. The company said, “This initiative was designed to foster inspiration and dialogue with the local food service community and media, exploring how Italian cuisine, now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is interpreted and experienced in Singapore’s culinary landscape.”
Both events were organized in close collaboration with the Italian Academy of Cuisine and saw the participation of Ice and the Singapore Chamber of Commerce (Iccs) in a perspective of Sistema Italia and coordination of the main institutional components operating in the area.
Ambassador Dante Brandi, in a comment to ANSA, stressed the importance of the recognition for food education in schools and for a more aware food and wine tourism. He also highlighted how Unesco status reinforces the defense of the authenticity of products, suggesting to enhance tradition through genuine practices linked to the territory, rather than giving in to Italian Sounding.
With these initiatives, the embassy was among the first diplomatic representations in the world to take action to honor the Unesco milestone, emphasizing the uniqueness of a recognition that reflects national identity. “It was an honor to be in Singapore thanks to our embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make our contribution to the promotion of Italian culture and cuisine in the world. With GialloZafferano we tell about Italy and its gastronomic culture to more than 70 million followers around the world by combining tradition and innovation. With our chef Alberto Marcolongo and GialloZafferano’s international project we have brought Italian taste and conviviality to Singapore,” Verena Gioia, head of GialloZafferano, commented to ANSA.
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Dining and Cooking