“Italian cuisine is an ancient, daily and sacred ritual,” says Michelin-starred chef Massimo Bottura.
Italian cuisine, already revered around the world, is preparing for a new distinction: its official recognition as a cultural treasure by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO.
A preliminary assessment by UNESCO has approved the inclusion of Italian cuisine on the agency’s “Intangible Cultural Heritage” lists, and the final decision is expected on Wednesday.
The nomination, submitted in March 2023 by Italy’s agriculture and culture ministries, presents Italian cuisine – from pasta and pizza to risotto and cannoli – as a social ritual that connects families and communities.
“There is no single Italian cuisine, but a mosaic of local expressive diversities,” the government said.
From Lombardy’s ossobuco – braised beef shank garnished with gremolata, a green herb sauce – to Puglia’s “orecchiette with turnip leaves” (ear-shaped pasta with turnip greens), each region showcases Italy’s biodiversity and creativity, the source said.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has supported the effort, calling Italian cuisine a symbol of “culture, identity, tradition and strength.”
Industry groups estimate that UNESCO recognition could boost tourism by up to 8% in two years, adding 18 million overnight stays.
However, not everyone in Italy supports the bid for inclusion on UNESCO’s lists, which already include almost 800 products (considered to have outstanding universal value and in need of protection for future generations), such as Italian opera singing and truffle hunting.
Alberto Grandi, a food historian, called the UNESCO candidacy “just a marketing ploy” in an interview with the website Mantovauno last month.
In his 2024 book “La cucina italiana non esiste” (“There is no Italian cuisine”), Grandi argues that many dishes considered traditional, including pasta alla carbonara, are relatively modern inventions influenced by foreign cultures.
Grandi’s comments sparked a fierce backlash from farmers’ association Coldiretti, which called his claims “a surreal attack on the national culinary tradition.”
For restaurant owners like Luigina Pantalone, owner of Rome’s historic Da Sabatino restaurant, a UNESCO nomination from Wednesday’s meeting in India would be a source of pride.
“Authentic Italian cuisine must be protected,” she said, recalling her childhood washing dishes with her siblings and proudly noting that it is the fourth generation of her family to run the restaurant.
Three-Michelin-starred chef Massimo Bottura summed it up: “Italian cuisine is an ancient, daily and sacred ritual — the art of caring and loving without saying a word.”
Dining and Cooking