L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 6 NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS and the protection of local varieties and breeds; its Ark of Taste catalogue and Pre- sidia projects documented and supported products at risk of disappearing, helping keep lesser-known cheeses, vegetables, grains and cured meats in circulation. This shift moved the conversation away from the image of Ital- ian cuisine as a fixed set of recipes and towards the idea of food as a system involving land, labour, knowledge and ecology; very importantly, it also aligned closely with sci- entific and institutional dis- courses. W h e n U N E S C O r e c o g - nized the Mediterranean diet in 2010, the nomination emphasized skills, rituals, social practices and shared community identity rather than specific dishes, and the Italian contribution to that dossier mirrored Slow Food's focus on local systems and e v e r y d a y k n o w l e d g e . T h e current candidature for La Cucina Italiana, tra sosteni- bilità e diversità biocultur- a l e , f o l l o w s a s i m i l a r approach, centering on prac- tices, biodiversity, and the role of families, restaurants, producers and communities in maintaining a living her- itage. While movements such as Slow Food strengthened the connection between food, territory, and sustainability, public debate also expanded i n a n o t h e r d i r e c t i o n . I n 2 0 2 3 , h i s t o r i a n A l b e r t o G r a n d i a t t r a c t e d w i d e attention with comments on the origins of popular Italian dishes, arguing that several recipes commonly regarded as emblematic of Italian tra- dition have more recent ori- gins than people assume or were shaped by migration to the United States. Examples i n c l u d e d c a r b o n a r a , t h e modern form of panettone, and even Parmigiano Reg- giano. His statements pro- v o k e d s t r o n g r e a c t i o n s b e c a u s e t h e y c h a l l e n g e d sacred elements of Italian food culture and arrived at a moment when the UNESCO nomination was gaining visi- bility. Although many experts criticized the framing, the discussion had a construc- tive side because it high - lighted the role of migration, diaspora communities and global exchanges in shaping culinary identities. Italian immigrants contributed to spreading and adapting Ital- ian dishes abroad, some- t i m e s p r e s e r v i n g o l d e r methods, sometimes modi- f y i n g r e c i p e s t o f i t n e w ingredients and local tastes; in some cases, these varia- tions developed into distinct traditions that coexist with Italian ones. Ultimately, the debate revealed how authen- ticity is not a single concept and how national cuisines are the result of continuous negotiation between memo- ry, innovation and adapta- tion. It also reinforced an i m p o r t a n t p o i n t f o r t h e UNESCO framework: her- itage is recognized when it is alive, practiced and trans- mitted, not when it is frozen in time. Against this background, t h e S e t t i m a n a d e l l a C u c i n a I t a l i a n a n e l M o n d o p l a y s a s t r a t e g i c r o l e . T h i s i n i t i a t i v e , launched by the Italian Min- istry of Foreign Affairs and n o w i n i t s t e n t h e d i t i o n , involves hundreds of events each year in embassies, con- s u l a t e s , I t a l i a n C u l t u r a l Institutes, chambers of com- merce and educational insti- tutions. Activities typically include masterclasses, tast- ings, chef collaborations, school workshops, scientific panels, and presentations dedicated to regional prod- ucts. Participation covers m o r e t h a n o n e h u n d r e d countries, and the initiative works as both cultural pro- motion and economic diplo- macy. Italy uses the week to highlight its supply chains, its agricultural diversity and t h e c o n n e c t i o n b e t w e e n food, culture, tourism and health. Each edition has a t h e m e , a n d r e c e n t c y c l e s have placed growing empha- sis on health, science, sus- tainability and innovation, a direction that reflects global concerns about diet-related health issues and environ- mental challenges but also corresponds to Italy's cur- rent goals. T h e U N E S C O c a n d i d a - ture aims to show that Ital- ian cuisine represents a set of shared practices rooted in community life, biodiversity and knowledge, but it also wants to demonstrate that Italian food culture supports sustainable agriculture and responsible consumption. By coordinating messages, the Settimana della Cucina Italiana has become a plat- form that reinforces these themes abroad and prepares the ground for international recognition. The candida- t u r e i t s e l f i s s t r u c t u r e d a r o u n d s e v e r a l p i l l a r s , including the transmission of culinary knowledge with- in families, the importance o f s e a s o n a l a n d r e g i o n a l products, the link between food and social ties, and the cultural value of conviviality. It also emphasizes how Ital- ian cuisine includes profes- sional skills, from artisanal pasta-making and bread- making to butchery, pastry, preservation methods, and the organization of commu- nal and festive meals. The dossier draws on Italy's large number of regional special- ties, many of which are pro- tected by PDO and PGI sys- tems, and on the strength of Italy's agricultural biodiver- s i t y , w h i c h i s a m o n g t h e h i g h e s t i n E u r o p e . T h i s diversity is one of the ele- ments that UNESCO com- mittees tend to view favor- ably in intangible heritage nominations. Really, we can say that Italian cuisine has travelled a long path: it has moved from early twentieth-century m a g a z i n e s t h a t u n i f i e d domestic practices to indus- trial production that created a shared market of ingredi- ents. It has been analyzed, d e f e n d e d a n d s o m e t i m e s questioned by scholars. It h a s b e e n s u p p o r t e d b y m o v e m e n t s t h a t c o n n e c t f o o d w i t h e c o l o g y a n d b y institutions that see cuisine as part of cultural diploma- cy. It has grown through the contributions of families, professional cooks, migrants and communities abroad. Each step helped define a culinary culture that is both rooted and adaptable. If UNESCO recognizes the candidature, the acknowl- edgement will concern this entire ecosystem rather than a catalogue of recipes: it will recognize a way of cooking, sharing and understanding food that links households, landscapes, regional tradi- tions and global networks. Italian cuisine has long been part of daily life for millions o f p e o p l e i n I t a l y a n d abroad; it is now presented as a heritage that belongs to communities and is trans- mitted across generations. The Settimana della Cucina Italiana nel Mondo offers an a n n u a l o p p o r t u n i t y t o observe how this heritage travels, evolves and connects people; the UNESCO process i n v i t e s r e f l e c t i o n o n i t s meaning and responsibili- ties. Both moments remind us that food is one of Italy's most powerful cultural lan- guages and one that contin- ues to develop in response to contemporary challenges. The UNESCO candidature aims to show that Italian cuisine represents a set of shared practices rooted in community life, biodiversity and knowledge, but it also wants to demonstrate that it supports sustainability at all levels CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 Making filled pasta: one of the many traditional skills associated with our cuisine (Photo: victorass88/iStock)

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