UNESCO has officially recognized Italian cuisine as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. We tell you why this decision is historic, what preceded the recognition and how it will affect world gastronomy

Italy has a new reason for national pride – and it’s surprisingly delicious. UNESCO has officially included Italian cuisine on the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This is a historic moment: for the first time, the organization has recognized not a single dish or technique, but an entire gastronomic tradition of the nation.

This decision emphasizes a simple but important truth: Italian cuisine is not just recipes, it is a philosophy of life, family traditions, respect for products and that very magical moment when family and friends gather at the table.

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Why is UNESCO’s decision to include Italy on the Intangible Heritage List unique?

Previously, UNESCO had separately recognized certain national dishes or culinary traditions – for example, Thai tom yam or the art of making ceviche in Peru.

Now, for the first time in world history, the organization has included the entire cuisine of one country on the list as a holistic cultural phenomenon.

In its decision, UNESCO emphasizes several key aspects of Italian gastronomy:

1. Craftsmanship techniques and craftsmanship, passed down from generation to generation;

2. Deep respect for products and seasonality;

3. The commonality of the process of preparing and consuming food;

4. A cultural code encrypted in traditions, gestures, language and family rituals at the table.

In essence, it is not about preserving dishes, but an entire philosophy of life “made in Italy”.

How did the Italian authorities work to ensure that the country’s cuisine received UNESCO status?

The initiative for recognition came from Maddalena Fossati, editor-in-chief of Condé Nast Traveller Italia and La Cucina Italiana. It was she who, during the COVID-19 pandemic, realized how much cuisine unites Italians and suggested that the government start the fight for UNESCO status.

What followed was years of work: the creation of a committee to promote Italian cuisine, the official submission of the application, the justification of the historical, cultural and social value of gastronomy, the participation of experts, scientists, chefs and representatives of regional culinary traditions. The result is the world's first recognition of national cuisine as intangible heritage.

How did Italy react to receiving intangible heritage status?

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called this decision a moment of national pride. She emphasized that for Italians, cuisine has always been more than a set of ingredients: it is the history of the regions, the land from which the products come, the work of farmers and artisans, as well as family traditions that live in every family.

UNESCO recognition also has a practical effect. Italy has been fighting the market of fake products for years – oils, cheeses, sauces that have nothing in common with the original. International status will help to better protect the Italian gastronomic heritage from counterfeits.

Why did Italian cuisine manage to obtain UNESCO status?

Italian cuisine has long become a global cultural phenomenon.

Pasta, pizza, risotto, wine, cheese, desserts – these products have long gone beyond gastronomy and become part of a lifestyle.

UNESCO indicates that Italian cuisine:

- Promotes social integration and brings people of different generations closer together;

- Preserves verbal and non-verbal traditions – for example, the famous Italian gestures;

- Teaches respect for nature, seasonality and local products;

- Forms cultural memory and intergenerational ties.

That is why its recognition is not just a formality, but a step towards preserving a unique gastronomic universe.

What does this mean for world gastronomy?

UNESCO’s decision could set a precedent. The world is increasingly realizing that cuisine is a cultural landscape that deserves the same protection as unique architectural or natural sites.

Italy has become the first example of how gastronomic culture can have official status as a heritage of humanity. This paves the way for other countries to submit their culinary traditions for similar recognition.

What other Italian cultural assets are on the UNESCO list?

Before the inclusion of cuisine, Italy already had a number of intangible cultural assets:

- opera singing (2023),

- the Neapolitan art of pizzaiolo (2017),

- traditional violin making in Cremona (2012),

- hand-bell ringing (2024),

- the Mediterranean diet (shared with other countries).

Now the country’s main gastronomic pride has joined the list – cucina italiana.

Why did Italian cuisine receive UNESCO status?

Italian cuisine became a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it is:

- universal, yet deeply local;

- simple to prepare, yet extremely philosophical;

- democratic, yet with a 2,000-year history;

- intuitive, yet built on precise artisanal techniques;

- simultaneously gastronomy, a family ritual, and a way of life.

It is not without reason that UNESCO experts called it a practice that “reflects humanity’s ingenuity and its ability to create connections.”

The recognition of Italian cuisine as a heritage of humanity is not just an honorary status.

It is a gratitude and respect for traditions that have been formed over centuries and have influenced world gastronomy more than any other culture.

And although each country has its own unique dishes, Italian cuisine became the first to be named a cultural heritage of all mankind by UNESCO - and thus opened a new page in the history of global cuisine.

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Photo – karandaev/iStockphoto/Getty Images

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