Italian Cuisine

Italian cuisine is among the most appreciated at a global level, thanks to its simplicity, the quality of the ingredients, the suitability for home and daily cooking. Main Sections on Italian Cuisine:Traditional Recipes |Video Recipes |Typical Foods & Drinks.

Italian cuisine was recognized as an intangible heritage of humanity by UNESCO in 2010; then since December 2025 is officially a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, nominated as "Italian Cuisine between Sustainability and Biocultural Diversity". This recognition highlighted the social importance of Italian cuisine, linked to the transmission of knowledge, anti-waste practices, and community identity. UNESCO recognized the entire culinary tradition and not just individual dishes, which makes it the first national cuisine in the world to receive this honor, joining other already recognized Italian gastronomic elements such as Neapolitan Pizza and the Mediterranean Diet.

History

Traditional Italian cuisine developed over millennia, influenced by the cuisine of the ancient Greeks and Romans, and by the contributions of Byzantine, Jewish and Arab traditions. With the discovery of the New World, novel ingredients were introduced, among them potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and corn, which have adapted to the Italian territory in multiple native varieties. Recipes have been created and handed down over the centuries mainly by female wisdom and resourcefulness, favouring local and seasonal products.

The Slow Food Movement

In 1986 Carlo Petrini founded in Italy the non-profit Slow Food Association, a cultural and gastronomic movement which has since spread internationally. Grown as a reaction to the spread of fast and junk food, and to the frantic modern eating habits, Slow Food has the mission to study, defend and disseminate agricultural and food traditions from all over the world, protect biodiversity and traditional differences of the various peoples, and fight food standardization, massive agriculture and enetic manipulation.