Italian cuisine could soon receive UNESCO World Heritage recognition

It won’t be an exaggeration to state that Italian cuisine is a favourite of many. From ancient family recipes to homemade pasta to wood-fired pizza in generations-old restaurants, Italy’s food scene is more than you can think.

And if reports are to go by, the Italian food and its heritage may likely be officially recognized by UNESCO.
Reportedly, the Italian Government in late March 2023, officially announced that it was nominating the nation's cuisine as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage element. The nomination dossier stresses the impact it has had in shaping the bio-cultural diversity of the country. The dossier defined Italian cuisine as a “set of social practices, rites, and gestures based on the many local knowledge that, without hierarchies, identify and connote it,” as stated by the European Food Agency.

This isn’t the first time that Italian food has been on UNESCO’s radar. Reports have it that in 2017, Neapolitan-style pizza making–the art of Neapolitan Pizzaiolo–was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list. The protection, dictated annually, comprises “cultural practices and expressions of intangible heritage,” according to the UNESCO site.
Reports suggest that a decision won’t be made until December 2025, however, more information around plans to ensure Italy and its food are continuously discussed will be coming soon.

Keep checking this space for more updates.