The food of Italy has been granted a cultural heritage listing by UNESCO.
Although dishes like pizza were already listed, UNESCO has now recognised the wider traditions of Italian cooking and the way they are practised and passed down.
The United Nations agency specialising in education, sciences, and culture described Italian cuisine as a “means of connecting with family and the community, whether at home, in schools, or through festivals, ceremonies and social gatherings”.
“For us Italians, cuisine is not just food or a collection of recipes. It is so much more: it is culture, tradition, work, wealth,” said Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who had championed the bid.
The decision also saw Egypt’s koshary (a combination of macaroni, rice and beans flavoured with tomatoes, onions and garlic) added to the list, alongside other food-related traditions already recognised globally, including washoku (culinary balance) in Japan, Malaysia’s breakfast culture and the French gastronomic meal.
So everyone gets a prize, basically.
Leading chef Michelangelo Mammoliti told La Repubblica newspaper that the news gave him “a great sense of pride”, both as an Italian and as a chef.
Mammoliti heads La Rei Natura in Piedmont, the only new three-star restaurant in the 2026 Michelin Guide for Italy. He added: “Italy is one of the nations where regional cuisine has a very big impact on culture and traditions.”
Italy’s food and wine sector hopes the recognition will further strengthen tourism, which already brings 80 million international visitors to the country each year.
Other new additions to the list included Iceland’s natural swimming pool culture, the practice of Cuban Son music and dance, and Albania’s art of playing, singing and making the lahuta, a musical instrument.
Image: Ivan Naunov, Scop.io
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