Italian Cuisine UNESCO Heritage: conclusions of the first Forum at TuttoFood

The first international Forum dedicated to Italian Cuisine took place at TuttoFood following its recognition by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The meeting brought together institutions, chefs, businesses and researchers to turn the recognition into concrete measures for protection, promotion and sector development.

Participants and topics

The event gathered institutional representatives, restaurant professionals, food industry operators and experts in education and supply chains. Key topics included public policy, international promotion, safeguarding raw materials and training future generations.

The seven guidelines

• From recipe to culture: acknowledge cuisine as a cultural language to be preserved and transmitted.
• Create a connected supply chain: coordinate producers, industry, restaurants, distribution and communications to counteract italian sounding.
• Cuisine as soft power: leverage UNESCO recognition to enhance food exports and cultural diplomacy.
• Food tourism as territorial leverage: develop distributed itineraries to reduce pressure on major centers and increase visitor spending.
• Trace and certify the supply chain: map and certify authentic restaurants and products to build trust and market value.
• Education and training: integrate regional cuisine into school and vocational curricula to train future custodians of the heritage.
• Digital tools and quality metrics: use technology to monitor diffusion, quality and socio-economic impact.

Impact on UNESCO Sites and cultural tourism

Recognition of Italian cuisine strengthens links between production places, territories and hospitality, creating synergies with Italy's UNESCO Sites. Gastronomy can boost the appeal of areas hosting protected assets, generating more sustainable and evenly distributed tourist flows.

Practical actions for UNESCO Sites

• Promote routes that combine UNESCO Site visits with local food and wine experiences.
• Support certification projects for restaurants and suppliers using DOP/IGP ingredients.
• Incorporate regional cuisine content into educational programs and visitor activities at sites.
• Develop communication campaigns to position local products and itineraries in a premium segment using the UNESCO recognition.

Conclusion

The Forum defined an operational roadmap to convert UNESCO recognition into tangible benefits for the supply chain, territories and education. Implementation will require public-private coordination, certification instruments and communication strategies that safeguard authenticity and value.

Location

Venue: Strada Statale del Sempione, 28, 20017 Rho MI, Italy