Italian cuisine as UNESCO Heritage: key recommendations from the Forum (20 May 2026)

On 20 May 2026, at TuttoFood in Rho Fiera Milano, the first international Forum on Italian Cuisine after its recognition as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage took place. The event gathered institutions, chefs, food producers and researchers to turn the recognition into concrete measures for safeguarding, promotion and development.

Participants and main topics

Delegates included public representatives, hospitality professionals, supply-chain operators and education experts. Discussions focused on public policies, international promotion, protection of raw materials and training the next generation of custodians.

The seven guidelines identified

• From recipe to culture: treat cuisine as a cultural language to protect and transmit.
• System approach: coordinate producers, industry, restaurants, distribution and communication to fight italian sounding and promote authenticity.
• Cuisine as soft power: leverage the UNESCO recognition to support food exports and cultural diplomacy.
• Distributed gastronomic tourism: develop local routes to spread tourist flows and ease pressure on large centers.
• Traceability and certification: map and certify authentic restaurants and products to strengthen market trust and value.
• Education and training: include regional culinary knowledge in school and professional curricula to train heritage custodians.
• Digital tools and metrics: adopt technologies to monitor diffusion, quality and socio-economic-cultural impact.

Impact on UNESCO Sites and cultural tourism

The UNESCO recognition of Italian cuisine can create direct synergies with Italian UNESCO Sites: promoting local products and food routes increases the appeal of territories hosting protected assets and encourages more sustainable cultural tourism.

Practical actions recommended for UNESCO Sites

• Promote combined itineraries linking UNESCO site visits with local gastronomic experiences to extend visitor stays.
• Support certifications for restaurants and suppliers using DOP/IGP ingredients and traditional methods.
• Integrate practical modules on local culinary skills into educational and visitor programs at the sites.
• Run targeted communication campaigns positioning local products and routes as premium experiences tied to the UNESCO designation.

Conclusion: the Forum outlined an operational roadmap: implementing benefits from the UNESCO recognition requires public-private coordination, certification systems and tailored communication to preserve authenticity and value.

Location: TuttoFood, SS33 del Sempione 28, 20017 Rho (MI), Italy.