Italian cooking awarded special Unesco status

Italian cooking has been awarded special cultural heritage status by the United Nations’ cultural agency Unesco.

National favourites including pizza are already on Unesco’s list of “intangible cultural heritage”, but now Italian cooking traditions and the way they are practiced and transmitted have been awarded.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has been pushing for her country’s cuisine to be recognised since her election, said: “For us Italians, cuisine is not just food or a collection of recipes. It is so much more: it is culture, tradition, work, wealth.”

For millions of fans the news confirms what they already believed – from Sicilian Cannoli to Calabrian ‘Nduja – Italian is the best.

The announcement was made during a Unesco assembly meeting in the Indian capital Delhi on Wednesday.

The cultural agency 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”.

Koshary, the spicy dish of lentils, rice, and pasta available at countless Egyptian food stalls, was also added to the list of intangible cultural heritage.

Other countries have had their “practices, skills, traditions and social practices related to foodways” recognised by Unesco, a spokesperson from the agency told the BBC.

Previous examples include “Washoku, traditional dietary cultures of the Japanese, notably for the celebration of New Year, Breakfast culture in Malaysia: dining experience in a multi-ethnic society, or the Gastronomic meal of the French,” the spokesperson added.

Speaking to La Repubblica, the Rome-based daily newspaper, chef Michelangelo Mammoliti said the news filled him with a great sense of pride both personally as an Italian, as well as professionally as a chef.

“Italy is one of the nations where regional cuisine has a very big impact on culture and traditions,” said the chef, whose restaurant La Rei Natura in Piedmont is the only new three-star restaurant in the 2026 Michelin Guide.

Italy’s industry leaders and government ministers will be hoping that the move further boosts tourism to the country, which already welcomes 80 million international visitors annually.

Luigi Scordamaglia, CEO of Filiera Italia, which represents all the food and wine companies in the production chain, told Ansa news agency that the move from Unesco marked a success “for the entire Made in Italy supply chain”.

Mr Scordamaglia also spoke about the role of the Mediterranean diet in promoting good health.

He added: “When we talk about the Mediterranean diet, we’re talking about our wonderful Italian cuisine, which shares its principles, first and foremost those of balance and variety.”

Swimming pool culture in Iceland; the practice of Cuban Son music and dance; and the art of playing, singing and making the lahuta from Albania also entered Unesco’s list of intangible cultural heritage.