Historical Roots

The research on which the principles of traditional Italian cuisine are founded.

To truly understand Italian cuisine, one must return to its historical roots—from rural traditions to Renaissance influences, and finally to the codification of the 19th century. The Italian Cuisine Award program is grounded in in-depth historical research that has identified the core principles making our cuisine unique and authentic.

A Heritage Rooted in History

Italian cuisine results from centuries of cultural evolution, exchange, and fusion—elements that have shaped a distinctive culinary identity recognized around the world.
Italian cuisine was born from the ingenuity of farmers who, starting with outstanding basic ingredients, created dishes rich in flavor using very little. It was also shaped by a deeply rooted principle of avoiding waste—an essential mindset when poverty made waste unthinkable. Many iconic dishes owe their origin to this approach, using every part of the fish, vegetables, or animals available.

Unlike the codified culinary traditions found in countries such as France, Italian cuisine is not defined by a single set of rules. It is, instead, a tapestry of regional cuisines—each developed over centuries with its own flavors, customs, and techniques that Italians instinctively recognize and value. We don’t speak merely of recipes but of principles, because in every region, province, and town, we find variations that reflect the availability of local ingredients and the creativity of both home cooks and professional chefs.

Despite this diversity, underlying guidelines make the Italian culinary style recognizable the world over. Defining clear principles to protect this identity has required in-depth research into the history of our cuisine, the evolution of social contexts, and the external influences that have shaped Italy’s gastronomic heritage. Through this careful historical investigation, we identified a pivotal reference period for outlining the principles of traditional Italian cuisine: the era following the Renaissance.
Let us begin there.

The Renaissance: The Birth of Italian Cuisine as an Art Form

The Renaissance marks a pivotal turning point. With the rise of noble courts and city-states, Italy became Europe’s premier culinary laboratory. Italian chefs—such as Bartolomeo Scappi, personal chef to Pope Pius V—introduced a refined balance between the richness of ingredients and the simplicity of preparation.

In his 1570 treatise Opera dell’arte del cucinare, Scappi established, for the first time, a structured body of recipes and techniques that can be considered an early attempt to codify Italian cuisine. His work highlights several key concepts

The separation between first and second courses, a hallmark that distinguishes Italian cuisine from other European traditions.
The controlled use of spices, in contrast with the heavier, more abundant use typical of medieval and contemporary cuisines.
The principle of ingredient purity—a desire to enhance natural flavors rather than mask them with excessive seasoning.

This approach represented a foundational shift in the shaping of Italian culinary identity and laid the groundwork for its development in the centuries to follow.

The Origins of Modern Italian Cuisine: The 19th Century

From the 19th century to the present day, this period marks when regional Italian cuisine—thanks to the unification of Italy and the first efforts at codifying recipes—became recognizable around the world, while still maintaining strong local roots.

The unification of Italy in 1861 played a decisive role in the diffusion and integration of regional culinary traditions. Until then, what we now call Italian cuisine was a patchwork of local customs, often limited to specific geographic areas.

The 1891 publication of La Scienza in Cucina e l’Arte di Mangiar Bene (“Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well”) by Pellegrino Artusi represented the first serious attempt to codify a national cuisine. Drawing recipes from various Italian regions and presenting them in a standardized form, the book helped foster a unified culinary identity. It also established some foundational rules for preparing dishes, many of which are still valid today.

The First Emerging Principles

Simplicity and quality of ingredients: Artusi emphasized the importance of fresh, genuine produce.
Balance of flavors: His recipes were aimed at creating harmony in each dish, avoiding excessive use of spices or heavy seasoning.
The central role of regional traditions: There was no singular Italian cuisine yet, but a mosaic of local identities beginning to be recognized as a cohesive national culture.

Artusi’s contribution was decisive, as it helped to:

Reaffirm that simplicity is a virtue, and that a great dish can be made with a few high-quality ingredients.
Spread a culinary culture rooted in authentically Italian dishes.
Distinguish Italian cuisine from the French tradition, known for its elaborate sauces and complex techniques.

The 20th Century: Expansion and Globalization

Throughout the 20th century, Italian cuisine gained international recognition thanks to two key forces:

Food industrialization – Advances in food production made certain ingredients more widely available, but also introduced the risk of compromising the quality and authenticity of traditional preparations.
Italian emigration – Millions of Italians moved to countries such as the United States, Australia, and beyond, bringing their culinary traditions with them. This migration helped Italian dishes gain popularity worldwide, though they were often adapted or altered to fit local tastes.

Post-War Revival and the Value of Tradition

In the 1950s and ’60s, Italian cuisine experienced a renaissance, thanks in part to the growing promotion of the Mediterranean Diet—celebrated for its health benefits and its emphasis on simple, wholesome ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, grains, vegetables, and fish. During the same period, Italian food exports grew, helping to cement the identity of our culinary culture on a global scale.

From the 1980s and ’90s onward, the focus on protecting the authenticity of Italian cuisine intensified. This helped to introduce certification systems such as DOP (Protected Designation of Origin), IGP (Protected Geographical Indication), and STG (Traditional Specialty Guaranteed), created to safeguard typical products from imitation and counterfeiting.

Distortions and the Need for Action

As globalization accelerated, so did the spread of distorted versions of Italian dishes—think carbonara with cream or Hawaiian pizza. This trend made it increasingly urgent to define clear criteria for what can truly be called Italian cuisine, and what cannot.