If you appreciate Italian cuisine as much as we do, then you’ll certainly understand our commitment to La Cucina Italiana’s latest project: the nomination of Italy’s culinary tradition as UNESCO Cultural Heritage. To support this fantastic enterprise, each printed issue of Italy’s La Cucina Italiana magazine will feature one of Italy’s greatest chefs as Guest Editors from July until December – all chefs who will represent, along with Condé Nast, ambassadors for Italian cuisine across the world. For the first of the six collectible issues (available only in Italy), our Guest Editor was 3 Michelin star chef Massimo Bottura.
In her Editor’s Letter for July’s Italian print issue, Maddalena Fossati shared her excitement for the very beginning of this incredible adventure towards UNESCO recognition that will involve none other than Bottura himself. Here’s an excerpt:
Wednesday, May 27, 9:41. "July, July, July." It's the WhatsApp text I'm trying to impress Massimo Bottura with. We had decided it was time to nominate ‘La Cucina Italiana’ for recognition by UNESCO as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity – not the magazine, but the Italian culinary tradition itself, and this time without ‘campanilismo,’ in what two of our dear friends call "extraordinary biodiversity.”
La Cucina Italiana: the July issue available only in the Italian language, sold only in Italy. The International issue will come out this Fall, keep on following us for updates.
We decided to launch the project for UNESCO recognition with a series of special issues featuring Italy's greatest chefs as Guest Editors. And we decided that the first one, in July, must be authored by Massimo. But he doesn’t respond immediately to my texts: I only see the blue tick. Then he calls me to tell me I’m crazy. And I understand: It’s the evening of June 2nd – the Italian holiday Bottura has chosen as the symbolic date to reopen Osteria Francescana, one of the most famous 3-star Michelin restaurants in the world, while some of his other venues, such as Casa Maria Luigia, are also about to start again after the pandemic. But I insist. And on May 28th, early in the morning, he calls me back. "Of course you don't quit, girl." Pause (very long). "All right, let's do it." So, we’ve set off on this wonderful adventure – with a fresh yet faithful take on the classic La Cucina Italiana style.
This particular issue has been imagined, cooked, photographed, and written (all in record time) following Bottura's philosophy – a philosophy which is so close to our own. But above all, this issue of La Cucina Italiana is the starting whistle for a new adventure: to nominate the most beloved culinary culture in the world – and it seems incredible that it hasn’t already been done – as part of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list. (The world-famous artist JR who is responsible for this edition’s cover is French, to say the least.) The engine is running. All aboard – if you’ll join us!
P.S. I would like to thank Fedele Usai [Condé Nast Italia CEO] for always raising the bar a bit higher – to the sky of Italy.
Follow the hashtag #LACUCINAITALIANAGOESTOUNESCO for updates!