Tales of the Roots: Italian Flavors Beyond Borders was an event organized by the Consulate General of Italy in New York in partnership with The House of Made in Italy, the Columbus Citizens Foundation, and the Casa Artusi Foundation on November 21, 2025.
This soulful evening held at the prestigious Columbus Citizens Foundation (CCF) offered an evening of expression, woven through taste, memory, and migration. It invited 100 guests on an odyssey through the stories and traditions of Italian roots, celebrating the essence of Italian identity and culture.
In opening remarks, Fabrizio Di Michele, the Consul General of Italy in New York, welcomed guests, sharing “The tenth edition of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World celebrates the roots of our gastronomic identity, which has been deeply shaped by Italian migrations that carried traditions and knowledge beyond every border. In this context, the vision of Pellegrino Artusi remains essential in highlighting Italian home cooking, a living heritage that continues to unite communities across the world.”
The Casa Artusi partnership illuminates the legacy of Pellegrino Artusi. His 1891 masterpiece La scienza in cucina e l’arte di mangiar bene became the first-ever text to unify Italy through food. Developed through years of correspondence with families across Italy and enriched by exchanges with Italian Americans in New York, Artusi self-financed and published this landmark work of art at the age of 71. An English version was published in 1997, entitled Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well, featuring an introduction by Luigi Ballerini. The book has continued to expand over time, with its latest edition including over 700 recipes.
Recipe 76 from Artusi’s manual, Risotto ai funghi porcini, was prepared by Chef Matteo Milandri during the interactive cooking experience. He highlighted the essential technique of mantecatura, explaining that the creaming of risotto must be done off the heat, so the ingredients remain intact, retaining both flavor and integrity. Accompanying him, Gastronomy Expert Mattia Fiandaca traced the origins of the concept of al dente. “Artusi was the first to express the idea,” he explained. “He didn’t know the term al dente, but he described pasta as slightly firm under the teeth, better for digestion.”
Artusi experimented as if the world were his laboratory. His intellectual curiosity and intuitive approach allowed him to discover the deep connection between flavor and health that has long been at the heart of Italian culinary tradition. Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, has on past occasions highlighted that “Italy boasts one of the most important food supply chains…home to the Mediterranean Diet, scientifically recognized as one of the healthiest in the world.” Last month, on November 11th, Italy’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations presented a draft resolution to establish November 16th as International Mediterranean Diet Day. Italian UN Ambassador, Maurizio Massari, described the Mediterranean Diet as “much more than a diet, it is a genuine lifestyle appreciated internationally, which encompasses a set of skills, knowledge, practices, and traditions.”
Under the patronage of The Italian Trade Agency (ICE) and the Italian National Tourist Board (ENIT), The House of Made in Italy showcases how simple, seasonal ingredients foster sustainability. The project aligns seamlessly with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular, SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). Silvia Meloni, Vice President of I Love Italian Food has previously emphasized how these unique initiatives act as a “bridge between tradition and modernity.” They educate consumers while strengthening cultural diplomacy through taste, storytelling, and promoting authenticity. Italian Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, a leading defender of food authenticity, has previously warned against “Italian-Sounding” products, which cause over €120 billion in global losses. These imitations jeopardize both economic and cultural integrity, highlighting the need for stronger protections to safeguard the excellence of the “Made in Italy” brand.
A responsibility to authenticity was reflected throughout the evening. Guests enjoyed a buffet of fine imported Made in Italy delicacies, including Emilia-Romagna PDO-certified specialties Parmigiano Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma. The experience extended beyond taste to visual and cultural storytelling. The photo exhibit on display, “I Racconti Delle Radici” (The Stories of Our Roots), brought to life 14 dishes from 19th- and 20th- century Italian migrant communities.
The 2025 Week of Italian Cuisine in the World, themed “Italian Cooking: Culture, Health, and Innovation,” supports Italy’s nomination for inclusion on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list. Global experts have recommended its inclusion, and UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has given its first positive technical assessment to inscribe Italian cuisine in its entirety. If accepted, Italy will join France, Mexico, and Japan as only the fourth country worldwide to have its national cuisine formally recognized by UNESCO. The final decision will be made by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee, set to meet in New Delhi, India, from the 8th to the 13th of this month.
President of Casa Artusi, Andrea Segrè highlighted the role the Foundation plays in UNESCO’s candidacy. He sent his greetings to the Consul General and the evening's guests, sharing “We are honored to have been invited by the Consulate General of Italy in New York. This year in particular, our presence at this and other initiatives of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World is tied to the promotion of the values of Italian cuisine, of which Pellegrino Artusi is the recognized father. On December 10 we will learn whether the Italian cuisine nomination will have a positive outcome and become inscribed as an UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. The Casa Artusi Foundation has played a leading role in the nomination process together with the other two proposing communities, La Cucina Italiana magazine and Academia Italiana della Cucina and with the writing of the candidacy dossier by Prof. Massimo Montanari, whom we have reconfirmed as the head of our Scientific Committee.”
The evening richly encapsulated Italianità, the essence of Italy around the world. Among the notable guests who journeyed through taste, time and memory at this intimate affair were CCF Past President Marian Pardo; CCF Interim Executive Director Maria Palandra; Marzia Bortolin, ENIT Publicist (Ret.); Accademia Italiana della Cucina New York delegate Roberta Marini De Plano; Pianist Cristiana Pegoraro; Dr. Francesca Verde; Italian Heritage & Culture Committee Board Member Uff. Cav. Giuliana Ridolfi Cardillo and Dr. Loredana Puca, PhD. While each guest’s experience was unique, food became the common thread, acting as a catalyst of nourishment for their mind, body, and soul.
