On 19 March 2026, in the splendid setting of the Italian Embassy in Prague, a special evening took place organized by the Prague Delegation of the Italian Academy of Cuisine to celebrate the recognition of Italian cuisine as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. More than just a dinner, it was a moment of genuine sharing, conceived as a tribute to one of the most vibrant and beloved expressions of Italian culture.
Performing the duties of host was the Ambassador of Italy to Prague, Alessandro Gaudiano, who welcomed guests in an atmosphere of great warmth and cordiality, highlighting the value of Italian cuisine as an element of national identity, but also as a universal language capable of building connections, telling the story of local territories, and bringing different cultures closer together. In a city like Prague, long attentive and receptive to the charm of Italian tradition, the evening took on an even deeper significance.
The initiative came about thanks to the commitment of Claudio Pocci, Delegate of the Italian Academy of Cuisine in Prague, who sought to shape an “Ecumenical” dinner in the finest sense of the term: an occasion open to encounter, dialogue, and the pleasure of being together. Setting the tone of the evening was Mauro Ruggiero, member of the Academy and symposiarch of the event, who guided guests through a gastronomic journey capable of evoking the sea, memory, and the richness of Italy’s coastal culinary traditions.
The table’s true protagonist was a seafood menu inspired by the coastal traditions of our country, interpreted with sensitivity and restraint by chef Lorenzo Cortesi of the restaurant Lore Malastrana. Through its flavors, the menu conveyed that special harmony that defines the finest Italian cuisine: respect for ingredients, balance, elegance, and the ability to transform simplicity into something memorable.
The evening served as a reminder that Italian cuisine is not merely a collection of recipes, but a heritage made up of gestures, relationships, seasons, family memories, and a culture of conviviality. It is precisely in this human dimension, beyond its gastronomic value, that the deeper meaning of the recognition celebrated in Prague can be found: cuisine as a shared experience, as a collective narrative, and as an expression of a distinctively Italian way of inhabiting the world.
In this spirit, the event promoted by the Italian Academy of Cuisine represented not only a celebration, but also a small yet meaningful cultural act. It was an evening that brought together institutions, tradition, and the pleasure of the table, once again confirming Italian cuisine as one of the most authentic and generous faces of our identity.
