Italian Cuisine Week Returns to Mexico City
The 11th edition of Italian Cuisine Week in the World focused on agri-food heritage and protecting certified raw materials.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Italian Food
Italian Cuisine Week in the World held its 11th edition in Mexico City, dedicated to agri-food heritage. The event promoted authenticity and protection of certified Italian raw materials against commercial imitations.
Why it matters
The event spotlights efforts to safeguard Italian food authenticity as UNESCO recognized Italian cuisine as an entire national cuisine in 2025. Protecting certified products from imitation matters for producers and consumers seeking genuine Italian food abroad.
The 11th edition was held in Mexico City on November 8, 2026, and was dedicated to agri-food heritage. Attendance figures and participant counts were not reported in the available material.
The players
Mauro Rosati
Mauro Rosati is general director of the Qualivita Foundation and Origin Italia, organizations that work on protecting Italian food quality and geographical indications.
Cosimo Branca
Cosimo Branca is an Italian chef who participated in the roundtable on Italian cuisine as cultural heritage.
Giovanni Orlotti
Giovanni Orlotti is an Italian entrepreneur who took part in the roundtable on Italian cuisine as cultural heritage.
The details
A seminar featured Mauro Rosati, general director of the Qualivita Foundation and Origin Italia, focusing on protecting certified raw materials against commercial imitations. A roundtable with Rosati, chef Cosimo Branca, and entrepreneur Giovanni Orlotti explored the characteristics of Italian cuisine as part of the world's cultural heritage.
Timeline
2025: UNESCO inscribed Italian cuisine as an entire national cuisine.
November 8, 2026: The 11th edition of Italian Cuisine Week in the World was held in Mexico City.
Heritage Recognition
The event builds on UNESCO's 2025 inscription of Italian cuisine as an entire national cuisine, shifting focus from recognition to defending that heritage against imitation. It extends the designation into commercial protection of certified Italian raw materials abroad.
For shoppers, the push against commercial imitations of certified Italian products helps clarify what labels mean when buying Italian food abroad. Checking for certified origin marks can help confirm that a product matches its traditional form.
The takeaway
Look for certification marks on Italian food products to confirm authenticity, since protecting certified raw materials is central to preserving traditional recipes. Recognition like UNESCO's designation reflects how much weight cultural heritage carries in food.
Further reading
For more on the traditions behind these dishes, explore Italian Food.
