Italian Cuisine as UNESCO World Heritage: Star Chef Egon Heiss on Its Significance

The Editors, 27.01.2026

Italian cuisine is now officially part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage. For Austrian star chef Egon Heiss, this honor is more than a symbolic gesture—it's a call to action. He sees it as a reminder to respect every ingredient’s origin and to treat the art of preparation with the care and authenticity it deserves.

The announcement came on Wednesday from UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee: Italian cuisine has been added to the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The decision, long anticipated, was strongly supported by institutions, culinary academies, and the food industry alike.

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Italian Cuisine as UNESCO World Heritage: Star Chef Egon Heiss on Its Significance