With Carlo Petrini, the world loses one of those rare figures whose influence extended far beyond their own field.
The founder of the Slow Food movement, initiator of Terra Madre, and co-founder of the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo passed away at the age of 76 in his hometown of Bra, in Italy’s Piedmont region.
Long before sustainability became a global imperative, and before provenance, regionality, and biodiversity entered the vocabulary of international gastronomy, Petrini articulated an idea that at first seemed almost countercultural: that good food deserves attention. Time. Knowledge. Respect.
When he founded Slow Food in 1986 – initially as a response to the acceleration of food culture and the growing industrialisation of what we eat – it was about far more than gastronomy. It was a cultural philosophy. Petrini never saw pleasure in food as a luxury, but as an expression of connection: to landscapes, traditions, and the people behind what reaches our tables.
Courtesy Slow Food Movement
What began as a local initiative in Italy soon evolved into a global movement. Guided by the principle of food that is “good, clean, and fair,” Slow Food connected producers, chefs, farmers, and activists across continents. Through Terra Madre, Petrini also created one of the world’s most influential international networks dedicated to food culture and biodiversity.
Born in 1949 in Bra, Petrini remained deeply rooted in his Piedmontese home, even as his influence became increasingly global. As an author, intellectual, and passionate storyteller, he shaped conversations around the future of food without yielding to fleeting trends or quick conclusions. His conviction was simple: culture often begins where people gather to eat.
His oft-quoted phrase, “Those who sow utopias, reap reality,” captures a life defined by perseverance and optimism. Petrini believed that meaningful change does not emerge in abstraction, but in everyday life – in small choices, at markets, around tables, and within communities.
Video via Slow Food Italia on YouTube
With his passing, an extraordinary chapter in global food culture comes to a close. Yet his ideas endure – in a generation of chefs, producers, and consumers who have learned to think more consciously about food, and in the institutions he helped build: most notably the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo near Bra, which continues to bring together students from around the world, as well as the global networks of Slow Food and Terra Madre, which carry forward his vision of a more thoughtful and responsible food culture, from Italy to Brazil.
PHOTO CREDITS
- Lead image by Bruno Cordioli from Milano, Italy – Carlo Petrini, CC BY 2.0, link
- Video as credited
Leave a comment