The creator of the worldwide Slow Food movement that champions sustainable agriculture and traditional cooking methods has died at age 76 in Italy’s northwestern Piedmont region, according to an announcement from the organization.
Carlo Petrini passed away Friday in his hometown, leaving behind a legacy as what Slow Food described as “a visionary leader and a public intellectual with a profound commitment to the common good, human relationships and the natural world.”
The movement began as Arcigola and emerged from resistance to fast food chains entering Italy. A 1986 demonstration at the Spanish Steps outside a newly opened McDonald’s in Rome marked the beginning of their campaign.
On December 9, 1989, Petrini became president when delegates from more than 20 nations gathered in Paris to sign the Slow Food Manifesto. He served in this role until 2022.
Built on the belief that food should be “good, clean and fair,” the organization expanded rapidly across Italy and eventually reached more than 160 countries. Establishments following these principles display Slow Food stickers featuring the distinctive snail logo, officially known as the Snail of Approval.
Among the movement’s major accomplishments was establishing Terra Madre in 2004, which brought together farmers, fishers, chefs and academics to advance their mission.
Petrini also established the University of Gastronomic Sciences, promoted as the first academic institution focused on comprehensive food and food culture studies. This approach gained official recognition when the Italian government created a Bachelor’s degree in gastronomic sciences in 2017.
The northern Italian university has educated approximately 4,000 food industry professionals from 100 nations, according to Slow Food.
In 2017, Petrini collaborated with the bishop of Verona, Monsignor Domenico Pompili, to create the Laudato Si’ Communities, implementing Pope Francis’ environmental encyclical through approximately 80 local groups.
Among Petrini’s written works are “Slow Food Nation: Why Our Food Should Be Good, Clean and Fair” and “Slow Food: The Case for Taste,” which features a foreword by Alice Waters, a leader in America’s farm-to-table movement.
