The Accademia Italiana della Cucina - A Cultural Institution of Italy

The Accademia Italiana della Cucina - A Cultural Institution of Italy


The Accademia Italiana della Cucina is a cultural institution whose purpose is to protect the Italian gastronomical cultural patrimony.

In 2003 the Minister for Cultural Affairs recognized the well documented cultural merits of the Academia by granting it the denomination "Cultural Institution", thus placing it amongst the largest and most important Italian cultural organisations.

The Accademia was born at the dinner table on the 29th of July of 1953 by Orio Vergani with the support of some important collaborators, exponents of culture, industry and journalism who shared and agreed on his idea to found an academy with the task of safeguarding, together with the traditions of Italian cuisine, the culture of the civilization of the table and the active expression of the entire Nation.

The Academy activity is carried out without intention of profit and it is financed entirely by the Accademia itself and is organized in territorial Delegations, currently it counts 205 Delegations in Italy and 67 abroad.

Naturally, the culture of Italian cuisine should be extended abroad as well, thus, to follow its purpose, the Accademia has organized itself beyond the borders of its own country, in order to guarantee its presence and carry out its activities in many parts of the world.

The head office and national secretariat are located in Milan, in Via Napo Torriani, 31.

The Organisms of the Accademia is composed of a President, office currently held by Giovanni Ballarini, a Vice President, a National Secretary and a Treasure.

The Delegate is pointed out by the Academicians to the Presidential Council which sanction his designation. The Delegate has the task of representing and directing his own Delegation.

The Academician is a person of taste who is profoundly sensible to the cultural values of the Italian cuisine. His admission is decided, upon proposal of the competent Delegate of the correspondent region, by the President of the Accademia.

Prizes and Diplomas - Acknowledgements and Prizes are given to all of those who work in the world of gastronomy and help to diffuse its cultural values and guarantee principles of quality in defense of traditions.