UNESCO declared Italian cuisine a World Heritage site last December. In honor of this recognition, São Paulo will host the 15th edition of the Settimana della Cucina Italiana nel Mondo event. From October 19 to 25, twenty restaurants in the city will host chefs from 20 Italian regions.
The Consul General of Italy in São Paulo, Mauro Campanella, who oversees nearly 400,000 citizens, noted that there are many diverse Italian gastronomies, each linked to a specific territory, possessing its own unique products and techniques. He also emphasized that São Paulo is the largest center for Italians and their descendants outside of Italy.
Furthermore, Italy received the 'Best Trip and Tourism 2025/2026' award in the 'Best International Gastronomic Destination' category. The invited chefs develop menus jointly with the teams of the hosting establishments. These meals consist of four courses—appetizer, first course, second course, and dessert—and are served for both lunch and dinner, offering eight options.
Visitors can choose either a three-course route or the full four-course menu. In addition to the twenty individuals responsible for menu development, one invited chef will conduct parallel lectures and masterclasses. Eleven guests have participated in previous editions of Settimana. These include Claudio Rocchi, who will attend his eighth participation, and Luca Abbruccino, Nicola Stella, and Roberto Serra, attending their sixth. Ten chefs are coming to São Paulo for the first time.
Among the distinguished figures are Luca Abbruccino from Calabria, who heads two Michelin-starred restaurants in the region; Giuseppe Causarano from Sicily, who won his first Michelin star in 2023; and Luca Politano from Piedmont, who worked in kitchens such as La Pergola, Piazza Duomo, and Cracco before opening Da Politano.
The main idea is for each restaurant to function as an 'embassy' of the represented region throughout the week. Gerardo Landolfo, delegate of the Accademia Italiana della Cucina in Brazil and curator of the event, stated that it is not enough just to gather good restaurants; each one must meticulously and lovingly honor the identity of its region.
The event, which originated in São Paulo in 2012, adopted its current format involving 20 restaurants starting in 2015. This initiative from São Paulo inspired Settimana della Cucina Italiana nel Mondo, organized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in various countries since 2016.