THE VALUE OF FOOD
From Pellegrino Artusi to UNESCO
Andrea Segrè and Lidia Bastianich
in conversation with Claudio Pagliara
Inspired by Contro lo spreco: Cibo, valore, futuro (Against Waste: Food, Value, Future), Andrea Segrè’s new book published by Treccani, this conference explores the cultural, social, and ecological value of food.
The conversation begins with Pellegrino Artusi, whose Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well helped unite Italy through the domestic language of food, and continues through the recognition of Italian cuisine as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Food is worth far more than its price: it embodies land, water, energy, labor, memory, health, and human relationships. Wasting food means losing all of this. Preserving it means recognizing cuisine as both a cultural practice and a form of civic responsibility.
Andrea Segrè and Lidia Bastianich will bring together two distinct but complementary perspectives: research on food waste, education for sustainability, the Italian culinary tradition, and food’s unique ability to create identity, community, and dialogue across generations.
The conversation will be moderated by Claudio Pagliara, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute of New York.
ANDREA SEGRÈ
Andrea Segrè is Professor of Circular Economy and Sustainable Development Policies at the University of Bologna. He is the founder of Last Minute Market, the creator of the Zero Waste Campaign, and Scientific Director of the Waste Watcher International Observatory. He also serves as President of the Casa Artusi Foundation. His latest book is Contro lo spreco: Cibo, valore, futuro (Treccani, 2026).
LIDIA BASTIANICH
Lidia Bastianich is an acclaimed chef, author, restaurateur, and one of the most respected personalities on American public television. For more than twenty-five years, she has promoted Italian and Italian-American cuisine through television programs, books, and cultural initiatives. Her work celebrates food as an expression of memory, family identity, conviviality, and respect for ingredients.
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