Carlo Petrini, Slow Food founder, dies aged 76 in Italy

Carlo Petrini, who founded the global Slow Food movement advocating sustainable production and traditional cuisine, died Thursday at age 76 in his hometown of Bra, Italy.

He launched the movement with friends in 1986 after protests against the opening of Italy’s first McDonald’s in Rome.

The movement expanded to more than 160 countries, with Petrini serving as its president. He cultivated friendships with King Charles III and the late Pope Francis through his advocacy.

Slow Food announced his death, describing him as a visionary who “brought to life a global movement rooted in the values of good, clean, and fair food for all.”

His work connected “communities, farmers, food artisans, cooks, activists, and young people across the world,” the organization said.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella said Petrini’s death leaves a “huge void not only in the world of food and wine science, but also in society as a whole, and not just in Italy.”

Petrini, a journalist by profession, founded the grassroots organization Arcigola after demonstrations against McDonald’s opening a restaurant in Rome’s Piazza di Spagna.

In 1989, delegates from over 20 countries signed the Slow Food Manifesto, pledging to “escape the tediousness of fast-food” by “defending old-fashioned food traditions.”

The movement emphasizes quality, environmental sustainability, and equitable conditions for producers.

Petrini’s advocacy led to a friendship with King Charles, as they bonded over shared beliefs in fresh, sustainable food.

In 2013, Petrini said he was “surprised” when Pope Francis telephoned him after receiving a book and letter from Petrini.

He told Italian newspaper La Repubblica: “Our phone conversation ended, with wishes of good health and a mutual embrace. A world in which one can fraternally embrace a Pope is truly a beautiful world.”

Petrini died Thursday in Bra, a town in Italy’s northwestern Piedmont region, Slow Food confirmed.

Reuters reported that Petrini had been diagnosed with cancer in recent years.

The Slow Food movement continues to operate globally, promoting food that is good, clean, and fair, a legacy Petrini built over four decades.