When asked to think about Italian food, people imagine the sight of tomatoes, basil and olive oil blending together on a warm bruschetta, or the steam rising from a plate of homemade pasta, or the aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafting from a moka pot. Italian cuisine, much like Italy itself, is a feast for the senses – yet, its biggest secret lies in its mesmerizing simplicity!

But the story of Italian cuisine is not merely a decalogue of ingredients and recipes, but rather a complex mosaic of distinct regional identities bound together by a common philosophical approach to food – a mosaic that narrates the peninsula’s rich cultural, political, and social evolution. But how did Italy’s food evolve from an ensemble of humble regional specialties to an international culinary phenomenon? And what makes it so unique and iconic?