It’s now a hundred years since the death of Pellegrino Artusi, the father of Italian cuisine and the man behind Italian unification in culinary terms.

Born in Forlimpopoli in 1820, he died at just over 90 in 1911, having lived for sixty years in Florence.

Artusi is famous for his manual La scienza in cucina e l'arte di mangiar bene (Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well), his third book which was published for the first time in 1891, becoming an instant publishing success.

Pellegrino Artusi’s book ideally unified Italy through its language and its range of recipes from Piedmont to Sicily, bringing together regional culinary traditions and products for the first time.

A special celebrations committee has organized a long list of events beginning on16 March and lasting throughout the year, mainly in Forlimpopoli and Florence but also involving other Italian cities.

The first event on 16 March was Auguri Italia da Pellegrino Artusi, uniting the three capital cities Turin, Florence and Rome for a dinner on the eve of the Italian Unification celebrations on 17 March.

In Florence the event took place at the Rubaconte restaurant, via Ghibellina 178r at 8pm featuring an Artusi-inspired menu prepared by the Associazione Cuochi Fiorentini with the Cenacolo degli Sparecchiatori.

The celebrations for Artusi really began, however, on 30 March in Florence with an official ceremony at the cemetery of Porte Sante – where Artusi is buried – and then in Palazzo Vecchio, with a convention entitled Il secolo artusiano (The Artusi century).

The convention continued on 31 March and then moved to Forlimpopoli (until 2 April) and was organized by the Accademia della Crusca (the Florentine Literary Academy).

On the evening of 30 March at the Palagio di Parte Guelfa Library  – at 7.30pm – there will be an event called L'Artusi è servito with Paolo Petroni and Luisanna Messeri.

An exhibition entitled Pellegrino Artusi: il tempo e le opere, has been held at the National Central Library of Florence. The exhibition showed original work and documents in the life of Artusi and his relationship with the world of publishing.

Other important events this year will somehow pay homage to Pellegrino Artusi: Art (handicrafts exhibit, Fortezza da Basso), the Ice cream Festival in Florence (May 26-29), the Infiorata in Scarperia (May 29) are just some examples.

And all year round a variety of restaurants, either in Florence and its area and in Romagna, will be serving some of Artusi's most renowned dishes. Just help yourself!

Centenary Coordination: +39 055 2768450