Der Gastronationalismus und Alberto Grandis Thesen – oder: Zur Prägekraft der italienischen Küche

Abstract Ever since Alberto Grandi advanced his thesis that Italian cuisine is a mere product, indeed an invention, of the 1970s, the Italian public has rebuffed this notion. The economic historian prominently publicized this interpretation of Italian cuisine in his 2018 book „Denominazione di origine inventata“, but the ensuing heated debate has never abated. In part, this is because Grandi continues to fuel the discussion with a constant media presence and his penchant for espousing combative theories. At the same time, his arguments have provoked a form of Italian culinary national pride, conducive to fostering the development of a collective identity. Against this backdrop, this article seeks to identify Grandi’s main points, his line of argument and the reasons for the strident nature of the debate. It does so specifically by positioning Grandi’s arguments within the broader context of gastronationalism, that is, the connections and interplay between cuisine, national identity and – to emphasize Grandi’s core point – marketing ploys. As the German translation of the 2018 book was published last year and attracted great interest in German media features, the article concludes with some remarks on the reception of Grandi’s theses in Germany.