Carlo Petrini, the Italian activist who built a global movement against the tyranny of fast food, is dead. He was 76. His family confirmed the news this morning.
No cause of death has been released. Petrini founded the Slow Food movement in 1986 in the Piedmont region. It began as a protest against the opening of a McDonald's near the Spanish Steps in Rome.
That protest turned into a crusade. Today Slow Food has over 100,000 members in 160 countries. But this isn't a story about pasta and heritage.
It's about power. Petrini understood that what we eat is political. He saw industrial agriculture, corporate consolidation, and the erosion of local food systems as a form of control.
His movement was a resistance. The British response has been immediate. The Prince's Trust issued a statement praising Petrini's "
visionary work." The Soil Association called him a "titan of sustainable food."
But let's be honest. The British establishment loved Slow Food. It was safe.
It was romantic. It didn't challenge the real levers of power. Petrini wasn't just a foodie.
He was a radical. He railed against GMOs, agribusiness, and the commodification of culture. He called for "
food sovereignty" before it was trendy. His books, including "
Slow Food Nation," were manifestos. His organisation partnered with Terra Madre, a network of small-scale farmers fighting land grabs and corporate encroachment.
Sources close to the movement tell me that internal tensions have been simmering for years. The charity's leadership is increasingly corporate-friendly. Petrini himself stepped back from active management in 2021.
But the movement he built is a sleeping giant. It has money, influence, and a global network. Who will take control?
That's the real story. The tribute from British chefs and food writers is predictable. Jamie Oliver called him "
an inspiration." Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall said he "changed the way we think about food."
But Petrini might have asked: did he change the way we act? The number of small farms in the UK continues to fall. Supermarket power is unchallenged.
Cheap, processed food is still the norm. Petrini's legacy is incomplete. The battle is not over.
It's just lost its general. Investigators should watch the money. Slow Food International has an annual budget of millions.
It receives funding from foundations and governments. Where does it go? Who profits from the "
slow" brand? Petrini was a charismatic leader with a complex personal life.
His romantic relationships were often in the spotlight. But the movement must now decide if it remains a genuine grassroots force or becomes just another lifestyle brand for the wealthy. The tributes are pouring in.
But the real test comes when the cameras leave. Petrini is gone. The corporations he fought are still here.
In his honour, we should ask: who will carry the torch, and who will sell it?
