Carlo Petrini, the Italian founder of the global Slow Food movement, died on May 21, 2026, at the age of 76 in his hometown of Bra, Piedmont. Petrini created Slow Food in 1986 as a response to the arrival of the first McDonald’s outlet in Rome, aiming to promote local food traditions and oppose the rise of globalized fast food and supermarket dominance.

Originally a small grassroots initiative, Slow Food has since expanded into an international organization with branches in 160 countries. The movement connects a diverse network of communities, farmers, food artisans, chefs, activists, and young people, emphasizing sustainability, cultural preservation, and respect for the environment. Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella commemorated Petrini’s death as a significant loss “not only in the world of food and wine science, but also in society as a whole,” highlighting Petrini’s impact on food culture and sustainability.

Born on June 22, 1949, in Bra, Petrini was raised in a family with contrasting political and religious influences: his father was a Communist railway electrician, while his mother was a devout Catholic and nursery school headmistress. Although he initially pursued technical studies, Petrini gravitated towards his passion for food, later opening a food shop and becoming involved in community media and local politics. He began writing about food and wine in the late 1970s and was a founding contributor to the food and wine magazine Gambero Rosso.

The Slow Food movement began as an intellectual protest against what Petrini regarded as the threat fast food posed to Italian culinary tradition. In 1987, he and his colleagues published a manifesto titled “Slow Food,” which promoted savoring meals and preserving traditional food cultures as a counterpoint to the rapid pace and uniformity of fast food. The movement's name was officially adopted in 1989.

Throughout his life, Petrini championed the idea that food is a political act intertwined with culture, ecology, and social justice. Slow Food also embodied the principle of “slow life,” advocating for "decrescita felice," or “happy degrowth,” as a remedy to Western consumerism and frenetic economic growth. Petrini’s legacy includes founding the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo near Bra in 2004, which has trained nearly 5,000 graduates from over 100 countries.

Petrini was widely recognized for his influence. Time magazine named him one of its “29 European Heroes” in 2004, and The Guardian included him among “50 people who could save the world” in 2008. Though politically left-leaning, he formed a notable friendship with King Charles III, sharing mutual interests in sustainable farming and food culture. The two met regularly and appeared together in public during official visits. Petrini also maintained a close relationship with Pope Francis, exchanging frequent visits and correspondence rooted in shared values of ecology and social justice.

Petrini remained based in Bra throughout his life, never marrying or having children. Known for his prolific writing and frequent travels, he maintained strong ties to his hometown and the local culinary scene. His passing leaves a significant void in the global movement for sustainable and culturally rooted food systems that he helped to inspire and shape.