Carlo Petrini, Slow Food Founder, Dies at 66

Carlo Petrini, the founder of the Slow Food movement, died on May 21, 2026, in his hometown of Bra, Italy. Petrini, born in 1959, was a charismatic figure who transformed a simple question about poor food at leftist festivals into a global movement advocating for local, sustainable food. His death marks the end of an era for the movement he started in the 1980s, which has grown into an international network of over 100,000 members in 160 countries. Petrini's legacy includes the founding of the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo and the Terra Madre network of food communities. He was known for his stubborn yet ironic determination, and his work has been celebrated for reshaping how people think about food, agriculture, and the environment.