Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
| Subscribe to Newser's RSS feeds RSS | Follow Newser on Twitter Twitter


10

Italian Cities Ban Foreign Food

Laws against new ethnic eateries prompts charges of gastronomic xenophobia

Share

(Newser) – Kebabs, Chinese food, and curries are the targets of a growing Italian campaign against foreign food, the Times of London reports. The Tuscan town of Lucca has slapped a ban on new foreign eateries opening in the city, and Milan has now followed suit. Government-backed campaigners say they are fighting to protect Italian food from the increasingly popular ethnic competition.

Critics say the campaign is discriminatory and amounts to culinary ethnic cleansing. "There is no dish on Earth that does not come from mixing techniques, products and tastes from cultures that have met and mingled over time," said one celebrity chef, noting that Italian cuisine wouldn't feature pasta or tomatoes if it hadn't adopted foreign foods from China and Peru.

Critics of the campaign against foreign food point out that Italian staples like pasta and tomatoes were originally foreign imports.
Critics of the campaign against foreign food point out that Italian staples like pasta and tomatoes were originally foreign imports.   (©stevendepolo)
Italian campaigners are fighting to keep kebab shops out of cities in an effort to
Italian campaigners are fighting to keep kebab shops out of cities in an effort to "protect local specialities from the growing popularity of ethnic cuisines."   (©avlxyz)
Lucca, in Tuscany, has banned new ethnic eateries from opening anywhere within the city walls.
Lucca, in Tuscany, has banned new ethnic eateries from opening anywhere within the city walls.   (©Ipoh ?)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
OFF THE GRID
11.23.09
Books Are Bad for You
11.20.09
The Health-Care Wars Have Just Begun
10 comments
VIEWING:
 
NutsInNY
Jan 31, 09 7:27 AM CST
Most so-called Italian food in NYC should be banned... but it's even worse in the midwest: with an additional cup of sugar added! Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
0
kati
Jan 31, 09 10:42 AM CST
Band McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, and so on! Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
0
morenogabr
Jan 31, 09 10:57 AM CST
Italy always had a bit of a fascist side, huh? Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
0
PosterNutbag
Jan 31, 09 11:16 AM CST
By the way, marraige is a sacred institution between a pasta-eating man and a pasta-eating woman. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
0
IN RESPONSE:
radnip
Feb 1, 09 4:02 AM CST
Marriage is a sacred institution between a noodle-eating man and noodle-eating woman. ROFL!
Vote up! Vote down!
0

View all 10 comments »

LEAVE A
COMMENT Comment Policy
Facebook ConnectPost this comment to Facebook?

After connecting you will have the option to post your comment on your Facebook profile.

 

Related Newser Stories

7 Stories


 Best Cities  
 for Good Eats 

Local cuisine is ranked

Aug 5, 09 1:30 PM CDT
(Newser) - Paris is for lovers—food lovers. The city came in first on a Forbes list of the world’s best cities for eating well, based on a 2009 survey ranking 50 cities. Notably absent from the top 10 are New York and London, which don’t boast much of... More »

MORE ABOUT:
food • Mexico City • Hong Kong • Beijing • Rome • cuisine • Paris • Tokyo • Milan • Barcelona • Madrid • Shanghai • Jay-ZTV • local food

Let Them Eat Fast Food

French restaurateurs open moins cher eateries amid
financial crisis

Jan 18, 09 7:23 PM CST
(Newser) - French cuisine just got a little less haute, the Daily Telegraph reports. As the recession hammers consumers and restaurants alike, some of France’s top chefs are opening fast-food offshoots. Expense-account meals running $450 per head are out and $6 ham sandwiches are in as famed restaurants like l'Auberge du... More »

MORE ABOUT:
food • France • fast food • cuisine • restaurant • recession • financial crisis • restaurant industry

(Newser) - If you want white truffle shavings sprinkled over your Thanksgiving leftovers, the biggest specimen found in Italy this year is up for auction tomorrow. You'll need some big bucks—and perhaps the moxie to outbid David and Victoria Beckham. The delectable fungus weighs about 2½ pounds and is expected to... More »

MORE ABOUT:
food • cooking • Italy • cuisine • Victoria Beckham • auction • chef • David Beckham • truffles • Posh Spice

7 Stories


Town accused of racism over kebab ban
Bloomberg

Kebab inventor dies
The Local


World  •  Arts & Living 
TwitterFollow @NewserWorld on Twitter

 
food • immigration • xenophobia • Italy • Tuscany • cuisine • restaurant • Milan • Silvio Berlusconi

from our news partners