Debora Garino Urbano Molon
Faule and the Bagna Cauda: the history and tradition of a local excellence
Urbano Molon, President of the Bagna Cauda Academy of Faule, describes the deep-rooted bond between the territory and its most famous recipe. Drawing from his own experience of integration into Piedmont, Molon illustrates the Academy's mission: to protect the production guidelines of a unique variation of the bagna cauda recipe characterized by the use of cream - an ingredient with roots in local rural history and in the historical ties with emigration to Argentina.
The account reveals the behind-the-scenes effort of the festival, an event that transforms a small village into an organizational powerhouse of 150 volunteers, capable of serving over 12,000 meals in less than a week. From the meticulous management of tons of raw materials - garlic, anchovies, and Carmagnola peppers - to the symbolism of the fujòt with its lit candle, the Bagna Cauda of Faule emerges not only as an officially recognized PAT (Traditional Agricultural Product) but as a true "dish of unity" capable of fostering social bonds, memory, and a shared collective identity.
Video table of contents
Interview information
Country: IT
Region: Piemonte
City: Faule
Urbano Molon
Date of birth: 05-15-1950
City: Padova
Profession: Pensioner
Languages: Italiano
Document by: Laura Bugliazzini
Video by: Andrea Icardi, Laura Bugliazzini
Created: 24-02-2026
Questo video fa parte del seguente archivio
Nourishing Piedmontese Identity: Bagna Cauda’s tales
Nourishing Piedmontese Identity: Bagna Cauda’s tales
Bagna cauda is a complex and multifaceted gastronomic system partly constituted by its ingredients and, above all, by a repertoire of cultural aspects capable of conveying symbols, traditions, and knowledge of the communities of Southern Piedmont, from which it is considered an identity food.
A dish in which every variant of the recipe is evidence of a different tradition: hundreds of possible preparations that differ from each other, connected by distinctive traits such as conviviality, sharing, irony, and the celebration of a non-solemn festive event. A unique convergence that represents the common thread of this repository that contains interviews with farmers, cooks, and those who experience the practice of bagna cauda as a moment of communion with food and collectivity.
A meaning that, in the last twelve years, the Astigiani Cultural Association has been able to grasp, proposing to the Piedmontese communities all over the world the participation to the Bagna Cauda Day. A very successful initiative that involved over 30.000 diners in the 2024 edition.
