Augusto Olearo Giorgio Calabrese
When science meets tradition
Professor Giorgio Calabrese, a luminary of clinical nutrition and a founding father of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), explores the medical and cultural value of the bagna cauda, transforming a traditional dish into an object of scientific study.
Initially, Professor Calabrese analyzes the three pillars of the dish: extra virgin olive oil, which he defines as a powerful natural anti-inflammatory thanks to its polyphenols and fatty acids; garlic, regarded as a natural medicine capable of thinning the blood and preventing thrombosis and strokes; and finally, anchovies, an irreplaceable source of Omega-3 (EPA and DHA) and Vitamin B12, both essential for heart protection.
Professor Calabrese credits the intelligence of the peasantry with creating a complete meal historically capable of fighting deficiency diseases such as pellagra. However, bagna cauda is more than just food; it is a social ritual that warms the heart and fosters community: fundamental aspects of psychophysical well-being.
Professor Calabrese’s journey starts from Piedmontese roots and leads to modern dietetics, confirming that tradition, when viewed through a scientific lens, remains our greatest ally for longevity.
Video table of contents
Interview information
Country: IT
Region: Piemonte
City: Asti
Giorgio Calabrese
Date of birth: 08-03-1951
City: Rosolini (SR)
School: University
Profession: Farmer
Languages: Italiano
Document by: Laura Bugliazzini
Video by: Andrea Icardi, Laura Bugliazzini
Created: 30-12-2025
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.
