Carlo Petrini, the Italian gastronomist and founder of Slow Food, died on May 21, 2026, at age 76.
Also known as “Carlìn,” he was an Italian activist and author who founded the International Slow Food Movement and the Terra Madre festivals. Born in Bra, Italy, on June 22, 1949, Petrini studied sociology at the University of Trento and became involved in local politics.
He was formerly active in the communist Proletarian Unity Party and began writing culinary articles in 1977 for il manifesto and l’Unità, later contributing food and wine writing to major Italian newspapers.
Carlo Petrini, 76, Italian gastronomist, founder of Slow Food.