Italian food is possibly one of the most well-known cuisines in the world, bringing a sense of prestige and quality and drawing out people’s hunger. Italians take pride in this reputation, and with an abundance of Italian establishments and restaurants around the world and an exuberant amount in Thailand, food guide organisations like Gambero Rosso help shine a light on the ones that deserve your attention.
Gambero Rosso is a multimedia food guide organisation similar to the French Michelin guide. In addition to guides and reviews, Gambero Rosso also organises events, like the Italian Wine Road Show that I attended way back on June 4.
At this exhibition, I saw a wide selection of wines offered in Thailand, which have triumphantly returned to the Kingdom after a decade-long absence. This suggests that Thailand is a challenger for the title of the biggest wine market in Asia.
Gambero Rosso and wine in Thailand
| Section | Summary |
|---|---|
| The Italian Wine Road Show | The Italian Wine Road Show marked the return of Gambero Rosso to Thailand after a decade. The event allowed attendees to taste wines and experience Italy’s rich wine culture, including a masterclass with Marco Sabellico. |
| Italian soft power | Italy aims to increase its influence in Thailand through cultural exchange, particularly focusing on food and shared values between the two nations. The country’s culinary heritage plays a pivotal role in this diplomatic effort. |
| How F&B boosts Italian soft power | At the Gambero Rosso event, key figures emphasised spreading Italian culture through food and wine, aiming to make Italy more prevalent in people’s minds and enhance the appreciation for Italian cuisine. |
| Why does it matter? | Italian food has become more prominent in Thailand, with a 22% increase in food exports in 2023. As more authentic Italian food reaches Thailand, the cultural exchange deepens, fostering connections between locals and Italians. |
The Italian Wine Road Show
Before I can delve into Italian F&B and soft power, some context is needed. The Italian Wine Road Show allowed attendees to walk around and taste the wine from various companies and organisations that are showing off their products. Keep in mind that this special occasion marked the return of Gambero Rosso, a decade on since their last event in Thailand.
However, for a more curated experience, I signed up for and attended the masterclass by the Editor-in-Chief of Vini d’Italia guide, Marco Sabellico, leading an exclusive audience of sommeliers, industry professionals, wine enthusiasts, and me into a deep dive into the world of wine.
As an Italian and a bit of a wine lover myself, I had a wonderful time tasting the masterfully curated selection of wine with various tannins and bouquets while listening to the story behind each of them from Sabellico.
Italian soft power
As I have been to another event quite a while ago called the Foundation of Rome & Bangkok – Grand Celebration Event, I learned that Italy is looking to expand its influence in Thailand. Don't worry, though, Italy is not going to invade, but they are looking to spread the culture more.
It can be argued that Italy and Thailand share a similar culture in which their values revolve around family, history, the relaxing life (la dolce vita and sabai sabai), and especially food.
Interestingly, the event taught me that Rome and Bangkok share the same founding day (April 21, 753 BC for Rome and 1782 for Bangkok), and it further emphasises their shared values through pure coincidence, almost like fate. With this, I have understood that Italy wants more tourism directed to Thailand and vice versa.
If we cannot force people in Thailand to think about, love, and desire to travel to Italy, then how do we do so? As mentioned earlier, through food!
How F&B boosts Italian soft power
When I interviewed some of the big people at the Gambero Rosso event, who are:
- Luigi Salerno, Consigliere Delegato, Gambero Rosso Corporate
- Ambassador Paolo Dionisi, Embassy of Italy in Bangkok
- Federico Cardini, President, Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce (TICC)
- Marco Sabellico, Editor-at-Large, Vini d’Italia
I repeated one big question over and over again.
"What do you hope attendees take from this event?"
The answers they gave me might be diverse, but they all lead to the same conclusion: They all hoped that visitors would experience more Italian wine and food, with the end goal of establishing Italy as a more prevalent thought in their minds.
It resonated with me as I know Italians and I are really particular about our cuisine and would love people to experience the best that Italy has to offer with the food and drink.
What surprised me the most about these conversations is that there is a shifting of mindset in Italian cuisine. Notoriously, Italians can be quite authoritarian about the cuisine rules that we have and I was in a similar camp some time ago.
However, with time and exposure comes more opportunity for experimentation and the shift is accepting that there will be some change in the dish when we bring it out in the world. One thing is sure, though: I personally will never eat or endorse Tom Yum Pizza but I won't rag on someone for enjoying it.
Sabellico gave me some interesting insight about Italian wine in Thailand and that is that it pairs surprisingly well with spicy Thai food. This is interesting, in which we don't have to change the composition to appease the Thai market but find ways to pair with them.
This insight is something that I think will definitely help Italy expand further, where instead of demanding that the new region bends with our taste, we compromise and look for opportunities to create a new pairing or recipe that should not completely change the philosophies or the taste itself.
This is analogous to how Thailand and Italy will politically cooperate for matters of international trade, tourism, or relations. Does it sound a bit crazy? sure! But it goes inline with the sabai sabai nature of Thailand and la dolce vita style of Italy.
Why does it matter?
Whether or not it should matter to you isn't for me to say. On the one hand, I could say that this matters more to Italians who live in Thailand. On the other hand, I could say it would matter to you as well. How so, though?
According to this Italian Feelings article, Italian food exports have increased by an impressive 22% in 2023, and the Thai market had a share of 20% of the imports, with a particular fondness for Mozzarella and Parmigiano at the time.
>For Italians living abroad, quality and authenticity in food are points of pride, so much so that we can’t help but emphasise them at every opportunity. For non-Italians, especially food enthusiasts, experiencing Italian cuisine at its highest quality is like bringing the stories of fine dining to life.
Reflecting on my experience at the Gambero Rosso Italian Wine Road Show in Thailand, I am reminded of the power of food to connect people and cultures. The event emphasised Italy’s rich culinary tradition; however, it brings hope that there can be a lot of cooperation between the two nations.
Spreading Italian culture through proper and quality food has always been a personal wish of mine. Seeing the growing presence of authentic Italian cuisine in Thailand gives me hope for the future. The experience of enjoying Italian cuisine, whether through a beautifully crafted wine or an exquisite pasta dish. I can get enough of it at home but I'd love more people to experience it.
The story Gambero Rosso and how wine in Thailand is opening the door wider for Italy as seen on Thaiger News.
