There is an unmistakable weight in the phrase Made in Italy — it evokes sun‑kissed tomatoes, slow‑simmered sauces, and centuries of culinary pride woven into the very fabric of Italian identity. So when whispers emerged in Italy that portions of the catering at the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo would be handled by a Slovenian company, that pride turned to surprise — and in some corners, to frustration.

At the centre of the conversation is Jezeršek gostinstvo, a well‑established Slovenian hospitality and catering firm. Italian critics, including noted gastronomic commentator Edoardo Raspelli, have openly questioned the decision to assign part of the hospitality services at the Games to a non‑Italian provider, at venues in Cortina. For many Italians, where food is woven into cultural identity and regional pride, the idea of outsourcing food services to a foreign company — even one from a neighbouring country — struck a chord.

The diplomatic note in this culinary debate rests on several points. First, while Jezeršek will provide services in three significant hospitality venues in Cortina (including at the Eugenio Monti track and facilities for alpine ski and curling competitions), the broader Olympic catering ecosystem — across Milan, the Valtellina, and other stadiums — will still predominantly belong to Italian operators.

Organisers have clarified that Jezeršek’s catering is expected to use local Italian ingredients, chefs, and staff, and that the choice was influenced by logistics and proximity, given the firm’s operational footprint across Europe. This pragmatic explanation seeks to balance national pride with the practicalities of servicing a sprawling, multinational event.

Yet the reaction — part culinary, part cultural — reflects more than logistics. In a country where gastronomy is not only a source of pleasure but also a point of national identity and even economic significance, choices about who feeds athletes and guests at one of the world’s most high‑profile sporting events can carry symbolism as powerful as the medals themselves.

For Slovenians, Jezeršek’s role is another chapter in the company’s history of representing Slovenian hospitality on major international stages, from previous Olympic engagements to high‑profile cultural events. For hosts and critics alike, it underscores how the Olympics are not only about competition on the slopes or ice, but also about the intersection of culture, pride, and what ends up on the plates served to the world.

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Sources preberi.si Delo Il Fatto Quotidiano Primorski dnevnik Affaritaliani.it