Roberto Linguanotto, the pastry chef credited by many for inventing the Italian dessert tiramisù, died at age 81 in June.
Linguanotto is said to have created the dish in the 1970s in the kitchen of the restaurant Le Beccherie in Treviso, in the Veneto region, in collaboration with Alba Campeol, the restaurant owner’s wife, The Washington Post reported.
Linguanotto claimed he “accidentally dropped mascarpone in a bowl of eggs and sugar, liked the taste, and the pair worked from there, adding coffee and ladyfingers.” Tiramisù was added to the restaurant’s menu in 1972, eventually spreading across Italy and the world.
Veneto’s governor, Luca Zaia, said Linguanotto “made a significant impact in the world of pastry,” the newspaper reported. Treviso now hosts the Tiramisù World Cup, whose first edition took place in 2017. This year’s competition takes place Oct. 10-13.
The global boxed-tiramisù market was valued at $875 million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach $1.2 billion by 2030, according to Market Reports. Emmi Dessert Italia is the biggest manufacturer with a share of over 5%.