I am Italian yet not necessarily invested in defending the purity of our recipes and their execution but …carbonara in a tin? Yes, you read that right: Heinz is launching spaghetti carbonara in a tin and, as you may guess, this has ignited a firestorm of controversy in Italy.
The American food giant, known for its canned beans and ketchup, announced that the product would hit UK supermarket shelves in September 2024: priced at £2 (around 2,60 USD) this convenient meal option is aimed at busy consumers, particularly Generation Z, who are looking for quick and easy meal solutions.
The Italian reaction: outrage!
The reaction in Italy, particularly in Rome, where carbonara is almost sacred, has been nothing short of outrage. As reported by the long-running Rome-based online news portal, Wanted in Rome, Italian chefs and food enthusiasts have taken to social media and news outlets to express their dismay. Michelin-starred chef Alessandro Pipero didn’t mince words, comparing the tinned carbonara to “cat food.” And Italians, in general, appear to agree, with some declaring that they wouldn’t even feed it to their pets.
Carbonara controversies are not new…
This backlash isn’t new when it comes to carbonara, which is, for better or worse, an incredibly popular Italian dish all over the world. Celebrity chefs have previously faced similar criticism for their takes on this traditional Roman recipe. In 2020, Gordon Ramsay provoked horror when he posted a photo of his “amazing carbonara,” which Italians didn’t find … that amazing. Indeed, they were quick to point out that his version was far from authentic and way too yellow and runny. “A disgusting mess,” some wrote, pointing especially at Ramsay’s use of too much egg yolk.
Another popular British chef, Nigella Lawson, also found herself in hot water a few years ago when she added cream to her carbonara recipe—a move many Italians consider sacrilege. The inclusion of cream, which is not part of the traditional recipe, sparked a wave of criticism, with fans accusing her of “killing” Italian cuisine. The truth is that some Italians do use cream in their carbonara, too, getting the same level of criticism from their fellow countrymen and women.
Last but not least, we should mention the infamous New York Times’s “smoky tomato carbonara,” which most Italians found equally abhorrent.
Why Italians are so protective of the original recipe?
Traditional Roman carbonara is all about simplicity and precision. It is made with just five ingredients: pasta, guanciale (cured pork cheek), pecorino cheese, eggs, and black pepper; any deviation from this recipe is often met with fierce criticism. The idea of a mass-produced, canned version, especially one that includes cream and pancetta instead of guanciale has been perceived as a direct assault on Italian culinary identity.
Heinz’s response and media coverage
Heinz, for its part, has defended the product, touting it as a “fail-proof” version of carbonara that removes the “drama” from cooking this classic dish. Alessandra de Dreuille, Meals Director at Kraft Heinz, described it as the perfect solution for a quick and satisfying meal at home. While this might appeal to a busy, convenience-oriented consumer base, it has done little to appease the Italians, who see it as yet another example of cultural appropriation gone wrong…
As you would expect, the divisive new product also became fodder for social media, with users of X, formerly Twitter, mocking the concept and its psychedelic branding: the bright yellow and pink packaging, reminiscent of Heinz’s classic colors but with the addition of “millennial pink,” drew comparisons to candy. One commenter said that the packaging makes them “taste Fruit Salads,” alluding to the popular candies. Despite the backlash, Heinz stands by its new product, asserting that it offers a convenient solution for those who prefer to avoid spending time in the kitchen making carbonara from scratch.
And you, would you be up for trying tinned carbonara?
