Gastronomy is Not About Haute Cuisine Is the Strength of ‘Made in Italy’ Simply a Matter of Good Branding? Before coming to study in Italy, I often came across articles in Japan arguing that Italian businesses had succeeded in reaching global markets directly from small towns and in building ‘Made in Italy’ into a powerful brand—and that Japan, supposedly less adept at branding, should learn from them. Yet after living here and working for an Italian manufacturer, I realised

LOST IN TRANSLATION: LIFE OF A JAPANESE GIRL IN ITALY One of the most significant dates in Italy in August is Ferragosto, on 15 August. Its name comes from the Feriae Augusti, a period of rest introduced by Augustus, the first Roman emperor. Later, in the Christian calendar, 15 August became the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, and today it marks the peak of the Italian summer holiday season. It coincides with the Obon period in Japan; many shops close, and people

Why soaring supermarket costs could be forcing a rethink of the weekly shop. When a basic weekly shop feels like a luxury purchase, consumer habits begin to shift. The Food and Drink Federation forecasts UK food inflation could peak near 6.4% next summer. A standard £100 basket heads towards £147.50. British households face a prolonged squeeze. Energy costs, climate patterns, and trade barriers keep supermarket prices high while quality stays the same. This pressure doesn’t a

LOST IN TRANSLATION: LIFE OF A JAPANESE GIRL IN ITALY I had the opportunity to spend a month of my summer doing an internship in Mantova, a city in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. My favourite view in the city was the one I would see from Ponte di San Giorgio on my way from where I was staying into the city centre. As I reached Ponte di San Giorgio, the stretch of land that had continued up to that point suddenly gave way, and the view opened onto the lake on both sid

September arrives. The clock ticks faster. People drop short-term diet fads. They look for food that genuinely supports digestion, immunity, and well-being over the new season. Fermented products like kefir, kimchi, and kombucha have moved straight into the mainstream, valued for microbes as mush as flavour. Supermarkets and industrial food science offer quick fixes like shelf-stable sauerkraut for instant gratification. The city demands speed. But fermentation moves at its

When we think about healthcare, we focus on doctors, nurses, and medicine. We rarely think about food. Yet, for Movimento Metropolitano (MoM), nutrition is an essential part of medical care. We need to stop making nutrition sound like a complex scientific word—it’s not. It simply means the food we eat and how our bodies use it to stay strong. Certain foods are vital for healing, strength, and recovery and this vital information needs to reach people, giving more equal opportu

Movimento Metropolitano turns away from tech-heavy trends and single-nutrient obsessions. Making a meal does not require endless gadgets or a digital assistant. Let’s get back to the basics and listen to our bodies. Look at beans and legumes. They are honest, affordable powerhouses that require zero biohacking, whether in a vibrant summer salad or a hearty winter stew. Real nutrition lives in community and local connection. Guided by our simple MoM Good Food principles —treat

LOST IN TRANSLATION: LIFE OF A JAPANESE GIRL IN ITALY ‘There is no such dish as 'curry' in India.’ That was what a friend from India told me. I could not understand what she meant. Until then, I had never questioned the idea that curry was India's national dish. A fish curry made by my friend from Tamil Nadu in southern India, using his mother's recipe. For Japanese people, curry is a home-cooked favourite, loved by both children and adults, alongside fried chicken and hambur

Every festival begins with an act of faith. Faith that ordinary life can be suspended. Neighbours will laugh together. Families will return to the same table. Strangers in a crowded square will feel less alone. Whether lanterns drift across Japanese waters, fireworks illuminate India's skies, or Italian families gather by the sea in the height of summer, festivals ask us to do one simple thing: stop. Gather. It is one of humanity’s oldest habits. We often think of festivals a

LOST IN TRANSLATION: LIFE OF A JAPANESE GIRL IN ITALY I recently visited the Netherlands for a university study trip. One memorable visit was to Koppert Cress, a Dutch company supported by many leading chefs, including those working in Michelin-starred restaurants around the world. They supply microgreens and edible flowers to professional kitchens. They do more than deliver ingredients; they also offer new ideas and cooking inspiration. Today, the company offers around 60 pr

Italian Bakery Apprenticeship Series (3) LOST IN TRANSLATION: LIFE OF A JAPANESE GIRL IN ITALY I baked a sourdough loaf using the starter shared by a local bakery in Bra. The next day, I returned to the bakery to ask what they thought of the result. That conversation unexpectedly led to an invitation. I spent several mornings learning alongside the bakers. This is the final instalment of my series. I want to share my observations and the quiet philosophies behind how Ital

Italian Bakery Apprenticeship Series (2) LOST IN TRANSLATION: LIFE OF A JAPANESE GIRL IN ITALY After baking a sourdough loaf using a starter that a local baker in Bra had kindly shared with me, I returned the following day to ask for feedback. That visit led to an unexpected opportunity: I was invited to spend several days as an apprentice in the bakery. During my time there, I began to notice a number of things about the world of the Italian forno — a traditional neighb

Gastronomy is not Haute Cuisine Every February, Japanese department stores are transformed into showcases for chocolates from around the world. Long queues form for Valentine's Day fairs. People are drawn to rare brands and the stories of celebrated chocolatiers, willingly paying premium prices for a single piece. In Paris and Brussels, jewel-like bonbons are displayed in elegant boutiques. In the United States, multinational companies have built entire theme parks aroun

LOST IN TRANSLATION: LIFE OF A JAPANESE GIRL IN ITALY Not long after I arrived in Bra, my landlady insisted, ‘You have to try Salsiccia di Bra — it’s the town’s speciality.’ So she took me to a local butcher’s shop. The butcher behind the counter happily offered me a taste. Back in Japan, I had never been entirely comfortable with the distinctive texture of raw meat — that soft, slightly slippery feeling — so I put it into my mouth with a little hesitation. I was genuinel

Italian Bakery Apprenticeship Series (1) LOST IN TRANSLATION: LIFE OF A JAPANESE GIRL IN ITALY After baking a sourdough loaf using a starter that a local baker in Bra had kindly shared with me, I returned the following day to ask for feedback. That visit led to an unexpected opportunity: I was invited to spend several days as an apprentice in the bakery. During my time there, I began to notice a number of things about the world of the Italian forno — a traditional neighbourho

The urban orchard is slowly returning to cities as social infrastructure, not ornament. These trees are here to feed people, cool the streets, and bring care back into urban life. That’s what MoM is about: nourishing people, place and soil. Not as an afterthought at the edges of the city, but right at its heart. Fruit trees are not a new idea. They once sat at the edges of farms and villages, doing humble, productive work. Then came the tidy lawn, and cities began treating tr

LOST IN TRANSLATION: LIFE OF A JAPANESE GIRL IN ITALY Bologna, the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region. It is known as 'La Grassa' (the fat city) because of its abundance of rich, high-calorie food, 'La Dotta' (the learned city) because it is home to the oldest university in the Western world, and 'La Rossa' (the red city) because the entire city is unified by the terracotta red of its buildings. The streets lined with porticoes and the sight of trams running through the ce

When global systems falter, insecurity reaches our kitchens. We are told to worry about spreadsheets, but the answer isn’t found in a cargo ship. It is found in the artisan economy. Take Limoges in France, where the World Stuffed Cabbage Championship was held inside a porcelain factory. It wasn’t just about a recipe. It was a celebration of the artisan as the architect of our streets. To the industrial eye, food is just a commodity, mass-produced for a long shelf life, not f

Lost in Translation: Life of a Japanese Girl in Italy In March 2026, I arrived in Bra, a small town in the Piedmont region of Italy. Known as the birthplace of the ‘Slow Food’ movement, I’m here as a graduate student at the University of Gastronomic Sciences (UNISG), studying ‘Food Communication & Marketing’. I hope to chronicle my thoughts from my classes and daily life in a weekly diary format. 1. The Season of Broccoli One of the things I’ve already come to love about Br

The moon pulls the tide and the sap, setting the date of Easter by its yearly Paschal light. It connects our modern life to ancient lunar cycles, and reminds us that we are forever governed by the laws of nature. For MoM, Easter is a celebration of rituals that exist across all cultures. They mark the shift from winter to spring. The earth wakes up, and we must wake up with it. During winter, we practice the discipline of enough. In spring, the earth begins to give again. Th