Tiramisu Inventor Dead At 81
The world has just lost some of its sweetness because the father of tiramisu, a classic Italian dessert made of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone cheese, Roberto “Loli” Linguanotto, has died at the age of 81. The news of his death was passed to the world by Le Beccherie, a renowned restaurant located in northeastern Italy.
For those who haven’t tried this delightful dessert or simply aren’t aware of its history, the father of tiramisu had worked at Le Beccherie as a pastry chef when he developed the recipe. Of course, he wasn’t alone in this endeavor, as he was aided by the restaurant owner’s wife, Alba Campeol, and the two created the perfect blend of espresso-soaked ladyfingers with mascarpone, cocoa dust, and a hint of liquor.
The father of tiramisu died in Italy on Sunday following a long-term battle with an undisclosed illness.
Once the recipe for tiramisu was finalized, the dessert itself made the restaurant’s menu in 1972 and later spread worldwide.
According to Linguanotto’s previous statements, the dessert was born after he had spilled mascarpone into a bowl of eggs and sugar, which actually resulted in a rather delicious combination. He later added espresso-soaked ladyfingers as the development of the dessert progressed, with the aid of Alba Campeol—who had, sadly, passed away in November 2021.
According to those who frequently worked with Linguanotto, the pastry chef didn’t even consider himself a baker, and the founder of the Tiramisu World Cup, Francesco Redi, shared that the father of tiramisu was much more in love with gelato.
Once the recipe for tiramisu was finalized, the dessert itself made the restaurant’s menu in 1972 and later spread worldwide. Yes, tiramisu isn’t some Renaissance dish concocted in the XV century; it’s only 50-something years old.
However, it’s worth noting that accounts differ. Alba Campeol claimed that she invented tiramisu after being inspired by a sweet her mother-in-law made and asked Linguanotto to help her develop it further. Other accounts mention that the dessert draws roots from centuries-old Italian brothels.
But everyone seems to agree that it originates from Treviso, somewhere around 1960-1970—though any such claims aren’t actually supported by food historians. Some even argue that the recipe was sold to Le Beccherie, though the restaurant’s owners had previously contested that theory.
As for all others claiming that the dessert originated elsewhere, well, the Tiramisu World Cup celebrates Linguanotto as the original creator and follows his version of the recipe, which did evolve over the years.
Linguanotto will remain remembered as a humble man of few words. It’s entirely possible that this trait is the reason why he didn’t publicly acknowledge himself as the creator of tiramisu, not until much later in life, and long after the dessert left the Italian Peninsula and spread to the world.
According to those who frequently worked with Linguanotto, the pastry chef didn’t even consider himself a baker, and the founder of the Tiramisu World Cup, Francesco Redi, shared that the father of tiramisu was much more in love with gelato.
In fact, after he left Le Beccherie, he started his own gelateria, with tiramisu as a permanent dessert on the menu—the very culinary delight that made him famous around the world. As for all others claiming that the dessert originated elsewhere, well, the Tiramisu World Cup celebrates Linguanotto as the original creator and follows his version of the recipe, which did evolve over the years.
In fact, the first few Tiramisu World Cups were actually judged by Linguanotto himself, who stated that good tiramisu is all about balance, so it shouldn’t taste like any of the six individual ingredients.
