Father of Tiramisu Roberto "Loli" Linguanotto dies at 81, leaving 'sweet legacy'
Roberto "Loli" Linguanotto, the creator of one of the most cherished Italian desserts of all time, has died at the age of 81.
Renowned restaurant Le Beccherie, located in northeastern Italy, confirmed that the father of tiramisu died on Sunday. Linguanotto had worked at the Treviso restaurant as a pastry chef when he developed the recipe alongside the restaurant owner’s wife, Alba Campeol.
Together they created the perfect blend of mascarpone, espresso, cocoa dust and lady fingers.
"We join the mourning for the passing of Roberto "Loli" Linguanotto, who marked the history of Beccherie and the most beloved dessert in the world," the restaurant shared in a Facebook post. "His memory lives on in our restaurant! Thank you loli."
Linguanotto died in Italy following a long-term battle with an unspecified illness, the Washington Post reported.
Loli called creation of Tiramisu an accident
According Linguanotto's account of the story, the dish was born when Linguanotto accidentally spilled mascarpone into a bowl of eggs and sugar.
The pastry chef was delighted by the creation, later adding ladyfingers and espresso as he developed the dish with Campeol, the wife of restaurateur Ado Campeol. The couple both died in November 2021 within days of each other.
Once the recipe was finalized, the dessert joined the restaurant menu in 1972 and later spread to the masses.
Alba Campeol's story about tiramisu's creation differs from Linguanotto's, according to the Le Beccherie website. She says she was inspired to create the dish by a breakfast sweet her mother-in-law made her in 1955 and asked Linguanotto to be a co-collaborator.
The origin of the dessert has also been contested by others who say neither Linguanotto nor Campeol developed it. While most everyone agrees that the dessert's origin is Treviso in the 1960s or 1970s, some argue that it originated in centuries-old Italian brothels, according to the Washington Post.
Baltimore chef Carminantonio Lannaccone previously argued that he invented tiramisu at a bakery he founded after moving from Treviso to the U.S. with his wife. In 2007, he told The Washington Post that he was aiming to craft the "everyday flavors of the region" to form an "elegant, free-standing cake."
World honors Linguanotto's 'sweet legacy'
Luca Zaia, the governor of Veneto, Italy, was among those who honored Linguanotto's "significant impact in the world of pastry," according to the Daily Mail.
"Tiramisù today is a culinary excellence recognised throughout the world and the credit for such a success also goes to his mastery as a pastry chef and his desire to make our Venetian delicacy unique and inimitable, making tiramisu stand out among national and international desserts," Zaia said.
The Tiramisu World Cup, a global baking competition, posted on Instagram that "his sweet legacy will live on in our hearts forever."
"Thank you for your availability, kindness and dedication," the organization wrote.
Tiramisu World Cup founder Francesco Redi said many weren't aware that Linguanotto was also deeply fond of gelato, having opened a gelateria where tiramisu was a menu option, the Washington Post reported.