Being a critic is not a profession that can be improvised

«Being a critic is not a profession that can be improvised. We must learn to taste, to eat and to recognize quality products ". So he expressed himself provocatively Federico Ferrero, winner of MasterChef 2014, nutritionist doctor, who spoke today at the Festival of Food Journalism at the seminar on correct information, animated by the question: code of ethics or code of ethics?

"The criticism - Ferrero explained - must always be at the service of gastronomy, therefore of the reader". More cautious Carlo Spinelli, a food writer known as "Dr. Gourmeta", according to whom "making an independent and impartial food and wine journalism is a wrong concept in principle". According to Spinelli, that of food writers is a diverse world, to which everyone decides to approach food as he likes: by writing a piece about what he likes or at the extreme by demolishing the chefs to make more views.

During the debate, the speakers (in addition to Ferrero and Spinelli, Anna Maria Pellegrino of the Italian Food Blogger Association, Antonella De Santis by Gambero Rosso and the manager of Slow Food Planet Eugenio Signoroni) argued the importance of a code of ethics, considered as a "guide" to follow and share. Then the secretary of the Associazione Stampa Subalpina joined them Stefano Tallia, according to which «Information is a profession that requires skills and mediation skills that I am not of anyone. Instead, anyone can communicate through a blog. This distinguishes the professional activity from the amateur activity ", e Nicoletta Polliotto, professional digital communication project manager, who reiterated the need for a training base and a structure that clearly outlines and protects the professional figure of the communicator.

However, at the same time, one has emerged alternative tendency, which to deontology puts a code more sensitive to ethics. Defending this sort of countertrend was Pellegrino, who said: "When you decide to write about food or someone who cooks, bloggers strive to understand the history, geography and economics of the product. At the same time they try to highlight the effort behind the work of those who cook ».

Luca Iaccarino di Repubblica, who moderated the panel, concluded the meeting by inviting the Festival and the participants to ask themselves how much sponsorship affects Italian restaurants. It could be a good starting point for next year.