Chef Roberto Linguanotto, father of Tiramisu, passes away at 81

Pastry Chef Roberto ‘Loli’ Linguanotto, known as the 'father of Tiramisu' died on Sunday at the age of 81. The Italian pastry chef reportedly invented the iconic tiramisu dessert.

Linguanotto was battling an unspecified illness for some time. Daily Mail stated that the pastry chef created the iconic Tiramisu desert in the early 1970s while working at Alle Beccherie, a famous restaurant in northern Italy’s Treviso.

Locals claim he and Alba di Pillo-Campeol, the wife of Alle Beccherie, the owner of Ado Campeol, perfected the coffee-flavoured dessert recipe nearly by accident.

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There are several origin stories around the dessert but the most popular one is the one that says Linguanotto had accidentally dropped mascarpone into a bowl of sugar and eggs.

Alba di Pillo-Campeol, allegedly later added ladyfingers soaked in espresso to the dessert and the rest in history.

Tiramisu was originally called ‘Tirame Sù’, a name that translates to ‘pick me up’ in French and was made with just six ingredients – eggs, savoiardi (ladyfingers), sugar, mascarpone, coffee and cocoa.

“In no time, that dessert became a staple at Le Beccherie. It was served on a round tray with ladyfingers soaked in coffee, and two layers of cream and mascarpone,” journalist Gigi Padovani, who developed a close friendship with Linguanotto, wrote in his book ‘Tiramisù’ which he co-authored with his wife Clara.

“A few years later, in 1983, the tiramisu recipe was published in a Treviso gastronomic magazine for the first time. Le Beccherie then took it to Venice and later spread it around the world. From the 1990s onwards, the dessert became famous everywhere,” Gigi Padovani wrote.

As the news of Linguanotto's death spread, tributes for the chef were shared on social media by fans and followers.

“I join in mourning the passing of Roberto Linguanotto, who made a significant impact in the world of pastry. Tiramisù today is a culinary excellence recognised throughout the world and the credit for such a success also goes to Linguanotto’s mastery as a pastry chef and his desire to make our Venetian delicacy unique and inimitable, making tiramisù stand out among national and international desserts,” the governor of the Veneto region Luca Zaia said.