Italy has been seething since last New Year's Eve. The trade press and discussion forums on the subject of food and drink are overflowing, and the otherwise so indecisive country is unanimous: there has been an attack on Italian identity. And all because of a bottle of champagne. However, at midnight on 31 December 2008, this was opened by the director himself on the festive stage of the state-run first television channel RAI1, with the unmistakable label well seen in the camera. Under massive pressure, especially from producers and journalists, Italian cuisine was now unceremoniously elevated to the status of cultural asset by the Ministry of Culture and a council was quickly convened to deal with the identity of Italian cuisine and restoration.