Roberto ‘Loli’ Linguanotto, the Italian pastry chef credited with inventing the iconic tiramisu dessert, passed away on Sunday at the age of 81 after a long illness.

Linguanotto, known as the ‘father of tiramisu’, created the dessert in the early 1970s while working at Alle Beccherie, a renowned restaurant in Treviso, northern Italy.

The creation story includes a tale of Linguanotto accidentally dropping mascarpone into a bowl of sugar and eggs, later perfecting the recipe with Alba di Pillo-Campeol, the wife of the restaurant owner.

She added ladyfingers soaked in espresso, and the dessert was named ‘Tirame Sù’, translating to ‘pick me up’.

The simple yet delightful dessert, made with eggs, savoiardi, sugar, mascarpone, coffee, and cocoa, quickly became a staple at Alle Beccherie and was first published in a Treviso gastronomic magazine in 1983.

Its popularity spread to Venice and eventually worldwide, becoming a famous treat by the 1990s.

Linguanotto, described as shy but beloved by colleagues, had worked abroad before returning to Veneto.

Tributes poured in from notable figures like Veneto governor Luca Zaia and Francesco Redi, organizer of the Tiramisù World Cup, who praised Linguanotto’s impact on the culinary world and his role in making tiramisu a globally recognized dessert.

Despite other claims to its invention, Linguanotto’s contribution remains celebrated.

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