Global marketing
Keep the Italian name. Explain the meal.
By Prof. Alessandro Buffoli, PhD
An Italian name can carry character. It should not make the customer guess what will arrive.
I would keep “caponata” on an overseas menu. I would also tell the customer that the dish involves aubergine, a sweet-and-sour flavour and, depending on the recipe, ingredients such as celery, olives and capers. The actual description must match the kitchen’s version.
The name and the explanation do different jobs. One carries identity. The other helps someone decide whether they want dinner.
As an Italian, I understand the reluctance to turn every dish into a generic English label. “Vegetable starter” throws away too much. But leaving an unfamiliar word alone on the page can ask the diner to take a risk the restaurant has done little to explain.
Translate the choice the diner is making
For each dish, I would look beyond a dictionary translation. Is it hot or cold? Rich or light? Intended to be shared? Does the customer need bread or a side dish? Which ingredient or preparation gives it its particular taste?
That information belongs close to the name. A long paragraph about the region’s history is less useful if the customer still cannot work out whether the dish fits the rest of the order.
The same issue affects packaged products. A beautiful jar can communicate an Italian origin while failing to explain what to do with its contents. A serving suggestion such as spreading it on toasted bread or using it with a specified dish can make the purchase easier to imagine, provided the suggestion genuinely works.
I would test this with customers who have not grown up eating the product. Ask them to choose something for a particular meal. Then ask what they expect it to taste like and how they plan to use it. Familiarity with Italian food should be measured, rather than assumed from nationality.
Be precise about authenticity
“Authentic” is an incomplete answer to a commercial question. Which ingredients, preparation or origin are essential to this product? Which details can be explained differently without changing them? The business needs a position on that before a distributor starts simplifying the offer.
My preference is to preserve the parts that make the food distinctive and make the decision around it easier. That could mean a clearer description, a smaller trial pack or a suggested pairing. None requires pretending that every dish is already familiar abroad.
A customer should be able to learn the name through enjoying the food. They should not need to know the name before the restaurant lets them make a confident choice.
Prof. Alessandro Buffoli, PhD
Assistant Professor of Marketing at The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong.