Are You Butchering ‘Bruschetta’?
Correct Italian Food Pronunciations
*Publicity/Branded content article posted in Neutral Bay, Sydney on Friday 23 may,2025
Hey there, want to impress the waiter the next time you dine out for Italian food?
Popular Restaurant, Italian Street Kitchen teams up with in-house Italian chef, Giulio Marchese, to reveal the Italian foods Aussies always mispronounce based on Aussie search data. The study reveals the most common words we keep getting wrong are:
Are You Butchering ‘Bruschetta’? New Data Reveals Brits’ Most Mispronounced Italian Dishes
- Bruschetta, gnocchi, and prosciutto among top Italian foods we keep asking Google how to pronounce.
Italian Street Kitchen Group Head Chef Giulio Marchese)
Love Italian food? If you’re British, you likely do, but new research shows that you may also be pronouncing your order wrong, with bruschetta, gnocchi and prosciutto some of the top food items that simply don’t seem to roll off our tongues.
The new study by Italian Street Kitchen has pinpointed the dishes we are asking Google how to say. To help diners sound more like locals next time they order, Group Head Chef Giulio Marchese is breaking down the key pronunciation pitfalls and the simple rules to follow. Marchese said, “At Italian Street Kitchen, I hear mispronunciations daily, from porchetta and carpaccio, to nduja, capricciosa, fregola, casarecce, radicchio and even margherita.”
“These are classic dishes, but many aren’t aware of the Italian pronunciation rules, especially when it comes to vowels and consonants. Once you understand a few basics, it becomes much easier to get it right.”
The Top Mispronounced Italian Foods
To help the nation better pronounce their favourite dish when they next pop in for some Italian food, Giulio Marchese reveals how you can truly wow the waiter on your next order.
“There are a few rules in the Italian language that aren’t used in English, but once you know them, it becomes easier to nail the language. Common English-language habits trip up pronunciation, especially with the letters ‘ch’, ‘gn’, and Italian vowels.
The ‘CH’ Rule
One of the biggest traps is reversing Italian pronunciation logic. “In English, ‘ch’ makes a ‘sh’ sound, but in Italian, it’s pronounced like a hard ‘k’,” said Marchese.
“So bruschetta is actually broos-KET-ta, not broo-SHET-ta. Same with porchetta: it’s por-KET-ta, not por-CHET-ta.”
The ‘GN’ Rule
“Many people say gnocchi as G-nock-ee, but the ‘gn’ in Italian is pronounced like the ‘ny’ in canyon, so it’s NYOH-kee.”
The ‘C’ and ‘SC’ Confusion
Words like prosciutto and focaccia often get butchered too. Marchese explains, “With prosciutto, people often say pro-SHOO-to. But in Italian, the ‘sci’ is pronounced ‘sh’, and the ‘u’ sounds like ‘oo’, so it’s more like pro-SHOO-toh.”
“And it’s not fo-ca-sha, it’s fo-CAH-cha. The double ‘c’ before an ‘i’ or ‘e’ is always a ‘ch’ sound.”
The Vowels: E and I
Italian vowels are pronounced clearly and consistently.“An ‘e’ is always an ‘eh’ sound, and an ‘i’ is always an ‘ee’ sound,” said Marchese, “So tagliatelle is pronounced tag-lee-ah-TELL-eh, not tag-li-atell-ee.”
For more information, plus the orginal interview with head chef Giulio Marchese, you can read the full study found on the Italian Street Kitchen website, here.
*Methodology: This study uses search queries on Google to identify which common Italian food items users are searching ‘how to pronounce’. The study uses a seed list of common Italian food items which are often found at restaurants.
About Italian Street Kitchen
Italian Street Kitchen (ISK) brings the vibrant soul of modern Rome to the heart of Australia. Inspired by the energy of Italy’s side streets, cafés, and casual gatherings, ISK reimagines traditional Italian dining for a new generation, serving authentic, house-made pasta, slow-cooked ragu, and wood-fired pizza in a relaxed, stylish space.
Founded in 2015, Italian Street Kitchen is the brainchild of Isabella, a proud Roman and lifelong restaurateur who grew up in the kitchen and wanted to create a space that felt more like a street-side eatery than a formal trattoria. With ingredients sourced from regional Italian providores, including Pecorino from Sardinia and flour from Parma, ISK offers a true taste of Italy with a focus on quality, abundance, and affordability.
Today, Italian Street Kitchen has locations across Sydney, Brisbane, and Canberra, each designed with an open kitchen and warm, welcoming interiors that blend Roman sensibility with Australian ease. Whether you’re stopping in for a quick weekday lunch or a long dinner with friends, ISK is where tradition meets modern appetite, and where every guest feels at home.
