Massimo Bottura’s Revolutionary Approach to Fighting Food Waste: Social Inclusion
Photos by Jonathan Grassi
“20 years ago nobody cared about what chefs have to say. Look how that has changed … we can all make visible the invisible.”
Admittedly, I jumped on the Bottura bandwagon a little late in the game. It was after watching the first episode of Netfix’s Chef’s Table featuring Massimo Bottura that I became an immediate fan of his passion for food and living life.
A little background on Bottura. His three-Michelin-star restaurant Osteria Francescana won No. 1 in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2016 and came in at No. 2 at this year’s awards. In addition to being one of the best chefs in the world, he’s known for his fervent energy, drive and dynamic personality. Most recently his restaurant was featured on the new season of the much beloved and surprisingly food-centric show, Master of None. Furthermore, equally as passionate about his cuisine as he is about food sustainability, Bottura is the founder of Food for Soul, a nonnprofit that seeks to eliminate food waste in support of social inclusion and individual well-being.
Recently I attended the Institute of Culinary Education’s (ICE) first-ever Zero Waste Food Conference, a two-day event focused on discovering better methods for the way we produce, distribute, consume and dispose of food in cooking and dining environments. It was here that I listened to Bottura’s keynote address on his mission to empower communities though sharing meals that go beyond simply filling the stomach.
Food for Soul began as a project during the Expo 2015 in Milan, of which the theme was “Feed the Planet.” From this initial prompt, Bottura created Refettorio Ambrosiano by teaming up with well-known artists and designers to help transform an abandoned theatre into an inspiring community kitchen.
“We saw the expo as an opportunity to raise awareness about food waste and food insecurity as two sides of the same coin,” said Bottura at the Zero Waste Food Conference. “We saw the opportunity to create a community through cooking to feed those in need … to show that chefs are more than the sum of their recipes. And so we created a soup kitchen in the style of a refettorio.”
Food for Soul isn’t a charity project, but rather a cultural project. Instead of creating a temporary pop-up, Bottura took his idea further by launching an organization to take what was started in Milan and continue it globally. “In looking for solutions to eliminate food waste, we found potential for a wider change … We need more places to unite people at the table. More places to revive neighborhoods. More places to restore dignity,” said Bottura. “We need to change the way we think about ingredients, nourishment and people. We stopped throwing away our food. We listened to the needs of the local community … this is why we founded Food for Soul.”
“We transformed ugly ingredients into delicious meals. We replaced a traditional soup kitchen with restaurant style table service, we served meals in a safe and beautiful space with art and design. What is a refettorio: a place to restore, a place for beauty, a place to be nourished … It’s a place where you’re invited to share meals.”
Photo by Jonathan Grassi
Bottura explains that three key values were made evident within this initial project:
1. Quality of ideas: “Creativity and expertise make the quality of ideas and are the keys to working with reclaimed food with surplus.” It’s no easy task transforming subpar ingredients into delicious dishes.
2. Power of beauty: “People can’t live by food alone. Beauty is what nourishes the soul, it is an invisible good … it’s not only about feeding people, but also how we did that.” Bottura and his team worked to welcome guests one by one, serving each guest at the table as they would a paying customer. The meals transformed into celebrations, which in turn created a revived, ongoing dialogue.
3. Value of hospitality: “Sharing the meal was a gesture of inclusion.” When everyone is welcome at the table, guests, chefs and the greater community are inspired to make change for the greater good. Bottura ascribes to providing nourishment in a holistic sense. For both the body and soul.