A Michelin-starred chef, Gucci table settings and donated food

Massimo Bottura is one of the world's best chefs and his recent food projects bring elegant dining experiences to underserved communities – while reducing waste.

It was just after 17:00 on a mid-September evening at the historical Emanuel AME Church in Harlem, New York City. But instead of parishioners seated in pews waiting for a sermon, members of the surrounding, mostly low-income Black neighbourhood were sat at dining tables on chairs upholstered in blue and red patterned Gucci fabric while artworks like Carlo Benvenuto's pane metafisico (metaphysical bread) adorned the walls. In front of them was a menu listing three courses: caramelised onion and Pecorino tart; roasted chicken with Brussel sprouts and butternut squash puree; and vegan chocolate cake.

Each dish was prepared with "leftover" ingredients, offered free of charge and placed alongside a coordinating blue cloth napkin with a tag that read, "you are loved" in hand-written script.

The room bustled with the din of volunteer waitstaff and diners amid a jazzy soundtrack playing overhead. A knife suddenly clanged against the floor. No one seemed to hear it except for renowned, three-Michelin starred chef Massimo Bottura, who instinctively ran over to pick it up, gave the diner a new utensil and initiated a warm, friendly chat to ensure he was enjoying his meal. With Bottura, the patrons at this church hall are given the same level of hospitality as those at his high-end restaurants like the famed Osteria Francescana and the newly opened Al Gatto Verde in Modena, Italy.

This former place of worship is one of 14 Refettorios (community hubs) created around the world in cities like Milan, Paris, Mérida, Lima, Sydney and now New York through Bottura's Food for Soul project. He started the Reffetorios in 2016 with his wife, Lara Gilmore, to help combat the global problem of food waste – by utilising ingredients that might otherwise be thrown away by suppliers – and to give socially and economically vulnerable people access to high quality meals. Partnering with architects, artists and community leaders, the project is transforming underutilised spaces such as vacant churches and even a historical home into intentionally designed cultural centres equipped with kitchens, dining rooms and other facilities that help foster a sense of wellbeing, connection and inclusion.

When I asked Bottura – who is regularly touted as one of the world's best chefs – why he creates such thoughtful cuisine within aesthetically appointed spaces for the underprivileged, he told me that everyone deserves respect and beauty – and of course, healthy food.

"I think these guys – these are beautiful souls," said Bottura. "They are going to come in [to a Refettorio] and be completely disorientated because they're not used to coming into beautiful places like this. But once they're here, they realise that this place is their place. It's not my place."

Chef and food revolutionary Alice Waters agrees. "People feel cared for when they come into the Refettorios, or when they work in Massimo's kitchens," she said. "It is so generous, and it is that radically generous spirit that defines Massimo."

Waters notes that a refettorio, or refectory, was historically a gathering place in educational and religious institutions where students or monks would come together for communal meals. "The original meaning of refettorio is 'a place where one is restored'. I love that," said Waters. "Because this idea – the idea of creating a restorative, inclusive, empowering space – is at the heart of Massimo's work."

For Bottura, the Refettorios aren't only about transforming buildings or local communities; they are a model for a better planet. Earlier that September day, the chef and activist, who is one of five United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Goodwill Ambassadors (along with the likes of actor Don Cheadle and singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding), had given a speech at the United Nations General Assembly where he addressed the audience on how he believes chefs can collectively create an equitable and responsible food system for the whole world.

"Gastronomy is undergoing a profound transformation, one that places ethics and sustainability at its core," he said to me, recounting his speech. "We are no longer just cooks. We are guardians of our planet and stewards of our food system."

According to Clementine O'Connor, sustainable food systems programme officer for UNEP, Bottura was nominated for the Goodwill Ambassador role in 2020 because he was already making an impact in a tangible way with his Refettorios. "It's a privilege for us to work with one of the world's greatest chefs who is such a strong advocate of food waste reduction and healthy and sustainable foods systems," she said, "and more broadly, who is both affecting change on the ground and using his voice to shift norms – and to advance progress on this globally."

While Bottura is currently promoting his new book, Slow Food Fast Cars (released on 6 December), he has shared his guidance on achieving zero waste and the future sustainability of our global food supply ahead of COP28, taking place in Dubai from 30 November to 12 December. And Food for Soul, in partnership with UNEP, has worked to ensure that the climate-focused event upholds high standards for the food served behind the scenes and acts as a role model for the rest of the world.

There are more than 7.5 billion people on Earth and more than 800 million people, according to the World Food Programme (WFP), who don't have enough to eat – and yet we waste about a third of what we produce. Food for Soul's Refettorios help tackle this problem by collecting food (via donation, sponsorship or purchasing) that would otherwise be discarded from farmer's markets, supermarkets, food manufacturers and distributors, as well as directly from farms, ranches and fisheries, and empowers its onsite chefs to get creative with what's available on a given day. 

Refettorio Sydney, opened in February 2022 as the first Refettorio in the Asia-Pacific region, partners with food rescue organisation OzHarvest to secure more than 250 tonnes of food each week from across the supply chain that would otherwise end up in landfills via a network of 3,000 food donors across Australia. "[The Refettorio] is a true social impact project in every sense with a huge community coming together to make it happen," said Ronni Kahn, CEO and founder of OzHarvest. "Everything was donated, from the incredible building to all the fixtures and fittings, the kitchen, the bricks, the floor, the furniture, the lights and artwork, the plates, the coffee machine … the list goes on."

Chef Jez Wick, who Kahn describes as "a magician", transforms the rescued food into nutritious – yet flavourful – vegetarian meals on a weekly basis. One dish is her Red Banana Chilli Spiced Schnitzel (see recipe below), which was inspired by some "imperfect" produce.

"That week, a local farm donated a bunch of wonky bell peppers we had to use up, so I knew I wanted to make something red, smoky and delicious," she said. "The flavours are inspired by chicken schnitzel. I wanted to create a plant-based alternative for something people loved, to demonstrate that plant-based food can be delicious too!"

By spreading his knowledge, Bottura hopes to create a groundswell of chefs cooking in a more eco-conscious way. "I grew up in a very social region of Emilia-Romagna and Modena and we learned since we were kids that if you stay together, you're louder than if you go by yourself," he said. "Once, you grew up like that, it's in your DNA."

What's also in Bottura's DNA is giving back. He recalled a time when he rescued 360,000 wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano, saving the local economy, after a 2012 earthquake struck Italy's Emilia-Romagna region. "Once you reach the top of the 50 Best, you can decide to make money or to give back. This is like the two different solutions that you have. And I took this path."

Above all, Bottura's philosophy is one that comes from the heart. T-shirts worn by volunteers at his Refettorios say "cooking is an act of love", and he approaches the food served there with as much care as he does at his restaurants – "probably even more", he said since the diners are extremely stressed and need healthy food to feel better.

"The moment I'm in a Refettorio, and I look into [people's] faces, I know we are making the difference," said Bottura. "Because, I see a space like this and the volunteers that have dedicated their lives to these people. There is the moment in which we make a difference every single day. It's a big deal."

Just then, a woman who was raised on a farm in Trinidad and now lives in Harlem, came over to greet Bottura.

"Massimo, hi. I came to say thank you for bringing this programme and doing what you did. It's marvellous," she said, referring to the once derelict church that has gone from rags to Gucci via Bottura's hand. "You did a great job with this church. I mean, when I came in here, I wanted to cry. It's the complete transformation and it's wonderful. Before, you'd come in here and I'd worry about, 'am I going to be itching from the mildew or sneezing?' As long as the food is free, I'll keep coming. This I know, but it's wonderful!"

Bottura says that his ultimate dream is to have 1,000 Refettorios in every single corner of the world. "And the world realises that this is the most amazing and important thing to do: to take care of the people that don't have anything," he added.

Finally, Bottura insists that it's important to change the language around the food served in his Refettorios. He said he no longer wants to call it "food waste" but instead, "surplus food". Perhaps someday soon, it won't been seen as something that's unwanted or even something that's leftover; it'll just be seen as "food" – or better yet, it won't exist at all.

Red Banana Chilli Spiced Schnitzel recipe

By Chef Jez Wick, Refettorio OzHarvest Sydney 

Serves 4

Method

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 220C/425F. Over an open flame, blacken your peppers, turning every few minutes. Place on a roasting tray and put in the hot oven for 10 minutes. Turn the peppers and roast for another 10 minutes. (If you don't have a gas burner, just roast in the oven for 15 minutes per side.) Transfer the blackened peppers to a bowl and cover with beeswax wraps (way better then clingfilm) or a tea towel and let cool slightly. 

Step 2

When cool enough to handle, peel the peppers and make a cut from the top to the bottom without cutting through completely. Pick out the seeds and white parts. Place on a tea towel to dry.

Step 3

Set up 3 bowls to crumb these little love hearts. Place the flour in one bowl and season with salt and pepper. Whisk your eggs in another bowl with a splash of water. In the third bowl, combine the panko with the remaining ingredients except the coriander and oil. Mix well.

Step 4

Heat the oil in a pan a shallow frying pan to 150-160C/300-320F. Dip each pepper into the flour and shake, shake! Follow by dredging in the egg and then the spiced panko mix. Set aside until ready to fry.

Step 5

Gently place the peppers in the hot oil and fry each side for 10 minutes, then drain on a tea towel. Season with sea salt and BOOM, yumminess has filled your home!

BBC.com's World's Table "smashes the kitchen ceiling" by changing the way the world thinks about food, through the past, present and future.

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