Massimo Bottura Competes in Rio Olympics Against Food Waste
The name Massimo Bottura rings a bell in almost anyone’s ear due to his acclaimed status as the chef and owner of Osteria Francescana, the world’s best restaurant. However, the award-winning chef is taking on a new role as he begins the fight against food waste across the globe.
Bottura began his new initiative in Milan, Italy during the World Exposition 2015, when the Vatican and about 60 world-renowned chefs joined him in creating an off site project that helps to reduce food waste. Located inside an abandoned theatre, Bottura created Refettorio Amborsiano , a dining hall that uses the left over food from the Expo, and around the city, to create exquisite meals for those in need. During the Expo, Bottura was able to save and turn over 15 tons of discarded food into delectable meals for Milan’s homeless.
After success in Milan, Bottura is now expanding his efforts to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro by opening a cafeteria for inhabitants of Rio’s flavelas. The cafeteria, Refettorio Gastromotiva, will be located on Rio’s Rua da Lapa where chefs from across the globe will rework left over food from the Olympic Village and bring meals to the flavela community.
When speaking about his nonprofit Food for Soul that began this journey, Bottura described how the avoidance of wasting food had been a detail that he had valued throughout his life.
“At the Osteria Francescana, we’ve always tried to work to eliminate food waste in our kitchen. But avoiding wasting food is nothing new: It was something our grandmothers did ― it was the foundation of Italian cuisine!”
The goal of Bottura’s expanding non profit is to help favor social integration through a commitment of fighting waste. With his first project in Milan still continuing strongly, he is now ready to take on Rio as well as expand to Los Angeles, Berlin and Montreal.
“The idea for Food for Soul was born of my desire to do something for others ― after having received so much throughout my life ― by putting the cultural energy that was created at the Osteria Francescana into play.”
With partners tailored to specific areas of the nonprofit sector and dedicated chefs wanting to help spread the message behind Food for Soul for years to come, Bottura is determined to make an impact upon the world in the fight against food waste.
-Ashley Curtis
