Famed chef of Osteria Francescana operates similar nonprofit centers across the world
Chef Massimo Bottura’s long-awaited first NYC project is anticipated for a full debut fall 2021. The Manhattan debut isn’t a restaurant, but one of his refetorrios – a combination of food waste-fighting soup kitchens and social community centers with several locations across the globe. Bottura launched the non-profit organization Food for Soul that he founded in 2016 with his wife.
The NYC location is in Harlem at the Emanuel AME Church, at 37 West 119th Street, between Fifth and Lenox Avenues. Even though not officially open yet, the refettorio has already been delivering meals to people experiencing food insecurity in Harlem since Thanksgiving of 2020.
The nonprofit currently has refettorios in Italy, Brazil, England and France. Bottura debuted his first U.S. restaurant, an outpost of Florence, Italy’s Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura, in Beverly Hills – a fun and casual Italian dining experience using high-quality produce from the LA Farmers Market.
Bottura will reportedly open two more refettorios in Harlem and San Francisco this year.