Massimo Bottura Is Launching a New Chef Collective in Harlem to Help Feed Hungry New Yorkers
Members of the newly founded Harlem Chef’s Lab include JJ Johnson of Harlem’s Fieldtrip, Nadav Greenberg of Shmoné, and Anthony Mangieri of Una Pizza Napoletana — among others.
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One of the world’s most lauded and generous chefs is giving back to the community in yet another way. Massimo Bottura, founder of Michelin-starred Osteria Francescana in Modena and UN Environment Programme Goodwill Ambassador, has launched a new chef’s collective at his progressive community kitchen in New York, Refettorio Harlem.
Refettorio Harlem opened in 2020 and offers restaurant-style meals to those in the neighborhood who cannot afford to dine at a high-end restaurant or know where their next meal may be coming from.
The first Refettorio project in the United States is part of Bottura’s network of “community hubs to inspire and empower human potential.” That is, tables full of chef-quality food served to folks who need it most, in a space that offers nourishment, dignity, conversation, and comfort. Refettorios are open across Europe, in Sydney, and in South America, each with local character and cuisine, thanks to chefs offering up their talent and time to Bottura’s mission of feeding others and reducing food waste (in delicious ways, like cooking with parmesan rinds)
Related: How Massimo Bottura Turns Leftover Parmigiano Rinds Into Bouncy Noodles
New York’s Refettorio iteration is held at the Historic Emanuel AME Church on 119th Street in Harlem, offering three-course dinners three nights a week. A recent December menu featured a first course of grilled baby romaine and arugula salad with bleu cheese, followed by chicken on lobster bread with sauteed cabbage and carrots — with raspberry cream layer cake for dessert. The program also helps food-insecure New Yorkers by redirecting thousands of points of potential food waste each week and offering the ingredients as groceries via an accessible food pantry.
The Harlem Chef’s Lab
In Harlem, a new initiative launching in 2025 will help fundraise and boost awareness for the Refettorio, via a signature project: The Harlem Chef’s Lab.
The chef collective melds New York’s top culinary talent to produce collaborative, ticketed monthly events at the Refettorio. Members of the newly founded Harlem Chef’s Lab include JJ Johnson of Harlem’s Fieldtrip, Nadav Greenberg of Shmoné, Anthony Mangieri of Una Pizza Napoletana, Vijay Kumar of Semma, Alessio Rosetti of La Devozione, Eric Tran of Falansai, Mattia Agazzi of Gucci Osteria Los Angeles, and more chefs from Michelin star and James Beard Award-winning restaurants.
Since 2020, Refettorio Harlem has welcomed guest chefs to cook meals at no cost. As the collective grows, a group of 52 chefs could ensure that a top talent prepares a meal each week of the year.
How to dine with The Harlem Chef’s Lab
Seasonal events to support Refettorio Harlem via collaborative meals from the Harlem Chef’s Lab will be announced soon. Sign up for Refettorio Harlem’s newsletter for upcoming details and ticket sales.
The collective launched with December’s Holiday Soiree, at which community tickets went for $250 and general admission was $450. Chefs J.J. Johnson, Asia Shabazz, Russell Jackson, Celeste and Khouri Beatty, Aliyyah Baylor, and Nino and Bilena Settepani prepared a multi-course meal inspired by the book-length Langston Hughes poem, “Montage of a Dream Deferred.” Future events will also combine art, culture, food, sustainability, and social justice.
How to support Reffetorio
Volunteers can apply online to help with front-of-house and back-of-house service at Refettorio Harlem. Volunteer tasks include meal prep, inventory, food service, food pantry distribution, and more efforts to help feed the neighborhood. Monetary donations are also accepted.
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