Where our story started

The idea behind Food for Soul took root in 2015, during Expo Milano and its theme “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.” Inspired by this global call to rethink our relationship with food and the planet, chef Massimo Bottura and curator Davide Rampello envisioned a project that would address both food waste and social isolation.

They transformed a disused 1930s theatre in Milan’s Greco district into Refettorio Ambrosiano: a welcoming community space where surplus ingredients were turned into nourishing meals for those in need. The initiative came to life through a collaboration with Caritas Ambrosiana, the Archdiocese of Milan, the Politecnico di Milano, and with contributions from renowned artists, architects, and designers who donated their work to create a space that was both beautiful and functional.

Over the six months of Expo 2015, more than 60 international chefs took turns crafting meals from rescued food—proving that a dish can be much more than just food on a plate. Their recipes and stories were later collected in Bread is Gold, a book that shares the creative potential of cooking with what we often overlook.

The success of Refettorio Ambrosiano became the catalyst for a growing movement to rethink how we value food, people, and hospitality. In 2016, the first international Food for Soul Refettorio opened in Rio de Janeiro during the Olympics, where surplus food from the Games was transformed into restorative meals for hundreds of guests each week.
Since then, Food for Soul has expanded globally, opening 12 Refettorio projects across 9 countries and 4 continents.