Sometimes a color captures the spirit of a moment. At Refettorio Ambrosiano, the first color to fill the kitchen wasn’t painted on a wall. It came in crates: strawberries in every shade, from pale blush to deep ruby — some perfectly ripe, others slightly softened with time.
It was May 2015, and the kitchen wasn’t quite finished. There was dust on the floor, chairs still wrapped in plastic, and ingredients arriving for the first time. Among them, Chef Daniel Humm stepped into the space with quiet focus and a generous spirit.
That day’s delivery included lots of strawberries — too many, in varying conditions. Tomatoes weren’t in season yet, but Daniel thought back to something his mother used to make: gazpacho. So he made a decision on the spot. Strawberries instead of tomatoes, blended with bread and vinegar. A cool, vibrant ‘strawberry gazpacho’ that fit the season and the mood. “We went through a lot of ideas, very quickly,” he said. “But the decision was made on the spot.”
The result was simple, fresh, and a thoughtful response to what the kitchen had to offer. It reflected the values that would soon define every Refettorio: using what’s available, cooking with intention, and finding new potential in what others might overlook. As Daniel later put it, “When you look at a lot of famous traditional dishes, they have been created out of necessity, right? And mostly waste, stuff that was left over.”
What is our favorite color?
Red — the color of summer, of transformation, of new beginnings..
Warm regards,
Food for Soul
