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The “Refettorio” in Geneva combines gastronomy with social concerns. The idea of the Italian top chef and founder Walter el Nagar: He wants to fight against the isolation of socially disadvantaged people and against food waste.
A fine dinner in a restaurant: That’s hardly possible for people who have to pay every cent. They are happy when they have enough money to eat. In Geneva there is now a chance for such people to have a luxurious meal: in a “Refettorio” – a gourmet restaurant for the financially weak.
The restaurant is also a concept to counteract food waste. The idea originally comes from Italy and is unique in Switzerland.
We thought about how we can help the people on the streets of Geneva.
Walter el Nagar is the founder and head chef of the gourmet restaurant. With his restaurant, which is also a social project, the Italian chef has a clear mission:
“Our goal is to get rid of street food. There are many restaurants where excellent food ends up in the trash.” If you were to use this waste, you could do away with the classic soup kitchen.
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The founder and chef de cuisine Walter el Nagar fights against food waste and is committed to socially disadvantaged people.
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The gourmet chef supports the zero waste policy. But he wants to help those in need even more – especially since the Corona crisis.«We thought about how we could help the people on the streets of Geneva. Especially those who had to stand in line for a kilo of rice during the Corona crisis. »
So he and his team looked for a large restaurant and found one that could seat 80 people. In February of this year he was able to open his gourmet restaurant. During the day he and his team are available for the paying guests and in the evening for the needy.
An idea that is popular
The concept is simple: in addition to the donations, the guests who eat lunch in the restaurant also pay for a meal for a poor person. The visitors of the “Refettorio Geneva” consciously support the idea of a gourmet restaurant for the poor.
“I think it’s a good concept. In this way I can enable the homeless to enjoy high-quality food. Just like most people can,” says one guest. Others have heard of people who, thanks to this concept, were able to visit a restaurant for the first time in their lives.
Since opening in February, an average of 40 people in need have been cooked every day. They get a free dinner and have to register in advance. Social associations decide in advance who can visit the gourmet restaurant. This prevents long lines from forming in front of the restaurant.
It’s not just about a warm meal
For the guests who come here, it’s not just about a hot meal: “I come here to be less lonely and to socialize a bit during the meal,” says one guest. The gourmet restaurant allows others to get out of the house and spend an evening among people.
What people really need here is to be treated like regular guests.
Still others come because of the fine food, which is rarely on their table. «It is a nice experience to eat a gastro menu. It feels good to be able to eat well,” reports another guest.
In Walter el Nagar’s restaurant, the needy are treated like normal customers. That is also important, says service manager Charlotte Hennessy. “What people really need here is to be treated like normal guests. It makes us happy that we can offer them a restaurant experience that they don’t have with a normal street kitchen.”