HARVEST TO TABLE
Beauty and respect are words Ronni Kahn uses repeatedly when talking about Refettorio, a new restaurant and community space in Sydney’s Surry Hills run by OzHarvest.
“For me it’s about creating a public-facing space for OzHarvest, that highlights dignity and respect, by providing a beautiful gourmet-quality meal to our guests,” explains chief executive Kahn.
The words ring true once you enter the space. The restaurant offers meals at no charge to those in need, on par with the neighbouring cafés and restaurants that line Crown Street and beyond. The considered three-course meal uses produce rescued by OzHarvest, and rather than being a hand-out, it’s a restaurant experience. “Within 5 kms of the space there are 5000 people in need. It doesn’t always look like it because of the gentrified shops, but you don’t have to look far to find boarding houses and housing that supports groups,” says Kahn.
Derived from the Latin word reficere meaning refresh or reinvigorate, Refettorio is a satellite concept borrowed from world-renowned chef Massimo Bottura, who launched the original Refettorio Ambrosiano in Milan.
“Massimo is delightful and everything he stands for is in alignment with what we believe in,” says Kahn. It didn’t take long for Kahn to ask if she could bring the concept to Australia.
While the space will serve free meals to those in need during the day, by night it will serve as a function space to fund those meals. “Every dollar that comes in, goes on to feed more people,” says Kahn. And guests – no matter what time of day – will all be treated to the same high-quality experience. “People enjoying the free lunches won’t be short-changed. It’s the same food, same plates, same experience. That is really quite beautiful because that’s where dignity lies.”
Head chef Jez Wick and sous chef Lauren Evers rise to the challenge of cooking flavour-packed vegetarian-leaning food, that does the rescued produce justice. An entrée may include whipped goat’s cheese with burnt spring onion oil-tossed tomatoes with fermented tomato dressing, tamari seeds and nori; followed by a mustard seed and sweet shallot-studded potato croquette served
in a yellow curry sauce, crowned with crisp curry leaves, buttered corn, garlicky greens and a toasted coconut and pineapple sambol; while dessert may be a moreish chocolate torte with chilli fennel popcorn and miso caramel. Wick’s experience across sustainably focused kitchens and pop-ups, plus two years of working with OzHarvest, means she’s a master at combating food waste, and she weaves layers of flavour into each dish with finesse.
Alongside the food, the space (which was kindly donated by one of Kahn’s philanthropist friends) is also welcoming and curated thoughtfully: Mud ceramics line the tables, a bespoke woven basket by Harriet Goodall hangs from the roof and a vibrant artwork by Indigenous artist Peter Day lines the walls.
“It’s about elevating the soul when you’re surrounded by beauty and then there’s beauty on your plate that treats your senses,” says Kahn. All of this, plus more, was donated to the project.
“What’s so extraordinary for me – I look at the floors, the paint, the walls, the coffee machine, the wood – it was all donated. For the public, to see a space of this quality and think that people chose to come on board and donate their services, to be part of it, that’s quite remarkable. I pinch myself.”
Much like OzHarvest, the Refettorio is ultimately focussed on connection. “Food is really about sharing. It’s about gratitude and respect. There’s dignity in how you get given a plate of food and that’s always been such an important part of sharing food,” says Kahn.
“I am truly excited about this because it’s an exceptional place, and it’s going to bring a lot of joy.”
481 Crown St, Surry Hills, NSW, refettorioozharvestsydney.org