Chef’s new vision for the future
Bottura moves forward in time to the beat
It seems a lifetime ago that Italy’s favourite culinary son, chef Massimo Bottura, closed the doors to his beloved eateries due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Italy was the first European country to be significantly impacted by virus, with thousands of deaths and the country at a unprescedented stand-still. Most businesses, including restaurants and bars being forced to close as Italians were confined to their homes. The rest of the world followed closely behind.
Bottura shuttered his eateries on March 10 with an upbeat message of hope: “Guys! We’ll be stronger than before! Stay safe and stay positive!” And that’s exactly what he did, when Bottura and his family inspired the world with a warm invitation to join them in their family home with a new Instagram show: Kitchen Quarantine.
Bottura’s positive enthusiasm in a crisis comes naturally from the three Michelin starred chef behind “Food for Soul,” the nonprofit organization he founded with his wife Lara Gilmore to empower local communities to reduce food waste and support social inclusion.
Now that life is carefully returning to a semblance of normalcy in Italy, food lovers worldwide can rejoice in the news that, on June 2, 12 weeks after closing, Osteria Francescana is re-opening its doors with a brand new menu entirely dedicated to the Beatles, and inspired by
the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely
Hearts Club Band album, which, after its release in 1967, changed not only music, but pop culture at large. Fans are anticipating a menu that many say is “going to be an explosion of creativity, emotion and innovation.”
And here’s the good news: Just one day after the re-opening, Bottura will be speaking live from Modena about his experience on quarantine life, share a glimpse into his new menu inspiration and remind us why we must all keep travelling and continue to dream as part of a special Dare to Dream series of inspirational conversations with five world-renowned chefs, who all followed their dreams in the face of adversity and challenge.
Bottura and the chefs share their vision via a series titled Think Global, Act Local of inspiring conversations that explore how these leaders in the gastronomy scene are taking on an empowering role in connecting local communities.
The conversations are sponsored free courtesy Satopia Travel — but spots are extremely limited, and you must register on Zoom.
Conversations take place from June 3-12. Bottura’s talk takes place this Wed. June 3 at 5 p.m., CEST. Other chefs include: Carlo Cracco (June 5), Marco Pierre White, (June 8), Raymond Blanc, (June 10), and Francis Mallman (June 12.)Check out Satopiatravel. com for more details; instagram.com/satopiatravel; Satopiatravel.com/wanderluster-stories/think-global-actlocal.