Harlem got a big taste of Italy this week as Refettorio Harlem, the community kitchen founded by Massimo Bottura, hosted Harlem Loves Italian Food: The Chef’s Lab, a one-night celebration of Italian flavors, world music, and global community.
The evening was led by chef, author, and Chopped champion Silvia Baldini, joined by a powerhouse lineup of Italian talent: Silvia Barban of LaRina Pastificio & Vino, master pizzaiolo Roberto Caporuscio of Kesté Pizza e Vino, Luigi Speranza of La Trafila, Raffaele Solinas of Osteria Brooklyn, and Damiano Rosella of Amore Ristorante in New Jersey. Each chef contributed to the multiple courses served throughout the evening. Giusti was on hand for anointing purposed with their Balsamic Vinegars of Modena.
More than a dinner, The Chef’s Lab functioned as a community experience. Presented with I Love Italian Food and their initiatives, House of Made in Italy and Istituto 100% Italiano, in conjunction with the Associazione Professionale Cuochi Italiani, the event highlighted both Italian culinary tradition and its modern, global reach.
Two sets of music were performed by well-known South African jazz musicians Zoe Molelekwa and Vuyo Sotashe in a duet produced By Jill Newman Productions.
At the center was Refettorio Harlem’s Free Food program, which turns surplus ingredients into more than 700 “dinners with dignity” each week for neighbors facing food insecurity and isolation. The meals are served in the grand hall of Refettorio Harlem's location within the EMANUEL AME Church, located on a historic block of central Harlem. All ticket proceeds from the night supported that mission.
For Baldini, the purpose behind the plates mattered as much as the food itself. "The joy I experience when giving back to my community and sharing my culinary knowledge adds an extra layer of fulfillment to my life," she told Appetito in a 2023 interview. “I feel lucky I have created a life that is not only professionally satisfying but personally enriching.”
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