Happy Birthday, Refettorio Paris!
One year after its opening, Refettorio Paris continues to promote social inclusion through the restorative power of a meal shared around the same table in a space that celebrates art, beauty and culture. If we were to summarise the past 12 months, it would look something like the following:
March 2018
Refettorio Paris officially opened its doors at Le Foyer de la Madeleine, a social restaurant in the crypt of the Church of La Madeleine, a place of significant historical value in the heart of Paris.
June 2018
The city of Paris hosted the third edition of the Refugee Food Festival, an initiative that involves different locations around the world mobilising hundreds of restaurants to open the doors of their kitchens to refugee chefs, helping to change perceptions on refugees and allowing people to discover new flavours and tastes. As part of their efforts to promote social inclusion through food and the symbolic value of a sharing a meal around the same table, Refettorio Paris welcomed Syrian chef Mohammad Elkhaldy to cook a flavourful dinner with surplus ingredients.
September 2018
On September 11, the guests of Refettorio Paris were served by a very special group of volunteers! During the evening, the U2 wore the Refettorio aprons and helped the regular volunteers with the service, chatting with the guests in-between courses. At the end of the evening, the Irish band entertained staff, guests and volunteers with a small concert in the hallways of the crypt of La Madeleine.
October 2018
Halloween was certainly grandiose at Refettorio Paris! A giant pumpkin was delivered for the occasion and turned into a festive menu for the guests of the Refettorio…
November 2018
November was dedicated to art and beauty, in every form and shape. Music was certainly one of the protagonists: The Lamma Orchestra, a band mixing jazz tunes with Nilotic songs from different areas of Sudan, paid a visit to the Refettorio, entertaining the guests during the evening service. Chinese cellist Yo-Yo Ma, considered one of the greatest performers of Bach, also played at the Refettorio. Not only music, but also art… as it turns out, there’s a real talent among the guests of the Refettorio: @abelidrogo_portraits has become a true icon of the Refettorio Paris and anyone passing by the crypt of La Madeleine hopes to get one of his beautiful sketches.
March 2019
What better way to celebrate a year of Refettorio than an unforgettable party with all the actors of this wonderful journey? On March 16, guests, volunteers, chefs, partners and all those who contributed to the project gathered in the beautiful spaces of the crypt of the Church of La Madeleine to celebrate together. For the occasion, the Refettorio received an impressive macarons cake that left everyone in awe!
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