In downtown Mérida, Yucatán, there is a beautiful blue house where something very special takes place. It is called Refettorio, and those who work there affectionately call it “Refe.”
This space is dedicated to providing dignified meals to people living in precarious circumstances who have no way to feed themselves. It operates through food donations. There are currently several Refettorios around the world, in San Francisco, New York, Peru, Mexico, Brazil, the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Italy, and Australia.
There are professionals from different fields. One of the pillars is beauty as a universal power: feeling welcome in a place where we have the right to be and to eat well. Everything is presented aesthetically for the diners. Hospitality, inclusion, community-building, and a welcoming environment for socializing.
Refettorio is a social, environmental, and culinary program that has operated since 2020, integrating beauty, service, and hospitality as tools for promoting positive social change. It focuses on reducing food waste by using ingredients and transforming them into dignified, nutritious meals shared with people in vulnerable situations.
Chef César is a food engineer and knows how to make use of everything. Roger goes to different places to collect donated food, and everything that is in good condition is selected to prepare a delicious meal. At Refe, food sustainability and human dignity are prioritized, as is making everyone who enters feel deserving of what they receive. No one is invisible here; everyone is called by name, creating a sense of belonging and community.
The Refettorio APRENDE program gives guests access to culinary classes as a tool for self-sustainability and self-employment. It is the educational arm of the project. There will be gardens where people can plant and harvest food and learn to consume products that are available nearby. The environmental impact of consuming products from elsewhere is too high when we have such an immense variety of food here.
Among its daily challenges is raising awareness about not wasting food, at home, in restaurants, and elsewhere. Food is also delivered to community kitchens and other places, such as hospitals, to feed the families of people who are hospitalized. On Fridays, 200 meals are provided to go, and 100 meals are donated to DA (Drogadictos Anónimos), depending on the products available. Many individuals, farms, and companies are committed to donating food that is in good condition. Chefs from different restaurants come to Refettorio as guest cooks. Every day, between 16 and 25 volunteers are needed to keep the service running, each with a role in their area.
Refe APRENDE began as a socially minded school where meaningful development opportunities are created through an inclusive and sustainable educational and training model centered on social gastronomy. Students are empowered through gastronomy. There is one classroom for theory and two classrooms for practical work. The kitchen is a space for learning, dignity, and opportunity—a platform for social transformation.
During the pandemic, we were able to see how many people supported themselves through self-employment by cooking.
Many people face countless barriers to accessing useful, flexible training with real potential to improve their quality of life. The kitchen is undoubtedly part of the solution.
The pillars of Refe APRENDE are social gastronomy; the kitchen as a space for dignity, connection, hospitality, and social justice; zero-waste cooking; environmental responsibility; reducing waste; inclusion and equity; and shared solidarity-based responsibility.
The program serves vulnerable people who do not have food, as well as people with Down syndrome through the barismo program. Courses will be offered in artisanal and modern breadmaking, baking and pastry, productive culinary projects such as pickling, culinary arts, urban gardens, and others depending on the season.
At Refettorio, each person’s prior knowledge is valued, as are local ingredients, flavors, and traditional knowledge that have been lost. The idea is that, in the future, those who have taken the courses will be able to teach them.
Sustainability is the central and defining principle of this project.
Creating opportunities in an environment of dignity for everyone.
If you are interested in volunteering, you can contact Refettorio directly at +52 998 131 80 32.
As a volunteer, you become a host; they are your guests.
You can also subsidize a course for people who cannot afford it but want to learn.
Refettorio is an initiative of Chef Massimo Bottura in collaboration with Fundación Palace.
Thanks to Paty and Ingrid for opening their doors and sharing this wonderful story.
Genoveva De La Peña / CDMX, Mexico
