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Massimo Bottura
Reimagining Italian cooking at Osteria Francescana and turning surplus food into shared meals.
Osteria Francescana · Refettorio Ambrosiano
- Born
- 30 September 1962
- Birthplace
- Modena, Italy
More people
Massimo Bottura
Italian chef whose work combines traditional flavours with contemporary art and experimentation. He co-founded Food for Soul with Lara Gilmore.
Early life
Modena roots
Grew up in the food culture of Emilia-Romagna.
Restaurant beginnings
Left legal studies and took over a trattoria, later gaining experience with leading European chefs.
Career
- 1986
Running a trattoria
Took over Trattoria del Campazzo and developed his practical approach to cooking.
- 1995
Osteria Francescana
Opened the Modena restaurant that became the centre of his creative work.
- 2015–2016
Food and inclusion
Developed the Refettorio Ambrosiano project and co-founded Food for Soul.
Restaurants & projects
Osteria Francescana
A Modena restaurant combining regional traditions with inventive presentation.
Refettorio Ambrosiano
A community dining project using surplus ingredients during Milan’s Expo.
Food for Soul
A nonprofit supporting inclusive community kitchens and work against food waste.
Beyond work
Family partnership
Works with his wife Lara Gilmore on hospitality and social projects.
Contemporary art
Collecting and engaging with art has helped shape his approach to food.
Sources & photo credit
Biography and references ↗Biography and contributions ↗Photo: Pietro Luca Cassarino. CC BY-SA 4.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
