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Pasta and Community
In this episode, Lara Gilmore and I talk about Il Tortellante and Food for Soul, social initiatives founded by Gilmore and husband Massimo Bottura that touch on heritage, sustainability and community.
Il Tortellante is an initiative for special needs young adults inspired by Bottura and Gilmore’s son Charlie. They saw a need and desire for a hands-own skill option to foster independence post high school and they knew they had a great local resource and tradition- the rezdore.
Literally translating to gold makers, rezdore are Modeese women, usually elderly, who come together to make traditional dishes with simple ingredients. And in this case, the city’s beloved torellini. Fusing these two themes and bringing two communities became the touchstone for Il Tortellante, which now is education and hangout as well as a business providing hand-made tortellini to the area.
Coming together by food is Bottura focus whether a pasta lab, a restaurant or a home kitchen. And the table is an equaliser, where everyone feels comfortable. But that’s not where it ends. Bottura created Food for Soul, a network of community kitchens and social tables around the world that with the aim feeding and nourishing local communities, and fighting food waste.
In This Episode
[01:26] Lara Gilmore shares her tortellini backstory
[03:47] Lara and Massimo Bottura’s Il Tortellante community project
[05:02] The Rezdore
[08:17] Giving Back
[09:08] A Tortellini Pasta Lab . . .
[12:06 . . . and a Community Hangout
[13:40] Food for Soul
[19:11] Investing in Community
