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Montreal is recognized as a gastronomic capital of North America. Soon it will be recognized as a social gastronomic capital as well.

Canada’s first “Refettorio,” a repurposed food kitchen for the homeless and hungry, will be launched at the downtown St. George’s Anglican Church next fall. Montreal’s best chefs will lend their talents in creating — pro bono — high-calibre cuisine from unsold food donated by restaurants and supermarkets.

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This is the initiative of Jean-François Archambault, founder and executive-director of La Tablée des Chefs, which has been at the forefront here in the fight against food waste.

The Refettorio concept was first launched by famed Italian chef Massimo Bottura as a pop-up event at the 2015 Milan International World’s Fair. Bottura is owner/chef of Modena’s Osteria Francescana, voted No. 1 on the 2018 list of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. But rather than rest on their laurels, Bottura and his wife Laura, founders of the Food for Soul Foundation, were determined to give back. They helped start Refettorios in Rio de Janeiro, London and Paris. Another is slated for New York, but Montreal’s will be the initial operation in Canada.