World's Biggest Family Meal

The World's Biggest Family Meal (WBFM) was created to take care of those who take care of us. A movement to make mental health (and wealth) part of daily conversation for chefs and restaurant workers—we can’t do it without YOU, the friends, fans and regulars who love food culture. We support the hospitality industry family and our communities via conversations and experiences, fundraising and amplification.

WBFM’s first nonprofit spotlight? Food for Soul

Food for Soul was founded by chef Massimo Bottura, UNEP Goodwill Ambassador and Patron of Osteria Francescana and Lara Gilmore, President. OUR GOAL is to raise $50,000 providing immediate impact to their mission, directly supporting the new Refettorio projects in the USA: Refettorio Harlem and Refettorio San Francisco.

All are invited to our global get-togethers. Hundreds sat at our WBFM launch event Zoom table hosted by WBFM founder Leiti Hsu, featuring special guests Massimo and Lara, a kick-off to raise awareness around the shared mission of WBFM and the common social vulnerabilities affecting the hospitality industry.

HOW DOES YOUR DONATION HELP? 

Funds raised here will help support both Harlem and San Francisco's Community Meals programs that provide food assistance to those individuals and families experiencing food insecurity, homelessness, isolation and marginalization while seeding the long-term sustainability of the project’s cultural efforts. Since Thanksgiving 2020, Food for Soul’s USA projects have served over 46,200 meals and saved 8,100 pounds of food from waste. Your contribution will help sustain 8,000 nourishing meals per month while empowering small business recovery and essential job training for those most vulnerable.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON CLUBHOUSE
We’ll continue gathering the community virtually starting the month of May on the Clubhouse audio app. Join our “food festival for the soul” with the world’s best chefs and not-chefs with a lineup of Dream Dinner Party (as seen in NYTimes) conversations + experiences.

Need a Clubhouse invitation? Text us at 917-920-5702.

These conversations not only stimulate much-needed dialogue—they bring us closer to an equitable and shared food culture. WBFM will continue to put this awareness into action, raising funds for nonprofits driving social change.

FOLLOW US
@worldsbiggestfamilymeal @leitihsu @laratgilmore @massimobottura @foodforsoul_it @refettorioharlem @refettoriosanfrancisco

ABOUT FOOD FOR SOUL
Food for Soul is a cultural nonprofit organization advocating for socially responsible actions that improve the health of our planet and well-being of people. Since the 2015 opening of Refettorio Ambrosiano in Milan, founders Chef Massimo Bottura and Lara Gilmore have been empowering and mobilizing local communities to reduce food loss and waste and social isolation. Launched in 2016, the mission of Food for Soul takes aim to change our behavior in how we value, respect and nurture our food system, fostering health, sustainability and equity outcomes through the sharing of knowledge and development of Refettorio projects around the world.  

A Refettorio (meaning 'to re-make' also 'to restore') is a community hub centered around daily food initiatives that actively reclaim food surplus transforming ingredients into nourishing meals for those socially vulnerable and experiencing food insecurity. Each Refettorio programming is specific to the local needs of the community while consistently offering unique food, art and culture activities to stimulate social, economic and environment resilience, civic engagement and stewardship.

Through nonprofit collaborations, the organization has launched Refettorio projects worldwide in Milan, Modena, Naples, Bologna, London, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Mérida and Lima. To learn more, visit www.foodforsoul.it.

ABOUT WORLD’S BIGGEST FAMILY MEAL
An international movement reimagining the ritual of the “family meal,” that moment in the daily rhythm of a restaurant when the staff’s taken care of before taking care of diners. Our vision is to provide much-needed mental, social, financial and other material, actionable support to chefs and restaurants, service workers and small business owners to make our communities stronger and more delicious.

YOU’RE INVITED to our global culinary jam sessions that feed not just stomachs but souls.

SPECIAL THANKS
The day-to-day of WBFM has been a 100% volunteer effort so far; we are speaking with corporate partners to support daily operations.

March 2020 inaugural event volunteers: Alex Menache, Larissa Erin Greer, Chris Clement, Greg + Darin Bresnitz of Snacky Tunes, Iron Chef & author Elizabeth Falkner, Bricia Lopez of James Beard Award winning Guelaguetza, chef-activist Jenny Dorsey, music curator Matt "FX" Feldman, DJ Hotel Garuda, spoken word poet Propaganda and Master Sri Akarshana.

PRESS CONTACTS
Leiti Hsu
Founder, World’s Biggest Family Meal
LeitiHsu@gmail.com

Jesse Gerstein
Publicist, World’s Biggest Family Meal
jesse@ontheflycommunications.com

Food for Soul
press@foodforsoul.it