This Chef Will Tackle Food Waste at the Rio Olympics

Fresh off being awarded the No. 1 spot for best restaurant in the world, Chef Massimo Bottura plans to make an impact on the upcoming Rio Olympics. The acclaimed Italian chef is bringing his food waste initiative to Rio de Janeiro in August – something that has yet to be implemented in all of Games history.

Last year, Bottura established the Refettorio Amborsiano, a dining hall designed to give food left over from Milan’s Universal Expo to those in need in the city. The chef’s efforts transformed 15 tons of unused food into delicious dishes to feed the homeless.

Now, the chef has expanded his efforts into a nonprofit called Food for Soul, which seeks out places and events where food waste can be limited or avoided altogether. A cafeteria will be built on Rio’s Rua da Lapa, which will reportedly serve free meals to the city’s poorer areas. Bottura and his team will repurpose leftover food from the Olympic Village.

Many other chefs, including Enrique Olvera and Virgilio Martinez, have also joined Bottura on the initiative.