Chef Gennaro Esposito inaugurates the professional kitchen of Casa Mehari, in the structure confiscated from crime. The event will be held on Wednesday, April 3 at 10:30 AM at Via Nicotera No. 8 in Quarto, Naples. The kitchen is equipped with all the necessary equipment and has the certifications that will allow the preparation of meals by the differently abled youth of the volunteer association «La Bottega dei Semplici Pensieri».
The municipality has dedicated the structure to Giancarlo Siani, a journalist from the newspaper «Il Mattino» and Mehari is the name of the Citroën car model on which the young man was killed by the Camorra on September 23, 1985.
«A professional kitchen for our youth has always been one of our dreams - explains Maria Trapanese, president of the association - and finally, after more than twelve years of activity and two years since the delivery of the confiscated property, we have achieved this goal. For us, it is an important milestone that we owe to the large network of solidarity that supports us and thanks to the great sensitivity of Chef Gennaro Esposito. The kitchen is an opportunity for work for our youth. In this way, we will host events thanks to the presence of our chef Michele Pelliccia. The kitchen is also a place of learning, so we appeal to local chefs to dedicate hours of training that allow our youth to improve. The long-term goal is the opening of a bistro that will allow Casa Mehari to become a structure for events managed and organized by the youth of La Bottega and the young people of the social enterprise La Scheggia, our partner. The bistro will be a point of reference for the area and a place to create social relationships and work collaboration».
The kitchen was created thanks to the project «Cooking a Revolution» funded by «Festa a Vico», the event dedicated to haute cuisine that saw the participation of established chefs and young promises with the aim of raising funds for solidarity projects. The traditional gastronomic festival takes place in Vico Equense and in 2023 financed six projects including that of the association «La Bottega dei Semplici Pensieri». The patron of the event is Chef Gennaro Esposito who will cut the ribbon at the inauguration of the kitchen. Along with the two Michelin-starred chef, participating will be: the mayor of Quarto Antonio Sabino, the psychologist Vittoria Vigo, and Elvira Carrabba, president of the Cooperative «La Quercia Rossa».
The project «Cooking a Revolution» involved various partners including the community «La Scheggia» in Giugliano in Campania that welcomes former drug addicts and the cooperative «La Quercia Rossa» that is involved in placing young people with disabilities in the world of work.
The temporary purpose association that manages the property is composed of the volunteer association «La Bottega dei Semplici Pensieri» (leader of the ats), the cooperative «La Quercia Rossa», the cultural association «Artemide» and the social promotion association «Dialogos».