Born in Milan to an Egyptian father and Italian mother, Chef Walter El Nagar has cooked his way across the world, from Los Angeles to Singapore, collecting flavours along the way. In 2017, he settled in Geneva, where he transformed his passion for gastronomy into a mission for inclusion. Through Le Cinquième Jour, and now Refettorio Geneva under Fondazione Mater, Walter uses food as a tool for dignity, community, and change.
Your journey has taken you across continents. How have those experiences shaped your approach to cooking at Refettorio Geneva?
Traveling through kitchens from Los Angeles to Moscow, Tulum to Singapore, I learned that food is a language that only makes sense when shared. Every place taught me something, techniques, ingredients, but mostly humility. At Refettorio Geneva, I cook with the same respect for diversity, using whatever the territory offers, transforming surplus into dignity. It’s not about chasing perfection anymore, but meaning.
What first inspired you to link fine dining with social inclusion?
Frustration. I was tired of a culinary world obsessed with ego and aesthetics while people outside the restaurant couldn’t afford a meal. I wanted to prove that excellence and empathy are not opposites, that a fine dining kitchen could also be a place of justice. So we opened the doors and set one table for everyone.
Fondazione Mater fights food waste and fosters community. How does that translate to your daily kitchen?
Every day, we recover food, ferment, preserve, and transform what others would discard. Waste is our raw material. We measure every gram, reuse every flavour, and create systems that respect both people and ingredients. Volunteers, cooks, and guests all participate: it’s a collective act, not a performance.
Looking ahead, what’s your vision for the future of socially conscious gastronomy?
A future where restaurants are not just businesses but civic spaces, feeding people, educating them, healing the planet. Where creativity is measured not in Michelin stars but in impact. Gastronomy should stand with the people, not above them.
Link: materfondazione.com | refettoriogeneva.org | goodfoodforall.eu