The restaurant’s menu features dishes such as Nigerian bean stew and Bangladeshi cauliflower curry. But “Roots” is more than just a place to enjoy great food: it’s also a social integration project designed to help migrant women access the Italian job market. The women complete a four-month training program, receive compensation and are later placed in professional kitchens across Modena. Meanwhile, demand from the restaurant industry already exceeds the number of graduates. 

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The idea for “Roots” comes from chef Jessica Rosval, who also runs the Michelin-starred “Al Gatto Verde”, and her business partner Caroline Caporossi. Together, they co-founded the organization behind “Roots”, the “Association for the Integration of Women”. From the beginning, the restaurant has been entirely self-sustaining, with all proceeds reinvested into the project. To remain accessible, the menu costs just 38 Euros. There’s a waiting list every evening, making it one of the most sought-after table reservations in Modena.

For VOGUE, I would love to write a profile of “Roots”, its unique philosophy and its inspiring success – at a time when migration is under attack worldwide, including in Italy under Meloni. In addition to interviewing Rosval, I spoke with several of the women themselves – to show how enriching (and delicious!) cultural exchange and integration can be.

As a food & travel writer, this has been one of the most meaningful experiences in recent years, and I still think about each of the dishes. It would be an honor to contribute this story to VOGUE!

Photos:

See below for a curated collection of photos.

Photo gallery: https://adobe.ly/4cE794H