Capuchin Soup Kitchen, a Catholic nonprofit providing food, clothing, and human development programs on Detroit’s eastside, has announced the transformation of its Meldrum Community Center at 1264 Meldrum St. into Refettorio Detroit, in partnership with Food for Soul.
Founded by Chef Massimo Bottura and Lara Gilmore, Food for Soul, which has its headquarters in Modena, Italy, focuses on transforming food waste into an opportunity for inclusion and social change.
Refettorio Detroit is an innovative hospitality-centered model that is designed to change the way the Capuchin Soup Kitchen serves Detroiters facing homelessness and food insecurity, says Capuchin Soup Kitchen Executive Director Br. Gary Wegner.
The $2.4 million facility transformation, designed by Constantine Gorge Pappas AIA Architecture/Planning in Royal Oak and built by general contractor Ferlito Group in Detroit, is expected to be completed in January 2027.
Refettorio Detroit, part of Food for Soul’s global network of 12 Refettorios — the Motor City is the third U.S. location behind Refettorio Harlem and Refettorio San Francisco — is designed as an alternative to the traditional soup kitchen model.
The revitalized 8,000-square-foot community center will be redesigned internally and externally to facilitate a new focus on beauty and design, hospitality, food waste prevention, reducing social isolation, strengthening community, and celebrating Detroit.
“The creation of Refettorio Detroit marks an inspiring new chapter in our mission to nourish both body and spirit like we’ve never seen in our community before,” says Wegner. “With the incredible partnership and guidance of Food for Soul, we’re transforming how we serve Detroiters in need — providing not only nutritious meals made with dignity and care, but also a welcoming space that fosters community, hope, and human connection.”
Guests and stakeholders of Refettorio Detroit can expect to see the following changes and improvements:
- Dignified Hospitality: A full-service, multi-course style to encourage connection at the table, meals with plated presentation, linen napkins, florals, and warmth.
- Togetherness Through Design: Spaces designed to foster joy, connection, and cultural expression.
- Sustainability: Eco-friendly materials and systems aligned with long-term community and environmental health. Focus on food recovery to reduce and eliminate food waste.
- Detroit Proud: Celebrating local history and artists — tilemakers, muralists, potters, woodworkers — identified through guest and neighborhood focus groups to beautify both the interior and exterior of Refettorio Detroit.
- Year-One Programming: Capuchin Soup Kitchen and Food for Soul are actively developing a calendar of programming and guest chef takeovers for Refettorio Detroit’s inaugural year of operation, designed to celebrate Detroit’s culinary community and deepen engagement with guests and neighbors. Interested Detroit-area chefs and food influencers are invited to contact Capuchin Soup Kitchen at refettorio@cskdetroit.org.
“Every Refettorio reflects the soul of the city it calls home,” says Gilmore. “In Detroit, that means celebrating a culture built on craftsmanship, creativity, and resilience. Together with the Capuchin Soup Kitchen, we’re creating more than a place to share a meal, we’re creating a table where every person is welcomed with dignity, where recovered food becomes an act of care, and where the city’s remarkable spirit is reflected in every detail.”
Meals, showers, and guest support services continue to be available to guests at the Meldrum Community Center during the renovation.
For more information, visit refettoriodetroit.org.
