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InGalera: a haute cuisine restaurant in a prison
Surely you would never have imagined that going to jail would be a good idea. However, the Bollate prison, in Milan, shows you that it could be a unique and delicious experience. And it is that there is a haute cuisine restaurant that is revolutionizing social prejudices and making the palates of those who visit it fall in love.
It all started in 2004 when a group of inmates asked the person in charge, Lucía Castellanos, to carry out work activities related to their abilities while they were serving their sentence, since many of them were pizzerias, bakers and waiters. Castellanos, attracted by the proposal, contacted Silvia Polleri, a veteran of the haute cuisine sector, to whom she commissioned the project.
However, the process of opening a restaurant in a prison took time and it was in 2015 when this request materialized thanks to private and public investment.
In this way, the restaurant was born “InGalera”, whose textual translation is “in jail”.
How does the restaurant work inside the prison?
the elegant restaurant Previously it was a meeting room for prison officials and, without a doubt, its transformation has been extreme. At present, the room is decorated in a minimalist way and is adorned with movie posters such as: The Escape from Alcatraz or The Green Mile, films related to the prison, something paradoxically curious. Likewise, the placemats are photographs of famous prisons in the world.
In Galera, is attended by the inmates themselves, which is one of its main attractions. From the waiters to the cooks, everyone is serving a sentence inside the prison, the only external people who work in the place are the chef and the chef who supervise the performance and the quality of the dishes.
Another of the curiosities of this restaurant is that almost all the legumes and vegetables that are served are from the prison garden.
Its opening hours are usually from 12.15:14 p.m. to 19.30:22 p.m. and from XNUMX:XNUMX p.m. to XNUMX:XNUMX p.m., from Tuesday to Saturday and its website offers the possibility of making reservations, and you can even follow all its news through its Facebook fan page.
“In Galera”, an example of reintegration
More than a restaurant, In Galera has become an example to follow for other prisons around the world, as the project allows inmates to reintegrate themselves more effectively into society. In fact, many of those who work at In Galera are selected based on the length of their sentence to help them find their place outside of prison again.
In addition, according to a study it has been shown that the recidivism of former inmates has decreased by 10%, since with the experience of In Galera, they learn to value a job, learn a new trade and also contribute financially to their family, already that they are paid for their work.
So, if you are visiting Milan, do not hesitate to enjoy a different experience, in addition to tasting a good Italian dish at In Galera.