On Sunday, October 4, the day of St. Francis, the Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral, at 263 Mulberry Street, hosted From Earth to Food, a path of food education and sensorial exploration conceived by Casa Bondi 1926. The presence of the group in New York was made possible by the generosity of Fr Luigi Portarulo, vicar of the cathedral, who allowed and accepted the proposal of the organizers to come from Italy to dedicate themselves to the community of the Old St. Patrick’s right on the day of the saint.
The program included at 10:45 Sensory Journey, at 12:00 Holy Mass and at 13:15 community lunch.
The Canticle of Creature, the organizers explained, is the lighthouse that guides the project to appreciate the beauty of creation, its perfumes and its products. The recall had a particular weight in 2026, the eight hundredth anniversary of the death of St. Francis: the presentation of the project traces back to the Franciscan tradition the principle of simplicity and care for the essential and raw material.
The format brings the signature of Antonella Bondi, architect and olfactory designer, concept developer of the project, with the support of her sister Francesca Bondi, a woman of great talent, operational coordinator. In Italy it is designed to activate itself in schools, speakers and institutional contexts through Design Gastro Diplomacy, a method that uses food, gesture and design to transform sensory knowledge into dialogue between cultures. The ritual described in the presentation is divided into three moments: the offer of bread and water, universal symbols of home, equality and sharing; the diffusion of fragrance on this neutral basis; and the shared memory, in which the commensal breathes and savors together with others, at the same level. For middle and upper schools there is a four-unit route, from land to ingredient to food, territory and memory.
The edible fragrance kit offered a sensorial journey between the flavors of the Mediterranean Diet: panettone, tomato leaf, bergamot of Reggio Calabria, blackberries and freshly baked pizza. The kit flanked the cookies, in the savory versions, cacio and pepper and panettone: 1,200 were prepared, entirely by hand and one by one, by the team led by Fabio Longhin of the Pastry Chiara of Olgiate Olona, who reached the third generation with Rebecca and chef Giovanni Raillo.
The project also includes a module dedicated to Longevity, edited by Master Heinz Beck, which aims to promote a healthy lifestyle to allow each one to live better and longer.
Among others, Carlotta Alice Bianchi of Boing Design, The Rebirth of the Tennis Ball, creator of the Boing session developed with the Studio Renzo Piano, Arch. Joost Moolhuijzen, Mark Richardson, president of Journey in Italy, The Grand Tour, educator and pedagogist Elisabetta Beatrice Bianchi, Andrea Pozzi, of the Department of Languages, Literature and Culture On the inn of the event appeared among the brands Casa Bondi 1926, the Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral, I’mpasta, Fondazione Diet Mediterranea, Boing Design, Ferrarelle, Galleria Boragno and De Cecco.
The next event to celebrate all together with the community of Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral with Fr Luigi, the feast of Epiphany with perfumes, flavors and socks under the fireplace brought during the night from the Befana of Italy to New York.
L’articolo From Earth to Food, a sensory journey to Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral on St. Francis’ day comes from IlNewyorkese.
