A worldly spirit and the winds of humanity: that’s what breezes through Refettorio, the sustainable socially inclusive restaurant in Geneva that has moved in to QUARTET. And what better ambassador for this success story than Walter el Nagar, who ticks all the boxes on both the world map and that of the heart?  

If Walter were one of the four elements, he would be fire. Is it the volcano his childhood village lies in that has turned his blood to lava? Or was it the warmth of the bonds with his grandmother, mother, and sister that turned his ideas into effusions? One thing is for sure: the flames of Italy and of humanity warmed him when he was still a bambino. Born in 1981 to an Egyptian father and an Italian mother – both restauranteurs – he loved getting his hands dirty and lending a hand wherever he could.  

Called to broader horizons

In 2008, the world beckoned, and Walter left his homeland: Norway; the United States; Mexico; Moscow; Singapore; Barcelona; Ibiza, Dubai... Using flavours as his cardinal axes, and following this inner compass leads him to falling in love with South American cuisine, to developing a pop-up restaurant concept in Singapore, using what he had learned in Los Angeles – in short: allowing himself to be immersed in the beauty of other places! 

Of all these adventures, which story immediately springs to mind for him? That of an establishment he had to leave precipitously after defending an 80-year-old man. “There, he was being asked to wash the dishes! That's unthinkable for me – in Italy, we look after octogenarians!” These peregrinations certainly bring him a wealth of deeply meaningful experiences – as well as a fair share of nicknames, like “The Colonel” and “Mad Chef” – monikers he never sought to create or keep, but that follow him, nonetheless. A reflection, perhaps, of his slightly rebellious character?

At the heart of the ecosystem of empathy

In 2017, he settles in the city of international humanitarianism; indeed, the City of Calvin also burns with an inner fire: that of empathy. As the headquarters of international organisations and birthplace of the International Committee of the Red Cross, it is a logical choice when the “Mad Chef” opens “Le Cinquième jour” (a well-known restaurant in Geneva), then co-creates the Mater Fondazione and the Refettorio to help as many disadvantaged people as possible.  

Guided by 3 founding principles (the value of hospitality, the power of beauty, and the quality of ideas), this place – open to the homeless, to poor students, and to anyone else left behind – offers paid meals at lunchtime which then fund free meals in the evening for vulnerable people.

And it works. In 2023, more meals were offered than sold: 9,814 compared to 7,847. Five tonnes of food products were recovered, and 130 volunteers were able to receive training in gastronomy or get involved in neighbourhood life! But for this sensitive Mad Chef, the most beautiful story goes well beyond the numbers: one day, a homeless person and Refettorio regular came in and exclaimed: “This is the last time I'm coming here... I've found a job!” 

A neighbourhood close to the people

And for this place  at the crossroads of life, what better location than QUARTET, in Geneva's Charmilles district? Because it brings people together, it is part of a lively, eclectic neighbourhood where nationalities and ages converge, and because this location is ideal for accomplishing the mission Refettorio set for itself, guided by its north star of humanity: to be as close as possible to the people. And then, jokes Walter, “with a distillery, a café, an artisan ice-cream maker, our restaurant, a ramen restaurant... QUARTET has all the potential of becoming a food court! It’s the stuff of dreams!”