How would you spend the summer if you were a charismatic Italian considered by many to be the world’s No. 1 chef? On the beach in Viareggio? Starring in a reality TV show?

How about battling food waste and hunger around the world?

Earlier this summer, Massimo Bottura, celebrated owner of three-Michelin-starred Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy, opened his third high-end global soup kitchen. That may sound funny, but it’s hard to know how else to describe Mr. Bottura’s “Refettorio” concept.

Now up and running in London, Rio de Janeiro, and Milan, Italy, the Refettorios are designed to turn food that would otherwise have been thrown away into high-end restaurant-quality meals for the hungry.

And the beauty of the concept extends all the way to the décor. Bottura uses his clout to bring in top-notch designers to decorate the buildings. His aim is to allow the hungry and the homeless to “enjoy the pleasure of a beautiful meal in a beautiful place.”

Bottura says he’s looking forward to extending his concept to the United States – a country that annually wastes 40 percent of its food supply – and plans to open the first American Refettorio in the New York borough of the Bronx later this year.

Now, on to our news stories.