THE PEOPLE
BEHIND
THE WORK.

For Walter el Nagar, cooking is a political act. Since 2020, he has led initiatives that confront inequality, waste and exclusion through gastronomy. From Refettorio Geneva, where fine-dining-quality meals are served free of charge to people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity every weekday, to the Rapid Relief Kitchen, a mobile unit supporting communities in crisis, his work brings culinary innovation together with systemic critique.

In 2024, he co-founded Good Food For All – EU, formally incorporated in Brussels in January 2025. The organisation leads the European Citizens’ Initiative “Food Is a Human Right for All!”, launched in January 2026. As its strategic coordinator, he works to advance food systems rooted in justice, dignity and sovereignty across Europe.

His practice spans food aid, policy reform and cultural production. He has participated at the United Nations General Assembly, co-hosted forums on democratic participation, and collaborated with artists, institutions and grassroots movements to reclaim food as a commons, not a commodity.

This trajectory began in the kitchen. Born in Milan in 1981 to an Italian mother and an Egyptian father, both of whom worked in local restaurants, he never attended culinary school: he taught himself. He has always worked with what was at hand, from scraps to systems.

In 2008, a trip to Los Angeles introduced him to Latin American cuisine and prompted him to open his first restaurant, The Barbershop. A world tour followed in 2016, with a nomadic pop-up travelling through Barcelona, Ibiza, Moscow, Tulum and Singapore. After a short stint in Dubai, he settled in Geneva in 2017, where he led Fiskebar.

He went on to found Le Cinquième Jour, a restaurant that dedicated its Saturdays to feeding people excluded from the usual dining room: refugees, people experiencing homelessness and vulnerable teenagers. That experiment in hospitality and solidarity laid the foundations for MATER Fondazione.

He has never stopped cooking. But what he cooks for has changed: not only to nourish, but to resist.

After many years in the restaurant industry, Anne-Marie found new purpose in the social commitment of Refettorio Geneva.

Originally from Santos, Brazil, Márcio built a career in intellectual property and business litigation, including partnership roles at established law firms. His academic training includes postgraduate study in contracts and a master's degree from the University of Strasbourg.

After two decades in legal practice, he moved to Geneva and trained as a sommelier. MATER's commitment to universal access to good food drew him into the foundation's work, where he brings legal experience and a methodical approach.

Originally from Bulgaria, Nelly has made Geneva her home. As a Senior Data Analyst at the Aga Khan Development Network, she has worked on research spanning communities in Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Asia.

She brings that commitment to evidence-based social impact to MATER, working alongside the local community partners at the heart of Refettorio Geneva.

Born in Geneva to Egyptian-Lebanese roots, Wagih worked as a teacher of French literature at the University of Geneva and later taught French in secondary education.

His interests span literature, music, theatre, art and gastronomy. Having learned about the creation of Refettorio Geneva, he resolved to volunteer after retirement. His connection to MATER brings together culture, food and social responsibility.