13-03-2024

'Disobeying is the courage of revolution': Massimo Bottura's message at Identità Milano

The Modenese chef talks in a video from Los Angeles about his thoughts on the theme of the 2024 congress. "Disobeying is the symphony of the soul, which through doubt and research, shapes bold ideas and nourishes the feeling of creativity and innovation"

Massimo Bottura's video from Los Angeles scree

Massimo Bottura's video from Los Angeles screened at Identità Milano 2024

For the first time, Massimo Bottura is not physically present at Identità Milano. Far from Italy, from Los Angeles where he is engaged in a promotional tour of his new book, he explains in a video what disobedience means for him. Sacha Noam Baron Cohen and JR, who also joined from Los Angeles together with the Modenese chef, supported the speech and emphasised how it is the perfect analysis of radical creativity in all its forms. (Francesca Feresin)

Revolutions originate from disobedience.

From the doubt that there is a better solution, from the thought that leads us to say no, from the revolutionary gesture of creatively stepping outside the box, that is: disobeying. That doubt fuels the engine of research and thus of creativity.

Disobeying is tiring. It means consuming energy. Saying no. Nurturing doubt. Being courageous. Being curious. Having a goal to achieve. Inventing solutions, aspiring to change things... Refusing to uncritically follow a line drawn by others, asking questions even though we know we have no answers yet. Researching. On the contrary, copying, emulating, homologating means obeying. It means accepting the ideas of others, surrendering. This you must never do.

Researching is positive disobedience, it is nurturing doubt, it is investing new energy.

DISOBEYING means having the courage of revolution, seeking an answer in the idea, in the message, and many times it is essential to be aware of the path. It is important along this path to be able to know how to do everything, with ingredients, technique, palate, which however does not mean having the obligation to implement everything at the same time and at the highest volume, because sometimes an excess of technique, of acrobatics, leads to self-satisfaction as an end in itself, with the result of losing the idea, losing the guide and finding oneself a guest of the things you know and have learnt.

Disobedience, the vehicle of revolutions, thus becomes the epicentre of a dance between culture, knowledge and awareness. It is the symphony of the soul, which through doubt and research, shapes bold ideas and nurtures the feeling of creativity and innovation.

 

Translated into English by Slawka G. Scarso


IG2024: the disobedience

by

Massimo Bottura

Born in Modena in 1962, he opened Osteria Francescana in 1995, earning 3 Michelin stars (2011) and the first place in the World's Fifty Best (2016 and 2018). He founded Food for Soul, and opened Refettori in Milan, Bologna, Modena, Rio de Janeiro, Paris, LondonHe's the author of best-seller "Never trust a skinny chef" and of "Bread is Gold", both published by Phaidon

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