Cascina Lago Scuro & Panetteria Rio Dal 1929

In June 2021, I completed a chef’s residency at Cascina Lago Scuro, a biodynamic farm and restaurant in Northern Italy. For one month, I lived and worked on the farm, engaging in every stage of the food cycle—harvesting vegetables, preparing meals in the Cucina, and assisting with cheese production in the Caseificio. This hands-on immersion reawakened my sensory connection to food and grounded my creative practice in a deeper understanding of seasonality, ecology, and place.

Through this residency, I explored traditional farming methods and the preservation of heirloom varieties—learning how biodiversity and ancestral food knowledge are kept alive through daily practice. My time at Lago Scuro emphasized care as a fundamental ingredient: in cultivation, in cooking, and in the relationships between people, land, and nourishment.

This research informed an article I later wrote for MOLD magazine, focusing on Panetteria Rio dal 1929, a bakery in Mantova that uses locally grown, heritage grains and stone-milled flours. The article investigates how regional food traditions and seed stewardship contribute to more resilient and rooted food futures.

Read the full article here.