A shared feeling, a true flavour

Folivi Kokoevi has always been cooking, all day, every day. She learned in Togo and continued in Milan, where she now coordinates the kitchen of a unique catering and collective dining service. It is called M’ama Food and exists thanks to the Farsi Prossimo cooperative.

«Sometimes, someone comes in and is not in the mood for jokes. I love joking, but everyone is different. If it is not the right day, I can immediately sense it and keep to myself. I do not want arguments here: we are a team, and we must put ourselves in each other’s shoes. And get the dishes ready on time». Besides ingredients, the kitchen needs to blend people together—above all, people. Folivi Kokoevi excels at both. It is a natural talent, but she hones it daily as the head of a kitchen in the heart of Milan’s Greco district. Her way of “keeping to herself” is not about shutting doors, but rather about looking at others with an open mind, ready to move beyond a single perspective and taste the flavours of the world. Travelling is not necessary for this: welcome to M’ama Food, your catering from the world.

We are “from the world”

«Do not write “ethnic”, we do not want it to be defined that way. It is different», Rocco Festa from Farsi Prossimo, clarifies, explaining that they mix many different traditions in the same dish, creating new flavours. This is not a detail or coincidence, nor a convenient choice or compromise, but rather a deliberate way to encourage listening, both for those preparing the dish and for those tasting it. Harnessing the power of food to break down language barriers, this project began 15 years ago as a spontaneous experiment in a reception centre run by the Municipality of Milan for refugee women. It started as a cooking workshop to foster the integration of women arriving from different countries and carrying painful, yet distinct, stories—some persecuted, some abused, others fleeing war. What brought them closer was the idea of preparing and sharing their traditional dishes for a celebration with over 70 guests. The event’s success then evolved into a structured initiative that, who knows, may one day even become economically self-sustaining.

From debut to everyday work

«For most of the women hosted, who were used to cooking for large families in their home countries, food turned out to be the key to reclaiming their dignity», says Festa.

«Solidarity catering has given many of them the opportunity to train, build new connections, and at the same time, cultivate their own culture through the knowledge they grew up with».

With the enthusiasm of a kitchen’s first steps and the attention Milan gives to local innovations, M’ama Food’s first year was very positive. The challenge came with maintaining continuity after the initial phase. Gaining the approval of those beyond the circle of the “already convinced”.

The first step was to structure both the kitchen and the team. Just in time, one might say, given the surge in demand during Expo 2015, which was held in Milan. «It gave us a significant boost, but we knew we could not rely on it forever», Festa explains. «So, we sat down to figure out how to make M’ama Food last».

A revenue that tastes good

It was clear that this was not just about balancing the books. Turning a successful experiment driven by enthusiasm into a project capable of standing on its own indefinitely required a drastic shift. Moving beyond the purely non-profit model meant embracing another world: the world of business.

It was not just about acquiring business skills, but also about finding people who wanted to support a project like M’ama Food—and whom M’ama Food wanted to bring on board.  

Saying yes to business professionals, welcoming them in, and letting them take a seat at the table to co-run the project was no simple step. Nor was it the only one taken by the cooperative. Expanding into the collective catering—a sector where, as Kokoevi points out, «beauty matters less, but thousands of dishes are served»—proved vital during the Covid-19 lockdown for her and the entire team.

Being open to a new field made M’ama Food pandemic-proof, and today, the entire team can look ahead, dreaming of bigger centres and new dishes to experiment with, ideally using ingredients that are sustainable both environmentally and socially.

Cooking diversity

In fact, a new centre is already on the way. Festa reveals that one is being established in Milan to replace an existing one. It will allow the project to grow collectively, just as it has helped so many individuals grow personally—helping them integrate, gain financial independence, and regain self-confidence. Some have acquired new skills, while others have strengthened existing ones, just as Kokoevi did. «In Togo, I attended hospitality school before arriving in Italy in 2012. Here, I learned the language through the Cooperative’s school for six months and took my middle school exams», she recounts. «Then, as soon as I heard about this project through my husband, I joined».

Her voice sparkles with passion as she describes her days in the kitchen. «As the head of one of the two kitchens, I start at 6 every morning, alone. As soon as I arrive, I begin preparing various foods, starting with those that need cooling», she explains. «Then, the other head chef arrives, and gradually, everyone else. I cook all day, then when I get home, I cook again for my family».

«But I love cooking—it is my life. Food is life, daily existence, sharing».

When I ask about her favourite dishes, Kokoevi hesitates, mentioning lasagne and risotto—confident, yet without the enthusiasm she reserves for her own foufou, delighted that I know what it is. I do not tell her that I have only tasted the Ghanaian version—I am aware it is a dish of rivalry, as different versions exist across many African countries. I do not want to lose our connection, so I steer the conversation back to kitchen life.

«There are eight of us, and each person is different. I have learned to accept this, just as I have learned to read people’s faces and sense how their day is going», she explains.

«Misunderstandings happen—perhaps a dish’s flavour is stronger or milder than expected, or an ingredient runs out earlier than planned—but these are all problems that can be solved through dialogue and listening». Especially with newcomers, the latter is crucial. Kokoevi offers plenty of it, and she is open to suggestions for new recipes—dishes not on the menu but often deeply embedded in the memories of those who have left their distant homelands. First, she evaluates them—listens to them, in fact—and then decides whether they can be introduced, perhaps through catering, where experimentation is easier since there are fewer dishes and customers are often eager to try something new. «Rice pudding is a dessert that often pops up in Milan», she says. I think of the similarity with risotto—the yellow one that pairs with ossobuco in traditional Lombard cuisine. I smile but keep the comparison to myself. In a professional chef like Kokoevi and her team, I doubt it would meet with much consensus.

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