Perche

As most of you probably know, central Italy was devastated by an earthquake a few days ago. Three towns were essentially leveled, including Amatrice. You all probably know that pasta all'amatriciana is one of Italy's most famous dishes.

Over 600 restaurants across Italy will now donate two euros to relief efforts for every plate of pasta amatriciana sold. Some are even donating 100% of the money. The list of restaurants doing is growing so fast that it's not possible to provide it, but you should be able to see it or ask about it if you are currently on vacation in Italy. This will vary by restaurant, but will probably last about a month.

http://www.bloggokin.it/amatrice.pdf

In the USA, all Mario Batali restaurants are donating $5 for every plate of Amatriciana. In NY Marta, Maialino, Ristorante Raffle, are donating as well. Tarallucci e Vino and Il Buco and Il Buco Alimentary in NYC are donating 100% of the proceeds.

http://gothamist.com/2016/08/25/nyc_...taly_quake.php

In LA, La Bruschetta, Osteria Mamma, Osteria Monza, Pasta Sisters, Sotto Los Angeles, and Anaheim White House are participating. Anaheim White House be offering spaghetti all’amatriciana for $10, with 100% of the sales to benefit the Italian kids of Amatrice affected by the earthquake.

Restaurants in Chicago, Miam, and Philadelphia are also doing it.

http://www.foodandwine.com/chefs/twi...13-restaurants

obscure2k

Thanks, Perche for posting this valuable information.^

obscure2k

Add Toscana in Los Angeles to that list.

PWMTrav

You could also just donate your ten bucks directly to the Italian Red Cross here:

http://www.cri.it/home

Just use the box on the right side of the page. You don't get a meal in exchange, but your money goes a lot closer to the front lines quickly. Forgive me if I don't trust the American restaurant industry to properly account for and remit funds. The industry is not exactly a bastion of financial integrity.

Perche

Yes, but everybody knows that you can donate to the Red Cross, every day, with or without an earthquake. A fundraiser works. I can't even look at those pictures still, without crying. Nothing will be 100% honest, but I don't think the mafia is behind the effort of restaurateurs attempts to help Amatrice.

PWMTrav

Nobody said anything about organized crime. You just have to look at the way the restaurant industry is run. Batali's restaurant group itself was just in the middle of a tip skimming issue - it settled so we can argue the merits (or not), but I have to wonder how much of the $5 is left by the time it gets to the front lines.

Perche

I don't agree. People like to feel like they are doing something by participating. All over Italy, including Venice hundreds of miles from Amatrice the chandeliers started shaking at 3:30 AM. Every day, in every town across the country in Italy now they are having, "amatriciana solidale," or Solidarity with Amatrice, a town that is no more. There are bake-offs, with restaurants having kitchens out in the street, donating every euro that is made. Maybe someone will skim off a few dollars, it happens even from the church plate, but this is an honest effort by wounded and haunted people that should not be discredited.

PWMTrav

Restaurants in the US are run a little differently, I'm not talking about efforts in Italy that I would absolutely presume to be genuine. In any case, you don't have to agree with me, that's fine. It's just another option for those who might happen to agree to donate to the efforts. Whatever works for people, it's nice to help out.

Finkface

Mr. Fink is home in Italy at the moment. While his town was not affected, it is heartbreaking what those people are going through. It is devastating.

Perche

In 2009 in Aquila (Italian word for eagle) of similar magnitude, 6.2, left a similar amount dead, and a similar amount displaced. Aquila is famous for Francis of Assisi. Seven years later, most of this people are still living in a tent. Advertising is the way that they get people to buy cars, groceries, and just about everything else you see in a typical shopping cart. If they are promoting pasta for Amatrice to get more people to donate, it's just like any other fund raiser or petition. "Donate to the Red Cross for earthquake victims in Italy" is not going to move anybody to donate. But the street scenes I'm hearing about, where restaurants are giving out meals from the street, will increase awareness and donations. Of course there will always be a scammer. But donate to the Red Cross doesn't move anybody. At least a thousand restaurants across Italy and the USA who have set up shop to serve pasta all'amitriciana will. I'm negotiating with Olive Garden, a restaurant chain in the USA where I would never set foot, to set up a special pasta amatriciana menu right now. I think my chances are about 10% based in how corporate it is, but Im trying.

Giggleswick

A bit OT, but was that an editing mistake? Or is there really some connection between St. Francis and L'Aquila? Assisi had its own bad earthquake of course, about ten or twelve years before the one in L'Aquila.

Perche

Correction taken. I was just sitting in Olive Garden and going from bare memory, hoping to get the local store to offer pasta all'amatriciana.

mromalley

Also Jamie Olivers Italian restaurant in the UK is donating for each plate of amatriciana.

TWA884

It's Osteria Mozza, which is co-owned by Mario Batali; there is no Osteria Monza in the Los Angeles area.

Perche

And I just had another sit down with the Olive Garden folks, so who knows.