SHOW / EPISODE

Food and Connection Series: Cooking Behind Bars with Chef Bruno Abate (Recipe for Change)

1h 6m | Sep 9, 2026

Rehabilitation through Food is on the table today! 

On the final episode of our Food and Connection series, Ashley sits down with Chef Bruno Abate. Bruno is an Italian chef, restaurateur, and founder of Recipe for Change, a nonprofit organization that uses culinary education to support rehabilitation and create new opportunities for people who are incarcerated.

Bruno joins us to share the story behind Recipe for Change and the personal experience that inspired him to begin working with incarcerated youth. He opens up about the work he does inside the jail, where participants learn professional cooking skills, earn food safety certifications, work together in a kitchen, and prepare meals and pizzas. 

Together, Ashley and Bruno explore what it means to truly rehabilitate rather than simply punish, and how something as simple as treating our incarcerated population with dignity, and equipping them with a chef's toolkit can change lives. 

Learn more about Recipe for Change

Follow Recipe for Change on Instagram.

Donate to Recipe for Change.  

Read Dostoyevsky

Follow On the Table with Ashley on Instagram and TikTok.

On the Table with Ashley is presented by Âme Atendre, a luxury home goods and tableware brand with a mission to connect people to all that matters.

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