Salvo Campanella joins IMHAR as first chef with disability

Salvo Campanella, a chef who became paraplegic following a workplace accident, has officially joined the International Maîtres Association Hotel Restaurant (IMHAR) Sicilian regional committee. He is the first member with a disability to be admitted to the professional association.

The induction ceremony took place in Palermo at a property confiscated from the mafia and managed by the Consorzio Network dei Talenti. This location is being utilized to develop a culinary project that includes a kitchen and takeout service designed to foster employment opportunities for individuals with physical and psychological disabilities.

Campanella expressed that the recognition serves as a milestone to break down barriers between disability and the catering industry. The project at the site will also host the International Center for Mediterranean Nutrition (C.E.I.A.M.), aiming to combine professional culinary standards with social inclusion.