Latest news with #LosMuertosCrew
IOL News
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Cooking up connections: how a New York restaurant is preserving grandmothers' recipes and healing hearts
In Scaravella's words: 'Every dish has a story. And those stories keep people alive, even long after they're gone. Image: Los Muertos Crew /pexels Growing up, I never had much of a relationship with my grandmother. Yet watching my mom pour love, laughter and gentle discipline into my daughter has quietly healed something in me. Suddenly, all the stories about gogos (grandmothers), their warmth, their love, their quiet power started making sense. That's why when I saw a viral Instagram post shared by thishowthingswork about Enoteca Maria, a New York restaurant that hires real grandmothers, not chefs, to cook in its kitchen, it stopped me in my scroll. It wasn't just a sweet gimmick; it was a comforting reminder of how food, family and memory can keep us stitched together, even across oceans and generations. A table set by love and loss Enoteca Maria isn't your usual trendy New York spot. Opened in 2007 by Joe 'Jody' Scaravella, the restaurant began as a tribute to the two women who taught him the language of love through food: his Nonna Domenica and his mother Maria. Scaravella, 70, told "TIME" magazine: 'This is not a restaurant. It walks like a restaurant, smells like a restaurant, talks like a restaurant, but it's not. It's a cultural exchange.' After losing his grandfather, father, mother, grandmother, and sister in quick succession, Scaravella fell into a deep depression. He used part of his inheritance to buy a storefront on a quiet Staten Island street, near the St. George Theatre. His vision was to fill the space with the same warmth, stubborn pride, and homemade recipes that had once filled his childhood kitchen. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Grandmothers behind the stove Scaravella didn't want professional chefs; he wanted real grandmothers, each carrying family recipes shaped by memory, migration, and maternal love. He placed an ad, and soon, grandmothers from every corner of the world responded. At Enoteca Maria today, half the menu is consistently Italian. The other half changes daily, shaped by whichever grandmother is cooking that night. From Nonna Diana's Mexican dishes to Sri Lankan curries or Senegalese stews, each meal becomes a living history lesson. Scaravella explained to "The New York Times", 'They're taking what their mother taught them to make, what their grandmother taught them to make, and every time these ladies are in the kitchen, you have all of this culture coming out of their fingertips.' This idea goes beyond nostalgia. Food anthropologist Dr Krishnendu Ray, chair of Nutrition and Food Studies at NYU, notes that recipes passed through generations act as 'archives of memory'. They're living proof that our identities aren't just built on what we eat, but how we share it. That sharing can heal, too. According to a study in "Appetite", cooking family recipes with loved ones can reduce loneliness and strengthen intergenerational bonds, something Scaravella's restaurant embodies every single night. Beyond dining, Enoteca Maria hosts free cooking classes where guests can learn directly from the grandmothers. Scaravella dreams of building an online community where anyone, anywhere, can share and preserve their family's recipes. According to a study in Appetite, cooking family recipes with loved ones can reduce loneliness and strengthen intergenerational bonds, something Scaravella's restaurant embodies every single night. Image: olia danilevich/pexels On screen and in spirit This remarkable story even inspired a Netflix movie, "Nonnas", released in May this year. Although I haven't seen it yet, it's definitely on my binge list now because of Vince Vaughn. Vaughn plays Scaravella, while Susan Sarandon, Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire, and Brenda Vaccaro bring the grandmothers to life. But behind the Hollywood sparkle, the film honours something deeply human: how food can keep us connected to people we've lost, and to those still beside us. Watching my mom bake with my daughter, giggling over too much flour on the counter, I see what Scaravella saw. Grandmothers carry more than recipes; they carry stories, lessons, and gentle reminders of who we are. In our culture, we call them gogo or oomakhulu, guardians of memory, laughter, and sometimes stubbornness too. Whether in a New York kitchen or a village home in the Eastern Cape, their love tastes the same: patient, warm and deeply healing. Enoteca Maria isn't just about food. It's about reminding us that growing older shouldn't mean becoming invisible. And those family recipes, much like family stories, are most powerful when shared around a crowded table. In Scaravella's words: 'Every dish has a story. And those stories keep people alive, even long after they're gone.'
IOL News
15-07-2025
- Health
- IOL News
Urology Hospital offers free life-changing procedures for public patients this Mandela Month
Access to urologists and modern technology is often out of reach for many, yet early treatment can drastically improve outcomes. Image: Los Muertos Crew/ Pexels Annually on July 18, individuals worldwide and across South Africa observe Nelson Mandela International Day by dedicating 67 minutes to acts of community service and kindness, honouring his remarkable legacy. These 67 minutes commemorate each year of Mandela's relentless struggle for justice, equality, and human rights. However, at the Urology Hospital in Pretoria, a significant initiative is proving that Mandela Day can catalyse long-term change in men's health, especially regarding prostate cancer treatment. This Mandela Month, Urology Hospital in Pretoria, Africa's only Urology Centre, is doing exactly that. From July 14 to 18, the hospital's doctors and staff will open their theatres to perform free life-changing urological procedures for men from public hospitals who have often been waiting for months for the chance to receive this level of care. Now in its third consecutive year, the Mandela Week Surgical Marathon is a partnership between Urology Hospital and African Synergy Health (ASH), a non-profit organisation working to close South Africa's healthcare gap. Together, they are proving that Mandela Day is more than a moment; it can be a movement. Why prostate cancer can't wait 'Prostate cancer remains the most diagnosed cancer among South African men,' explains Dr Dirk Ligthelm of Urology Hospital. 'Many patients rely on the public sector and often wait a long time for specialised care. For us, using our skills to offer timely treatment during Mandela Week is deeply meaningful.' Statistics from the National Cancer Registry show that prostate cancer accounts for around one in five of all male cancers diagnosed in the country. Early treatment can drastically improve outcomes, but access to urologists and modern technology is often out of reach for many. That's where Urology Hospital comes in. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Statistics from the National Cancer Registry show that prostate cancer accounts for around one in five of all male cancers diagnosed in the country. Image: Alex Green/pexels With more than 12 years' experience in robotic surgery and being the first in South Africa to introduce the da Vinci robotic system, the hospital combines advanced technology with a compassionate, patient-centred approach. The road to free care: how patients are chosen Some might wonder: can anyone walk in and get free treatment during Mandela Week? The short answer is no. All patients are identified and referred by African Synergy Health, which works closely with public hospitals to find those who most urgently need urological procedures but have limited access. 'This ensures that help goes to those who truly need it most, says Dr Francois Boezaart of Urology Hospital. Our doctors feel deeply connected to this mission. Mandela Day is a chance to do what we do best, but for those who usually wouldn't have the chance.' Interested patients or referring clinicians must contact African Synergy Health directly to understand eligibility and referral processes. What can patients expect: Healing with dignity When selected patients arrive at Urology Hospital, they're welcomed by a dedicated team of doctors, nurses, and support staff who treat every person with the respect, compassion, and attention they deserve. The process is smooth and supportive. Pre-operative assessments to ensure readiness. State-of-the-art procedures (with 12 years of robotic surgery experience, the hospital was the first in South Africa to introduce the da Vinci robotic system). Personalised post-op care and follow-up, so healing continues long after Mandela Week ends. While the Mandela Week Surgical Marathon spotlights this effort, giving back isn't new for Urology Hospital. Over the years, the hospital has supported multiple NGOs and community projects, showing that healthcare excellence and social responsibility can and should go hand in hand. This is in line with a global shift in healthcare: more hospitals and clinics are realising that true wellness isn't only about technology or skill, but also about empathy, access and advocacy. 'We can't solve every challenge, but we can change someone's life. And that's worth doing.'
