(P)art  > COSMOBISTROT - REBOOT

11/2025

COSMOBISTROT 2016 – 2026 REBOOT
An incredible 10 years later, we are returning to where it all began:
the MANIFATTURE KNOS in Lecce.
In 2016, Jules Ngadamndamoun Pambain, Arcenio Bila Pignoni, and me organized the first big festival for citizens of the world. The venue for this unique event was KNOS, the renowned cultural center for sociocultural and experimental arts in Lecce. Sixteen ethnic groups/cuisines, street food from all over the world, a children’s play program, an African-Asian street market, and four live concerts by international bands made up of migrants, with around 3,000 guests: a promising start.
The festival was intended as a kick-off for COSMO—a multicultural, cosmoculinary restaurant that we had been working on for a good two years. Because we had asked Cuisine sans Frontières for support, Martin Roth also came to the festival at the time.
However, we failed due to insurmountable bureaucratic and financial hurdles, but we didn’t let that get us down and eventually ended up with the project at CROCEVIA, the clubhouse of CAMERA A SUD. Our new concept was now called COSMOBISTROT.
The images beside show you all the festive dinners we have organized since then – all the flyers and posters we have communicated. In 2024, when we had to do this without the help of Cuisine sans frontières, we organized APERICOSMO in a pared-down “tapas format” so as not to let our now good reputation fade away.
And now, at the end of 2025, we decided to pick up where it all began: at KNOS. A few weeks ago, we gave up CROCEVIA, the former clubhouse of CAMAERA A SUD in Lecce. Various reasons, which made our work there increasingly complicated, prompted us to take this step. But with the prospect of resuming our association and Cosmo activities at KNOS, this step was given new impetus and a fresh creative energy.
Because continuing COSMOBISTROT and becoming part of KNOS
has many advantages for our work:
> We can share an infrastructure that allows for more supporting programs.
> We can access a much larger space and adapt it flexibly to the event, either indoors or outdoors.
> And above all, we can finally offer our guest chefs a well-equipped, professional kitchen!

We are delighted to announce that we will be resuming our COSMOBISTROT activities at KNOS.
We are looking forward to welcoming you again soon!