Two Chicago restaurateurs on Friday announced an unprecedented partnership with the Vatican to open a restaurant at a former papal retreat outside of Rome under the leadership of Pope Leo XIV.

Celebrity chef Art Smith and restaurateur Phil Stefani will helm the unnamed establishment at Borgo Laudato Si’, a 135-acre ecology project consisting of gardens, farmland, a marketplace and more, in the village of Castel Gandolfo.

Stefani, Mayor Brandon Johnson and other prominent figures attended a watch party, where they viewed a livestream as Pope Leo XIV inaugurated the project. Borgo Laudato Si,' a "zero environmental impact" complex that fulfills Pope Francis' goal of promoting ecology education, will offer a variety of programs, retreats for business leaders and more.

Its restaurant, whic

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