ChefWorks grants a forum to chefs to discuss issues in and out of the kitchen that are important to them. Recently, they spoke with Chef Heather Gressett, executive pastry chef at Corner Kitchen and Chestnut in Asheville, N.C. Sustainability was, and always is, on her mind.
From the article:
As our planet grapples with the reality of climate change and dwindling resources, every effort counts. Even though I work as the executive pastry chef at two small businesses, this is a high-waste industry so we need everyone doing what they can. That includes big and small business.
Food waste exists at every stage of preparation – from the food that didn’t make the plate and the food that wasn’t eaten to the unused ingredients that eventually go bad. We can make changes every step of the way. This includes our ordering processes as well as preparation, disposal and even the way we put together our menus.
When I worked in Chicago, I was able to see the incredible level of food waste that accompanied one of the most remarkable restaurant cities in the world — a city that also has a lot of people who go hungry. That’s why I helped found the Chicago Bridge Project, which made it possible for excess food that would have gone to waste at these restaurants to be provided to those most in need.
While you don’t need to start a whole nonprofit to help out (though don’t let me stop you if you want to!), there are many other ways chefs and their restaurants can be more intentional on the path toward sustainability.
