The power of food waste reduction lies in the hands of individuals and households, and this is what a recent gathering at St George’s Restaurant in Havelock North showcased. On Wednesday night, twenty people gathered to learn from owner and head chef Francky Godinho about his approach to making the most of the food he uses.
Godinho, a two-time NZ Chef of the Year, is no stranger to sustainability. He grows 90% of the restaurant’s produce himself, showcasing his commitment to reducing his environmental footprint.
Food Waste: A Growing Concern
- Every Bite, a four-week programme run by Sustainable Hawke’s Bay, aims to reduce household food waste by 10%.
- The programme is designed to help households become more food resourceful and reduce food waste.
- According to Michelle Kang, community education lead at Sustainable Hawke’s Bay, the programme aims to reduce household food waste by 10%, saving people money and reducing greenhouse gases.
"In New Zealand in general, we are wasting about 130,000 tonnes of food a year, 60% of which is still considered edible," said Kang.
"That’s about 86kg of food per household, equating to $1326 per household per year of perfectly edible food going to the landfill," she added.
The Approach of Sustainable Food Systems
"I think a lot of households just don’t understand the waste problem," said Godinho.
"For us, it’s all about good food, sustainability, that’s the main focus here, and that saves us money also, and we want to share these ideas with everyone," he said.
"A great example is a lot of bread goes to waste but, before it turns to mould, you can simply stick it in the oven and just crush it and it becomes breadcrumbs, then you don’t have to buy breadcrumbs. It’s all about how you look at it."
"The cost is there, but you don’t have to go to the doctors very often, so it equals out," said Godinho.
"It’s all about how you look at it - if you can save some money here and there by using more of the food that you’ve already paid for instead of throwing it out, that’s $1000 [saved] by the end of the year at least," he said.
Food Waste Reduction Strategies
Godinho served the crowd a vegetable risotto that he said was easy to make with lots of leftover vegetables.
He topped this up with crispy chicken from Bostock Organic chicken, which he praised, saying healthier organic meat led to healthier people, despite a higher cost.
| Example of food waste reduction strategy | Sticking bread in the oven to make breadcrumbs | Example of cost savings | $1000 saved by the end of the year |
"The whole idea is how to sustain themselves with what they may already have," said Godinho.
"How to make that food last longer, stretch their budget, save some money, and be creative with meals at home," he added.
The Every Bite Programme
The next Every Bite event is at Casa Ahuriri in Napier, an Italian restaurant known for traditional recipes using local ingredients, on Tuesday, May 6, at 6pm.
"In New Zealand in general, we are wasting about 130,000 tonnes of food a year, 60% of which is still considered edible," said Kang.
"That’s about 86kg of food per household, equating to $1326 per household per year of perfectly edible food going to the landfill," she added.
"I think a lot of households just don’t understand the waste problem," said Godinho.
"For us, it’s all about good food, sustainability, that’s the main focus here, and that saves us money also, and we want to share these ideas with everyone," he said.
"A great example is a lot of bread goes to waste but, before it turns to mould, you can simply stick it in the oven and just crush it and it becomes breadcrumbs, then you don’t have to buy breadcrumbs.
