By CHRIS ANDAYA
On November 30, Midwest Sustainability Fellow for Bon Appétit, Elise Kulers, came to Beloit to provide the answer to that question. As Bon Appétit’s Midwest Fellow, Kulers’ job is to travel to different campuses to talk about food systems and what happens behind the scenes of the school’s dining hall.
During her “food waste chat,” Kulers revealed just how much of a problem food waste is. 40% of food is wasted in the US, and the methane released from food waste accounts for 8-10% of global greenhouse gasses. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, 20% of all wasted food in the US is plate waste derived from food service settings.
In order to be sustainable, Bon Appétit has a commitment to reduce company-wide carbon emissions by 38% by 2030. To achieve this goal, Bon Appétit has a four-part plan to practice a low-carbon lifestyle, Kulers explained. By prioritizing plant-based proteins, trimming transportation, avoiding deforestation, and letting landfills become the company’s last resort, Bon Appétit hopes to be able to reach its goal and reduce its carbon footprint.
Food waste prevention starts at the “back of the house,” with the kitchen staff practicing numerous sustainable methods. Their Imperfectly Delicious Produce Program, for example, involves Bon Appétit buying and using produce that would haven’t made it to market simply because of its imperfect shape. The kitchen takes part in root-to-stem/tail-to-snout cooking, as they want to be able to use all parts of the food. Ingredients are also repurposed and preserved.
One interesting method that the kitchen uses to prevent further food waste is the app Waste Not. According to Kuler, Waste Not is a waste-tracking application for chefs. On the app, the chefs can track what types of food are being wasted and why. Bon Appétit can use that data to sniff out any problems that they can solve. For example, if an alarming amount of food is being thrown out due to cross-contamination, then Waste Not can bring attention to the cross-contamination to find out what needs to be done differently.
“Front of house” (or the side that students see) food waste prevention is less concrete. Kuler provided examples of what front-of-house waste prevention could look like: portion guidance, clear communication between the server and served, waste awareness campaigns, and reducing single-use disposables. Beloit already follows most, if not all, of these methods, the only thing left for the school to do is to improve upon them.
“I have a super cool idea about how to prevent food waste,” you say to yourself, “but no one’s going to listen to little old me.” Don’t worry angel, Bon Appétit has you covered. Kulers emphasized that Bon Appétit’s commitment to being more sustainable is not one-sided. They’re constantly looking for student feedback and suggestions, so if you have any ideas, start up a conversation with a Bon Appétit staff member. They’ll be glad to listen.
Featured Image Credit: Environmental Protection Agency
Leave a Reply