With grocery prices still climbing and sustainability top of mind, there’s never been a better time to rethink what we’re throwing away. Enter Chef Kory Dipucchio of Compass Group Canada, who’s turning everyday scraps—think broccoli stems and leftover veggies—into seriously craveable dishes. Ahead of Stop Food Waste Day, we caught up with Kory to talk practical kitchen tips, easy swaps, and how a little creativity can save you money (and make dinner way more interesting). —Noa Nichol
Stop Food Waste Day is marking its 10th anniversary—why do you think this issue feels more relevant than ever right now?
In Canada, households waste more than $1,300 worth of food each year (about a bag of groceries every week) at a time when food costs are rising and many families are feeling the strain. Beyond the financial impact, food waste also means wasting the water, energy, and labour used to produce it. It’s not just about sustainability; it’s about being more mindful with what we already have.
That’s exactly why Stop Food Waste Day was launched by Compass Group in 2017. What started as a single day to raise awareness has grown into a global movement, and this year marks its 10th anniversary. At Compass Group Canada, reducing food waste is part of how we operate every day, across our kitchens, teams, and communities.
While the day is an important reminder, the goal goes beyond just one moment. It’s about helping people build simple, lasting habits that reduce waste all year long. Even small shifts, like planning meals a bit better, checking what’s already in the fridge, or using up leftovers before they go to waste, can make a real difference over time.
The stat that 41% of food waste in Canada is avoidable is pretty striking—what are the biggest mistakes you see home cooks making?
Much of that avoidable waste comes down to everyday habits. People often don’t know how to make the most of what they already have, leading to that familiar feeling of having a full fridge but “nothing to eat.” Overbuying, not checking what’s on hand, and letting leftovers go unused all contribute.
The good news is that small, practical changes like meal planning, using ingredients creatively, and staying mindful of what’s in your kitchen, can make a big difference for both your wallet and the environment. That’s exactly what we’re highlighting through Stop Food Waste Day, simple ways Canadians can waste less in their everyday routines.
To help bring this to life, we’ve also put together a cookbook featuring recipes from over 50 Compass chefs across more than 30 countries. It’s designed to make it easy to create meals that give a second life to ingredients that most commonly go to waste: home: SFWD cookbook.
You’ve built recipes around scraps like broccoli and cauliflower stems—what inspired you to focus on the parts people usually throw away?
A big part of reducing food waste starts with a simple mindset shift, learning to use everything we already have. There’s a common misconception that parts like broccoli and cauliflower stems aren’t usable, when in fact they’re delicious, and just as nutritious as the florets.
For me, building recipes around these “scraps” is about challenging that assumption. It’s about showing people that being resourceful in the kitchen doesn’t mean compromising on flavour or quality, it just means looking at your ingredients a little differently.
When you start to think that way, the impact can be pretty significant. You’re wasting less, saving more, and still putting great food on the plate.
For someone just starting to reduce food waste, what’s the easiest habit shift that can make an immediate impact?
For anyone just starting out, the simplest shift is pausing before you toss something and asking, could this become something else? That one question can genuinely change how you cook.
Most food waste isn’t about food going bad, it’s about not knowing what to do with it next. The real habit to build is learning to look at leftovers and forgotten ingredients differently. Not just reheating what’s there, but actually transforming it.
A different spice, a sauce, a new texture, suddenly it feels like a completely new meal. Not a “clean out the fridge” meal. An actual dish you’d make again.
Let’s talk storage—what are a few simple ways people can extend the life of their produce at home?
I have a simple 5 tips to make the food in your fridge last longer:
Store salad greens with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture
Keep herbs and asparagus in a glass with a little water at the bottom
For berries and grapes, give them a quick soak in a vinegar and water solution, dry them well, and then store them in the fridge
Keep fruits and vegetables separate, some fruits release ethylene, which can cause veggies to spoil faster
Store lemons and limes in a jar of water in the fridge to keep them fresh longer
There’s often a perception that cooking sustainably is complicated—how do you keep it approachable and realistic for everyday kitchens?
The key is to keep it simple. Cooking sustainably doesn’t have to mean overhauling everything. It can start with small, manageable habits.
Before you go grocery shopping, look at what’s already in your fridge and pantry. Build from there. That one habit alone can cut down on waste, save money, and actually make weeknight cooking feel less overwhelming, because half the decisions are already made for you.
A well-balanced meal doesn’t need to be complicated, it’s really about making practical choices that fit into your everyday routine. Some of the best “use what you have” dishes, a quick stir-fry, a hearty soup, a grain bowl, come together fast.
Which ingredient do you think is the most underrated or underused when it comes to reducing food waste?
Vegetable stems are often overlooked and frequently discarded, yet they can be incredibly versatile in the kitchen. Broccoli stems, cauliflower stems, kale stems, herb stems, they all have flavour, and a place in the kitchen if you know what to do with them. Thinly sliced broccoli stems work really well in a slaw. Cauliflower stems can be simmered with curry and stock to create a rich, velvety soup. Even woody herb stems like thyme or rosemary can be added to a broth or braise to bring extra depth.
We’re used to seeing the floret, the leaf, the “pretty” part of the vegetable, that’s what recipes call for, so that’s what feels usable. Everything else starts to feel like a leftover before you’ve even started cooking.
Shifting that mindset is really the whole game. Once you start treating stems as an ingredient rather than a byproduct, you naturally waste less, not because you’re trying to, but because you’ve just expanded what you consider food.
Do you have a go-to “clean out the fridge” formula or mindset you use when working with random ingredients?
I like to think in terms of a simple formula: something fresh, something hearty, and something that brings flavour. Start with vegetables or herbs that need attention, add a base like grains, pasta, or a protein, and then build in flavour with sauces, spices, or condiments you already have.
It takes the pressure off following a strict recipe and turns it into a more flexible, creative process, perfect for using up what’s in your fridge without letting anything go to waste.
Some of my favourite things I’ve ever cooked came out of that exact mindset. No plan, no grocery run, just looking at what was there and figuring out what it could become together.
In honour of Stop Food Waste Day, what’s your favourite recipe or dish that really captures your philosophy of using every part of the ingredient?
Asian-Inspired Sesame Stem Salad is one of my favourites. It is an Asian-inspired sesame stem salad that gives new life to often-overlooked broccoli and cauliflower stems. Tossed with crisp vegetables, kimchi, and a savoury sesame dressing, it’s a simple and delicious way to reduce food waste without compromising on taste.
share:
Be the first to comment