3 Notable Canadian Chefs Combating Food Waste

What happens when you ask notable Canadian chefs to join the race against food waste? The development of delicious new recipes crafted with leftovers from their most popular restaurant dishes that Canadians can recreate at home. Consumer research found that Canadians waste 2.2 million tonnes of food each year, with 13 per cent resulting from leftovers. An eye opening number, too large to not do anything about. In addition, 70 per cent of Canadians had takeout leftovers and 68 per cent threw part or all of them away. The main reason the food was tossed? People didn’t know what to do with their leftovers.

This Circular Economy Month, Skip is partnering with the Circular Innovation Council and notable Canadian chefs to inspire Canadians to reimagine their takeout leftovers, allowing them to savour the flavours all over again. Who wouldn’t want another great meal out of one takeout order? Collaborating chefs include:

• Victor Barry from Piano Piano in Toronto who transformed their iconic Veal Parmesan into a savage Breakfast Sandwich to enjoy the next day
• Jamie Cholack from Tacofino in Vancouver who took their popular Salsa Verde and reimagined it into delectable Chilaquiles
• Amit Bangar from Calcutta Cricket Club in Calgary who reimaged their iconic Butter Chicken into a Penne Pasta

We chatted with all three to learn more! —Vita Daily

Chef Amit, Calcutta Cricket Club

Hello! Please tell us a bit about yourself to start.

Hey there, I’m Amit Bangar and am the Executive Chef at Calcutta Cricket Club here in Calgary. I’ve been working in hospitality for the last 15 years, the majority of that time working in the greater Toronto area, most notably Montecito and Soho House. Only since I’ve made the move here to Calgary is when I’ve decided to try my hand at making Indian food as the Chef at Calcutta Cricket Club. 

For those who don’t know, what is food waste and why is it important to try and eliminate it? What are some of the main reasons food gets tossed?

Food waste refers to discarding of food at multiple stages of the supply chain. Given ongoing food insecurity and the environmental and economic impact, it is essential to address the issue and work to eliminate it. Across Canada, a staggering 58% of all food produced is wasted, which is equal to about 35.5 million tonnes of food. Which again demonstrates the need to combat food waste. Some of the reasons food gets tossed is over-purchasing, misunderstanding date labels or forgetting about leftovers before they can’t be consumed anymore. Ive definitely caught myself throwing out leftovers at home because of these reasons as well. Through this Zero Waste campaign partnership with SkipTheDishes, I’ve come to learn that the main reason Canadians tossed part or all of their takeout leftovers was the lack of knowing what to do with them.

What are some notable facts about/stats around food waste in Canada, that surprise even a chef like yourself?

I’d say that taking a step back and looking at the numbers around the amount of food that is tossed each year in Canada (over 35 million tonnes) is alarming, especially the growing crisis around food insecurity. It is facts like these, along with the environmental effects that have inspired me, SkipTheDishes, the Circular Innovation Council and other chefs to launch the Zero Waste campaign. We all need to do our part in implementing changes to combat food waste, such as leveraging leftovers instead of tossing them in the bin. 

What are your top tips, as a chef, for home cooks and all Canadians, to reduce food waste at home, both during cooking and from takeout/delivered meals?

Some tips include:

• Properly storing food to extend its shelf life
• Explore food preservation techniques, such as freezing food you won’t be able to consume before its expiration date
• Buy perishable foods in smaller quantities to avoid over-purchasing
• Get crafty with takeout leftovers! Follow along with myself, Skip and other notable Canadian chefs as we share recipes leveraging leftovers, hopefully inspiring others to do the same 

What’s your top recipe for reinventing leftovers?

It’s got to be elevating your leftover Calcutta Cricket Club’s Butter Chicken into a new dish to enjoy. I’ve outlined the steps below!

Chef Amit’s Butter Chicken Pasta

• Leftover CCC Butter Chicken 
• Pasta (any type)
• Olive Oil
• Garlic
• Basil
• Parmesan
• Cream
• Extra: Leftover CCC Naan 

Steps:

1. Boil water and start to cook penne 
2. Pour olive oil into a pan, add garlic and basil, gently cook until basil is fragrant and garlic is lightly caramelized
3. Add leftover butter chicken sauce to the pan to warm through, breaking apart chicken as needed
4. Add cream and cook with the rest of sauce
5. When pasta is cooked, add to sauce and toss to mix (add pasta water to adjust consistency)
6. Add freshly grated parm and toss through
7. Plate and enjoy!

Chef Jamie, Tacofino

Hello! Please tell us a bit about yourself to start.

Hey, I’m Jamie Cholack and I am the Head of Operations at Tacofino, here in BC. Born and raised in London, Ontario, and now Vancouver based, I’m a travel and food enthusiast who finds inspiration in the rich tapestry of international cuisines. Before joining Tacofino, I worked in other iconic Vancouver kitchens like La Mezcaleria, Nook and Grouse Mountain. 

For those who don’t know, what is food waste and why is it important to try and eliminate it? What are some of the main reasons food gets tossed?

Food waste essentially is food that ends up being tossed in the bin and not consumed. Seeing the staggering amount of food that is wasted each year, and recognizing the environmental and economic impact consequences, signifies the importance of doing something about it. Some of the main reasons food is tossed include improper storage, occasionally forgetting about leftovers, or over purchasing at the grocery store. A study by SkipTheDishes revealed that 70% of Canadians have takeout leftovers and 68% threw all of part of it away. The main reason? People simply didn’t know what to do with the leftovers.

What are some notable facts about/stats around food waste in Canada, that surprise even a chef like yourself?

Regardless of whether you work in the restaurant or food industry, the stats around food waste are alarming. I was recently taken aback to learn that one-third of all food produced in the world – about 1.3 billion tonnes ends up wasted every year. Seeing the numbers outlined like that puts everything into perspective, especially in the context of the increasing concerns around food insecurity in Canada and globally. I’m excited to have the opportunity to be a part of this Zero Waste campaign with SkipTheDishes and hopefully inspire Canadians to adopt new habits that help combat food waste. Whether it involves reimaging your takeout leftovers into a new dish to be enjoyed or meal prepping in advance, there are small yet effective steps we can all take to join the race against food waste. 

What are your top tips, as a chef, for home cooks and all Canadians, to reduce food waste at home, both during cooking and from takeout/delivered meals?

• Be mindful of expiration dates when stocking up the fridge and pantry
• Ensure you are properly storing you food to make it last longer
• Learn how to get creative with your leftovers – myself, Skip, and other notable chefs have developed recipes using leftovers, hopefully to inspire Canadians to do the same
• Meal prep so you know exactly what and how much you need to buy

What’s your top recipe for reinventing leftovers?

Of course it’s transforming your leftover Tacofino Salsa Verde and Tortilla Chips into Chilaquiles to enjoy. I’ve outlined the steps below!

Chef Jamie’s Chilaquiles

• Leftover Tacofino Tortilla Chips 
• Leftover Tacofino Salsa Verde (or Salsa Roja)
• Black Beans
• Crema
• Feta
• Eggs

Steps:

1. In a small saucepan, heat up your salsa verde till it starts to come to a boil
2. In another small saucepan, heat up your black beans, it helps to add a little bit of water, bring this to a boil and then simmer until it thickens 
3. Heat a frying pan on medium to medium high heat, add butter and to the pan and wait until it starts to bubble and foam
4. Crack your eggs into the pan and season the top of them with salt and pepper
5. Turn down the temperature of your pan to medium heat
6. Cook eggs for approximately 5 minutes, until the whites are no longer translucent
7. Place your tortilla chips in a mixing bowl and ladle salsa verde over top and toss
8. You want to fully coat your chips, so add more salsa verde if needed
9. On a plate or in a bowl, place your black beans in the centre
10. Pour your chips coated in salsa verde on top of the beans
11. Drizzle your crema and sprinkle your feta around the eggs
12. Place your eggs on the top of your chips, serve, and enjoy!

Chef Victor, Piano Piano

Hello! Please tell us a bit about yourself to start.

Great to be chatting with you. I’m Victor Barry, Chef and Co-Owner of Piano Piano Restaurants. We currently have five restaurants in Toronto and Oakville, serving tasty and f*#kin’ delicious Italian food, and we hope to continue expanding and delivering unforgettable culinary experiences to even more Canadians. I’ve spent a lot of time traveling and honing my culinary skills around the world. My passion is providing our guests with great food in beautiful spaces, with great value and friendly hospitality.

For those who don’t know, what is food waste and why is it important to try and eliminate it? What are some of the main reasons food gets tossed?

Food waste is food that is ultimately not eaten, discarded, and ends up in landfills. It has been discovered that Canadians waste around 2.2 million tonnes of food each year – an astonishing number that signifies why it is essential to do something about it. There are multiple reasons why people throw out food, such as over-purchasing at the grocery store, lack of meal planning or simply not knowing what to do with it. SkipTheDishes discovered that 70% of Canadians had takeout leftovers and 68% of them threw part or all of it away.

What are some notable facts about/stats around food waste in Canada, that surprise even a chef like yourself?

Working in the restaurant industry, we are no stranger to food waste and the importance of reducing our contributions to landfills. But one fact that took me by surprise was that across Canada, 58% of all food produced is wasted, which is about $49 billion lost in value. Seeing it in the dollar amount is extremely alarming. 

What are your top tips, as a chef, for home cooks and all Canadians, to reduce food waste at home, both during cooking and from takeout/delivered meals?

• Meal prep at the beginning of the week; including knowing which days you’ll be ordering takeout so you can properly grocery shop
• Go to the grocery store more than once a week, and buy less when you’re there. You’ll waste less food, and it’s so much easier to Meal Plan for only 3-4 days, instead of a full week
• Of course, learn how to cook with leftovers! Myself and Skip are inspiring Canadians to be creative in the kitchen and develop new dishes to savour the flavours all over again with the Zero Waste campaign

What’s your top recipe for reinventing leftovers?

My top recipe is the Savage Breakfast Sandwich made with leftover Piano Piano Veal Parmesan. I’ve shared the recipe below so hopefully you can recreate it at home!

Chef Victor’s Savage Breakfast Sandwich 

Ingredients:

• Leftover Piano Piano Veal Parmesan (can also substitute with Eggplant Parmesan)
• Italian Hoagie
• Butter
• Grana Padano (or similar cheese)
• 2 Eggs
• Oregano 
• Salt & Pepper
• Sherry Vinegar 
• Extra: Peppers and Onions

Steps:

1. Reheat the veal parmesan in an air fryer (on the stove or in the oven also works)
2. Toast the Italian hoagie in a pan with brown butter and Grana Padano
3. sauté peppers and onions in a pan, deglaze with sherry vinegar and oregano
4. Fry the eggs in some butter, sunny side up
5. Put the whole thing together and destroy 

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