Uplifting stories showcasing success, inspiration and possibilities. Video / NZME
Everyone knows the feeling.
An embarrassing array of wilted greens, sprouting potatoes, overripe bananas and a cornucopia of other fruits and vegetables hiding at the back of your refrigerator or pantry.
It’s eventually destined for the landfill.
But before you let it rot to that point, or before you throwout your broccoli stalks, carrot tops or onion skins, consider consulting a professional chef.
That’s what 20 people did on Wednesday night as they gathered at St George’s Restaurant in Havelock North to hear from owner and head chef Francky Godinho and how he makes the most of the food he uses.
Godinho is a two-time NZ Chef of the Year and grows 90% of the restaurant’s produce himself.
He’s taking part in Every Bite, a four-week programme run by Sustainable Hawke’s Bay, designed to help households become more food resourceful and reduce food waste.
Michelle Kang, community education lead at Sustainable Hawke’s Bay, said the programme aimed 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,” she said.
“That’s about 86kg of food per household, equating to $1326 per household per year of perfectly edible food going to the landfill.”
Michelle Kang (left) and Francky Godinho (right) talk to the crowd at Every Bite at St George's Restaurant. Photo / Jack Riddell
“I think a lot of households just don’t understand the waste problem,” Godinho said.
“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.
“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.”
St George's Restaurant in Havelock North. Photo / Jack Riddell
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.
“The cost is there, but you don’t have to go to the doctors very often, so it equals out,” he said.
“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.”
For dessert, Godinho served a chocolate mousse topped with pumpkin and sunflower seeds that were otherwise destined for the bin or compost.
He also taught the crowd the ease of making stock from leftover meat and even onion skins.
“The whole idea is how to sustain themselves with what they may already have,” he said.
“How to make that food last longer, stretch their budget, save some money, and be creative with meals at home.”
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.
Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today. He spent the past 15 years working in radio and media in Auckland, London, Berlin and Napier. He reports on all stories relevant to residents of the region.
