Douglas McMaster runs Silo, the world’s first zero-waste restaurant, which is in London. He’s passionate about reducing waste wherever possible, but acknowledges the challenges in home kitchens where you can’t easily “do whole animal butchery or fit a pail of cream in the fridge”. So, where to start? Here are his top tips.
We can’t avoid plastic, but we can choose to always support reuseable plastic, says McMaster – particularly containers with lids. These come in a variety of sizes, and some can be vacuumed to create an airtight container. Other alternatives to plastic wrap are damp cloths (good for dough) and plates on top of bowls. Not everything has to be high tech.
Image: Claudia Stucki
Roasted with sugar until caramelised, blended with water and then frozen into blocks, they become “clouds of functioning favour,” says McMaster: delicious grated on to yoghurt or ice cream.
Image: Annie Spratt
With the help of apple, garlic, ginger, spices, cabbage and time, even the least palatable of vegetable trimmings – caulifower leaves, leek tops, beetroot peel – can be transformed into kimchi.
Image: Antoni Shkraba
Biodegradable bags are better than those containing plastic, but they’re still single use – and their disposal demands a compost bin, which not everyone owns. Loose leaf tea is an easy win for household waste.
Image: Valeria Boltneva
The website Zero Waste Bulk Foods has every dried food you could desire – and they deliver. All their bags can be sent back to them and reused, so you just need a few Kilner jars for storage.
Image: Sarah Chai
The offcuts are often tastier, and just as easy to cook with, says McMaster.
Read our feature about Silo, Thinking outside the bin at the world’s first zero-waste restaurant
Image: Ksenia Chernaya
Main image: mapodile/iStock
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