Photographs by Emma Fishman, Food styling by Susan Ottaviano, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio Between food service, home cooking, and farming, the United States wastes 108 billion pounds of food each year. Ismail Samad wants to change that. “In restaurants you’re never letting anything go to waste,” says the […]
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Between food service, home cooking, and farming, the United States wastes 108 billion pounds of food each year. Ismail Samad wants to change that. “In restaurants you’re never letting anything go to waste,” says the East Cleveland–based chef, activist, and entrepreneur. Using an ingredient in its entirety is economical—and part of the art of cooking, he says. In 2013 Samad co-opened the Gleanery, a restaurant in Putney, Vermont, that prioritizes less-than-perfect and surplus produce. There he learned to push ingredients to their limits, keeping as much as possible on the plate and out of the landfill. As cofounder of the nonprofit Loiter, he now consults on zero-waste strategies and other projects.
Samad thinks reducing food waste is the single most approachable way to make our home kitchens more sustainable. “All of us can do that,” he says. “It’ll reward you, your pockets, and the planet.”
Shop your fridge first
“Most of the food waste in this country happens in the home,” Samad says. Before planning a grocery trip, take inventory of your pantry and fridge and make a plan for anything that’s partially used. That includes that quarter of cabbage and those on-their-way-out herbs but also unexpected ingredients like olive brine. This salty liquid often ends up in the sink, but its strong, deep flavor and acidic nature make it a great fit for marinades and sauces.
Favor the freezer
It’s easy to go overboard with produce at the market, so use your freezer to stretch the season. Samad recommends separating each piece and freezing vegetables on a parchment-lined baking sheet before transferring them to a freezer bag or vacuum-sealed bag. He likes puréeing frozen asparagus for use in soup, pasta, and risotto. Alternatively, add fresh produce to freezer-friendly dishes, like a frittata. Using the freezer intentionally makes future meals easier and more efficient.
Save the stems
Keep trimming to a minimum. The tougher ends of common vegetables like kale, broccoli, and cauliflower see the trash too often when in reality all they need is some extra time on the cutting board. If you’re chopping broccoli or cauliflower florets into the typical 1"–1½" pieces, slice the stems into smaller ½" coins. They’ll bulk up your meal and cook at the same rate as their more delicate counterparts.
Ignore imperfections
When your fruit starts looking like it’s seen better days, give it a new—and dare we say, better—life, where its flavor can still shine. Toss shabby-looking berries into cake batter; turn them into jam; or, as Samad suggests in this recipe, add them to a skillet with meat to make a silky pan sauce with a just-right balance of subtle sweetness and tartness.
Get smart with substitutions
Consider the flavors an ingredient offers and how they function in a dish—then you can tweak your recipes to fit what you have on hand. This practice can help you avoid buying unnecessary new ingredients and turn you into a more versatile cook. Take kombucha, for example. Not just for drinking, its viscosity makes it great for poaching everything from pears to fish, and as Samad points out here, its tart, slightly sweet flavor makes it a seamless addition to salad dressing.
