AUT students make the most of food waste

22 November, 2016

AUT students make the most of food waste

“Professional chefs use every technique they can to try and reduce food waste in the kitchen – wasted food is wasted profit.”

Auckland Council has been working with the talented students at the AUT catering school to inspire Aucklanders to love their leftovers in a bid to reduce food waste.

Students doing a Diploma in Culinary Arts created crafty dishes of Baked Bread Pudding and Muffin Case Tarts for the council’s Love Food Hate Waste event in Britomart this month - all from food that would’ve been wasted.

Programme Leader at AUT’s School of Hospitality and Tourism, Glenys Casci, says the Love Food Hate Waste philosophy is ingrained in how they teach.

“We aim to maximise the use of every ingredient and generate as little food waste as possible. Food is a precious resource that should be treated with respect.

“We love working with the community and it’s been fantastic for the students to help out with Auckland Council’s Love Food Hate Waste campaign. It’s been good practice too as often this is just the type of ingenious, bulk cooking that happens in commercial kitchens.”

Culinary Arts Student Dhruv Mohan was part of the class cooking with the products due to be binned.

“It may not be in its prime but this is good produce which is still edible. There’s so many ways to maximise food, like using bones for stock etc., that letting fresh produce go to waste is such a shame.

“Professional chefs use every technique they can to try and reduce food waste in the kitchen - wasted food is wasted profit.”

The school has its own sustainable methods for disposing of food waste including electric composting and a worm farm which in turn fertilizes the school’s own rooftop garden.

Students regularly cook for AUT’s onsite fine dining restaurant Four Seasons, café Piko and a takeaway bar – all of which are open to the public. To find out more and for information on the courses available visit aut.ac.nz

Auckland Council is supporting Love Food Hate Waste activities in Auckland throughout November. For more information, event schedules and recipe inspiration, visit makethemostofwaste.co.nz

For leftovers inspiration and more check out lovefoodhatewaste.co.nz

ENDS

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