The statistics on food waste are startling. The world throws away nearly a third of the food it produces. America throws away almost half. Luckily food waste is no longer a niche issue confined to environmental circles or marginalized on the fringes of the food world. Thanks to policy makers, chefs and the media, it has become a mainstream topic.
Just because food waste has become part of the national consciousness, however, doesn't mean it's an attractive or approachable issue to tackle. In fact, it's inherently unattractive -- or at least it has been until now.
Dan Barber, co-owner and executive chef of Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, has started a pop-up restaurant that exclusively cooks with food waste. In doing so, Barber has not only raised the profile of this pressing issue even further, but he also raised the bar. Barber is currently operating "wastED" in his New York City-based restaurant. The pop-up opened on March 13 and will run until the end of the month.