There's a horrifying amount of waste created by the food industry. We know it's unsustainable, so we set ourselves the challenge of proving it can be economically sustainable. If we can create a zero waste catering model, we'll be shouting it from the rooftops to ensure every catering company can do the same.

If you need help kick-starting your zero waste journey, we’ve started mentoring businesses big and small. Please get in touch with our waste to resource strategist Ilana at ilana@danthemancooking.com or 0411400434 to discuss what we could do.

Things we already do

1. catering leftovers - go to our clients or our bellies (though we've nailed our portions and we make delicious food people want to eat so there isn't much)

2. green waste - from kitchen prep gets composted at Rose Bay Community Garden.

3. cardboard boxes - any food delivered in cardboard boxes go back to our suppliers to reuse; those from one off suppliers go to Vinnies across the road (they love us for it)

4. reusable napkins - we created a partnership with Sydney fashion label bec & bridge who give us their linen offcuts as hankies as an alternative to single use napkins

5. cooking oil - is repurposed into soap, though we need to look at another business as we just found out they also use the oil to make pet food (eeep)

6. make our own sodas - so we can offer clients an alternative to soft drinks in plastic bottles

7. office paper - we're working towards a paperless office, but in the interim, paper we can't avoid gets shredded for chicken bedding at Rose Bay Community Garden 

8. event waste collection - we provide composting boxes at catering events which we take back with us to avoid any compostable material ending up in landfill

9. tupperware - we use reusable tupperware only

10. teas - we make our own herbal and black teas to eliminate tea bags

11. gladwrap - we've replaced gladwrap with a reusable silicon food grade material 

12. dry goods - we've partnered with The Essential Ingredient to trial a no packaging option
13. milk - we bought a milk churn so we can get delicious Country Valley milk delivered to us without plastic
14. seasonal menus - we design seasonal menus that incorporate the whole ingredient as well as utilisng waste from our other business operations e.g. leftover coffee grounds goes into making a coffee vinaigrette

Next on the list

1. work with all our suppliers and HACCIP to find alternatives to single use plastic for food delivery and preservation e.g. fish and meat in vac pack bags, berry punnets
2. buy a commercial composter for the Bronte Rd retail strip to support other businesses transitioning to zero