When we meet Chef Vicky Ratnani at his restaurant, Korner House in Mumbai, he is in the midst of an animated discussion with his staff about how to use the fresh 5-kg Ghol fish he has just received from his local supplier to cook ceviche for a dinner he is hosting later that evening for the Peruvian Embassy. He outlines how he will use the meat for other dishes that day and the bones for preparing stock, thereby ensuring not one ounce of the fish is wasted. That sums up Ratnani’s food waste management philosophy. “I espoused the concept of using root-tostem and nose-to-tail, before it became fashionable. In fact, it is an integral part of the food shows I host,” he said. In an episode of Vicky Goes Desi, aired on NDTV Good Times, he extracted pulp from fruits and vegetables, added coconut milk and chia seeds to it and made pancakes. “Chefs can use innovation to create dishes from food scraps as long as it is healthy and tasty – their guests will not mind,” he reasoned. According to US’ Natural Resources Defense Council, 40 percent of food in America, which translates to $218 billion, goes uneaten. That is almost $1.6 billion in the restaurant industry that is going straight down the garbage chute. Globally, tackling food waste is one of the key focus areas for chefs this year. Closer home too chefs and F&B heads are realizing that saving food waste makes a lot of business sense. Demonetisation has compounded matters, especially for standalone outlets who are now readjusting their food economics and reworking their menus to make it more exciting and viable. According to Ratnani, food waste management starts even before it reaches the kitchen; it begins by identifying the right vendors who can provide produce as per your specifications within the defined turnaround time. That way, chefs can use almost every inch of the fresh produce effectively, which should be reflected in the menu planning. Forecasting about the number of meals to be served also helps in waste management. This judgment assists the chef procure the right amount of produce, ensure he is not cooking too much, cook closer to service time and cook in small batches. Moreover, he can leverage technology to preserve food so that its quality is maintained. “Hotels have equipment like chillers, blast freezers, vacuum machines, etc, to bring down the temperature of food from 140°F to 40°F within one-and-ahalf hour to stop bacterial growth and increase the food’s shelf life. Additionally, you need to train and educate your staff about food wastage, so they, in turn, will cook properly, and help you sell this concept properly,” Ratnani pointed out.
GO LOCAL
Ratnani has a bone to pick with F&B outlets that put exotic ingredients on their menu rather than using local, seasonal produce that is easily available. For instance, a coastal city like Mumbai, has good supply of local fish. However, many restaurants prefer to put imported seafood, like sea bass, on the menu, which escalates costs. “Firstly, you hardly make money selling frozen fish, since you have to price it higher. Secondly, you spend a lot on procuring and storing it, which you can easily save by using locally procured, fresh produce, which will also taste better,” he emphatically stated. It is economically viable to include seasonal produce in the menu since it is available in abundance. It can also be preserved for future use, especially towards the end of the season. During the end of February, Ratnani buys strawberries in bulk at good rates, cooks them with little sugar and water, blast chills and vacuum packs it, so that he has his stock of strawberries for the entire year, which tastes better than using the canned version, in his opinion. As chefs increasingly play an important role as brand ambassadors for hospitality entities, they need to educate guests about food waste. Indians culturally use every element of their food, preferring not to be wasteful. Ironically, over the years, this very culture has begun absorbing up food wastage through its cooking and through cuisine – a trend that needs to be reversed, and where Ratnani believes chefs can play a key role. “Chefs should drive the concept of controlling food waste by cooking delectable food from out odds and ends,” he pointed, which explains why Korner House’s menu is fresh produce-driven. When we leave Ratnani, he is straining at the leash to don his chef’s apron, grab his kitchen knives and prepare for the Peruvian Embassy dinner, and ensure that every bit of the beautiful Ghol fish is used that very day. After all, ‘waste’ is not a word that exists in his glossary, culinary or otherwise.
