RATIONAL LAUNCHES “WONDERFUL” WEBINARS

Market-leading combi oven manufacturer Rational has launched a series of live online webinars.

The Chefs’ Forum is working with Rational to offer its members the chance to sign-up to Webinars taking place on an almost daily basis in the morning and afternoon.

Chefs are able to learn about the benefits of the new technology of the iCombi Pro and the VarioCookingCenter® from the comfort of their own homes or remotely at their place of work.

If you are interested in booking onto a Webinar, please contact rebecca@redcherry.uk.com who will be happy to assist.

If you want to know more about combi ovens then a live demonstration is the ideal answer. These days, that’s out of the question, so Rational UK has relaunched its popular Rational Live sessions online. The series of webinars is aimed at people who are thinking of getting a Rational or who simply want to find out more about them…the only difference is that you don’t get food samples to taste all the way through.

The first webinar, on 30 April, saw around 25 attendees who generated a lively Q&A session during and after the presentations. They were treated to (or tantalised with) a show covering lots of different combi cooking techniques, as expert Rational chef Gaurav Bajaj prepared a variety of mouth-watering dishes, ranging from beef baguette sandwich to poached salmon, ravioli and grilled steak – apologising for the fact that he couldn’t offer anyone a taste! Meanwhile fellow Rational chef Theo Bostock fielded questions from the viewers.

The webinar included lots of tips – for example, when using the finishing program to regenerate multi portions, a 65mm deep dish gives the best results, since it’s the optimum size in terms of air circulation and speed of heating.

Artificial intelligence

As well as looking at how the Rational combi operates, the webinar included examples of using Rational accessories. One section spotlighted the grill plate, which left the chef’s steaks and vegetables with the classic grilled branding marks (as well as cooking a delicious meal).

A key theme of the webinar focused on how the combi oven’s artificial intelligence is like having extra commis chefs helping in the kitchen. As well as being able to roast, grill, steam, bake and fry – at the touch of a button – the Rational combi also monitors the food and adjusts cooking times, for example if the oven door is opened. It also cleans itself, hygienically, at the end of the shift.

The post-demonstration Q&A session was hosted by Theo Bostock. Questions ranged from “Can Rational arrange training for a specific restaurant’s menu?” (answer, “Yes”), to “Can you transfer recipe programs from one combi to another?” (again, “Yes”, either by using a USB stick or via Wi-Fi or the internet, with Rational’s ConnectedCooking technology).

Knowledge and technique

Many participants took the time to show appreciation to Theo and the Rational team behind the webinar, with one commenting, “Many thanks for a wonderful session.”

“We’re delighted with the way the webinar went and by the really positive feedback we received from participants,” says Adam Knights, marketing director of Rational UK. “There’s clearly an appetite for this type of online activity, which gives us extra impetus to push ahead with the programme and expand it in the weeks ahead. For example, we plan to start running training webinars for chefs who already have a Rational and want to develop their knowledge and techniques.”

The webinars are open to foodservice professionals but places need to be booked in advance. To find out more, and for information and brochures, visit www.rational-online.com

About RATIONAL:

The RATIONAL Group is the world market and technology leader in the field of hot food preparation for professional kitchens. Founded in 1973, the company employs more than 1,100 people in Germany and a total of around 2,000 worldwide. Since the IPO in 2000, RATIONAL has been listed on the Prime Standard of the German Stock Exchange and is included in the SDAX.

The primary objective of the company is to always offer its customers maximum benefits. Internally RATIONAL is committed to the principle of sustainability, expressed in its policies on environmental protection, leadership and social responsibility. Year after year, numerous international awards testify to the exceptional quality of RATIONAL’s work.

Walter Rose & Son’s ‘Paid Forward’ Meat Box Gifting Scheme Helps Families Across Wiltshire

Last month Walter Rose and Son launched a Meat Box gifting scheme to help those most in need at this difficult time.  The scheme has been extremely well received by generous donors and local charities distributing the food boxes to those in need.  The Devizes-based butchers have set-up the scheme, where customers can ‘forward pay’ and gift Essentials Meat Packs to be delivered to those who need them most.

The Essentials Meat Box, priced at £45 contains 12  Free Range Eggs, 500g Diced Pork, 8 Rashers of smoked back bacon, 8 Breakfast Sausages, 500g Beef Mince, 8 Faggots, a 1kg Boneless Pork Shoulder Joint, 4 6oz Beef Burgers and two pints of Berkley Farm Organic Cow’s Milk and is the best-selling meat box on the website at the moment.

Jack Cook, Director at Walter Rose said

“I have been truly humbled by the number of people and organisations who have supported the campaign so far to pay for thirty-nine boxes so far that we have packed and distributed to families all over Wiltshire.  It is great to be working with such wonderful charities and community groups to help families facing food poverty at this difficult time.”

Many families continue to struggle to secure delivery slots with supermarket home delivery services.  Walter Rose’s supply chain remains unaffected, enabling swift doorstep delivery, getting vital supplies to those who need them most.

Walter Rose & Son are appealing to those who can comfortably afford it and organisations helping vulnerable groups to purchase ‘paid-forward’ Essentials Meat Boxes online to be gifted and distributed by the butchers through contactless delivery across Wiltshire to families needing a helping hand at this difficult time.

Local business owners Rupert and Julia Middleton kindly bought ten Essentials Meat Boxes that have all been distributed to those who need them, they said

“It is great to be part of this. For Those of us lucky enough to isolate relatively easily it is good to have this very practical way to help others. Thank you, Walter Rose, for making it happen”.

Another twenty boxes have been purchased by the Spurgeon’s Children’s Charity to help families most in need of help in providing essential food and a further six have been bought by Home Start to help families with children under the age of five and last week a customer bought an extra box in the shop, that has also now been allocated to Heals of Malmesbury.

Walter Rose have also been working with chefs and Wiltshire Council to devise various cook-along videos to show recipients how best to cook the produce, creating delicious family meals.

Local charities Home Start, Spurgeons Children’s Trust, Julian’s House and HEALS of Malmesbury have also benefited from gifted Essentials Meat Boxes.

To help Walter Rose help more families in the community, please forward-purchase an Essentials Meat Box on the link below:

https://shop.walterroseandson.co.uk/

Wiltshire Council are backing the scheme and Andrew Jack, Community Engagement Manager for Devizes concluded

“Colleagues from Wiltshire Council and I are in touch with the 500+ groups that are working right now to support local communities and help provide essential food and provisions to residents having to stay at home.  Between us, we can help to make sure these really useful boxes of supplies reach the families that need them the most and help to keep people going at this difficult time.”

Walter Rose continue to offer free delivery to customers all over the south of the UK and offer a completely contactless transaction.

The new website has been developed exclusively to manage the surge of orders during the Covid-19 pandemic to cope with unprecedented demand for efficient contactless delivery now the country is in lockdown.

Chef of the Week: Craig Edgell – Head Chef at Buoy & Oyster in Margate, Kent

How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I have been at the Buoy and Oyster for nearly a year and a half.

Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
My passion for cooking came from my dad, he is a chef, my family have food and farm back ground. I learnt my skills at Thanet college (now East Kent College) and kitchens in London and the South East coast.

What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
The produce and working with people to put your dreams and visions on the plate. I speak with suppliers on a daily basis for the best ingredients to make our dishes the best they can be. I’m very lucky to have an amazing kitchen team, and the support and backing from the owners too. I love to teach and pass on knowledge from what I have learnt over the years to my chefs.

Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Seaweed salt – uplifts the dishes with a added touch of the sea.
Bisque – a good bisque in a predominantly fish restaurant is a must.
Compound butters – we make a selection of butters that aid our cooking (eg shallot butter, seaweed butter & nudja butter).

Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
Control Induction stove – changed the way I cook. It’s efficient, clean and an amazing piece of kit to cook on without a doubt.

What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
Sourdough and Seacuterie.

What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Not having enough faith in your team. I maybe be a Head Chef, but in service you are only as strong as the chefs you train. If you don’t put the time in with your team, give them your time and show them what you want there is no point. Respect your team you will have a forever gratitude. Family is everything home and work.

What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
Autumn, its the time we start cooling down from the summer and the deeper dishes come in to play. The surf and turfs and the deep heavy flavours, the comfort food season is coming. Eating food that puts you in that warm food cuddled coma.

Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
Sousvide hake loin, white bean cassoulet, cep puree, wild mushrooms, crispy cavolo and nudja.

How do you come up with new dishes?
As a team, throughout the season we talk as a team putting ideas down on paper, myself and Simon (chef owner) sign the dishes off. We all have a large input and a sense of ownership of the dishes, which ensures every dish that leaves the pass is personal to us and perfect every time.

Who was your greatest influence?
Nathan Outlaw with out a doubt the chef I idolise.

Tell us three chefs you admire
Nathan Outlaw (Knowledge of fish)
Tom Brown (Making fish cooking sexy)
Raymond Blanc (classical chef god, best lemon tart recipe EVER!)

What is your favourite cookbook?
The whole fish cookbook – Josh Niland (The bloke is insane!)

Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
Tom Brown, Cornerstone – I’d like to think he will get his Michelin star soon.
Robert Taylor, Compasses Inn – He is taking food to another level.
Will Devlin, The Small Holding – From ground to plate proper food with passion.

What’s been your favourite restaurant openings over the past year.
– Firepit at The Cave Hotel – John Bingley & Andy Holden are doing incredible things!
– The Compasses Inn, Crundale, Kent – Robert Taylor is someone you don’t want to miss.
– Bottega Caruso, Margate, Kent – Harry & Simona have a passion for food and produce any chef could not admire they put family into food.
– Jessica Leah Cateering, Margate, Kent – Jess has such a passion for food, she is your go to for outside catering and just all round tasty food!

www.buoyandoyster.com

Nut Cheese is the BIGGEST Food Trend to Watch!

This week saw a fantastic live nut cheese Cook-along take place with eighteen cooks and foodie influencers live on Zoom!

The participants all received 280g of delicious whole macadamia nuts from Nutcellars smallholder farmers in Malawi.

Here’s how all the fun unfolded and the how Bettina’s creamy nut cheese was made:

Andrew Emmott, Director of Nutcellars said

Today’s Cookalong session was a huge success, our cheese turned our perfectly and we’re really looking forward to having it for supper.  Our fellow Cookalong cooks suggested incorporating it in cannelloni or in lasagne. Another chef suggested introducing sun dried tomatoes, olives or peppers – The scope is really endless with such a delicious base. We were delighted to showcase the versatility of our fantastic macadamia nuts in nut cheese, set to be perhaps the biggest plant-based food trend of 2020!”

All Cook-along participants were asked to pre-soak their 280g of pre-posted macadamia overnight.

Plant-based influencer, Bettina Campulocci Bordi hosted the session and gave the class step-by-step instructions on how to create the creamy garlic and herb cheese in a chef’s ring, to then be chilled in the fridge.

The cheese lasts around five to seven days when refrigerated and is great as a canape ingredient, stuffed in a fresh fig or perfect with homemade sourdough.

Bettina said

“This is such a good way of utilising the brilliant properties of the macadamia nut and nut cheese is becoming increasing popular.  This makes a creamy full fat cheese filled with all the good stuff. Easy to make, fulfilling and comforting on all levels. It’s great on a cheeseboard as well as on a fresh piece of bread. This delicious, creamy macadamia nut cheese is a great add on to an alfresco picnic table or a perfect for a summary porch dinner with a glass of chilled white wine.”

Bettina’s Recipe

Makes 1 big cheese or two smaller ones

• 280 g (approx. 2 cups)
• macadamia nuts
• 160 ml (5 fl oz / 2/3 cup) water
• 2 tbs lemon juice & zest
• 1 grated garlic clove
• 2 tbs of chives (chopped)
• pinch of salt

Bettina’s Method…in her words…

Start by soaking the macadamia nuts for 2 hours by putting them in a bowl and covering with water. Or even better the night before. Drain the nuts and tip them into a blender along with the water and blitz until you get a smooth texture. If you have a small handheld blender, then blitz until smooth over several times.  As this is a soft style cheese the texture can be slightly bitty, which I personally love. If you are doing this in a high-speed blender, make sure not to over heat or over blend. You want the texture to be ricotta like.

Once blended, transfer to a clean glass or plastic container. Now it is time to flavour your cheese. Add lemon juice, zest, grated garlic, chopped chives, salt and pepper to taste. and mix well. Get your metal chefs ring out or a small bowl wrapped in cling film. If you’re doing the chef’s ring then place some grease proof paper under the ring. Grease the inside of the ring with some oil and add your cheese mixture in and until the top.

You can let the cheese sit in the fridge for a few hours to set and let the flavours marry together. Once chilled, pop the chefs ring off and serve with fresh baguette French-style or some lovely homemade sourdough. The cheese will last for up to 7 days in the fridge.

To get your hands on some creamy Macadamia nuts and have a go at making the new food of the Gods, visit the site here and get a whopping 20% off with the code: TCF20

Chef of the Week: Michael Dutnall, Executive Chef at The RAF Club, London

How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I took the role as Executive Chef of the Royal Air Force Club in January 2016, and oversee a 74 cover fine-dining restaurant along with a vast private dining and events business in the heart of London’s Mayfair.

Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
Ever since I can remember I wanted to be a chef or a pilot, and as I’m now managing a brigade of 30 at the RAF Club, there has got to be some destiny involved there. From a young age baking with my mother is probably what first introduced me to the idea of becoming a chef. I loved (and still love) anything sweet, but the magic in baking and creating delicious things to eat for the pleasure of the recipient… (and myself!)…. is still a joy all these years on.

What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
Not easy to sum up in a sentence, it’s a whole culture of things, from no day being the same, to the development and mentoring of team members and getting out into the community to share my passion for the job for the benefit of the industry. The Club also has a particularly strong apprentice programme, which is extremely rewarding, as I get to help support and encourage those starting out on careers in hospitality, and watch them grow into the next generation of top chefs.

Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Salt, eggs and pistachios – seasoning is essential, eggs are a building block for so many recipes, and pistachios, just because my team think I can’t do a dessert without them.

Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
Jug blender/Thermomix.

What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
I don’t like to call it a food trend as I believe it just common sense and good ethical business practice and something I’ve always tried to adhere to, “local seasonal produce”. The British Isles have such great regional variations and seasonality, let’s appreciate and celebrate its diversity.

What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Forgetting your audience and not listening to them. There is no merit in following food trends and whims, if it’s not what your core customer base is wanting to eat.

What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
Spring, the produce comes to life with the season, there is such a varied choice of fresh, flavoursome ingredients. Spring is Mother Nature at its best and the menus write themselves!

Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
Soy glazed cured pork collar with charred leek puree & smoked Portobello mushrooms.

How do you come up with new dishes?
The senior chefs and I encourage the whole team to get involved with ideas and the creation of new dishes. They work together with their mentors (senior chefs) to ensure they end up with a seasonal, balanced and well thought out dish while not forgetting our audience (most importantly).

Who was your greatest influence?
Michel Bourdin, Head Chef of the Connaught Hotel, where I learnt the trade as an apprentice, his ethos on training, sharing knowledge and promoting the then modern apprenticeship is something I always (and still do) admire.

Tell us three chefs you admire
Raymond Blanc, his passion & enthusiasm is so inspiring.  Roux family (a little bit of cheating there), just a family of legends really. Marcus Wareing, so calm & measured, gives great advice.

What is your favourite cookbook?
So many, but for reference you can’t beat “Escoffier”, a classic “Nico” by Nico Ladenis, “Bread is Gold” by Massimo Bottura – a holistic look at minimising food waste and transforming discarded ingredients.

Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
Tom Booton, Dorchester Grill – young, innovative with great international experience. Exciting to see the vibrancy he is bringing to one of London’s classic dining establishments.

What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
The Grill at The Dorchester!

www.rafclub.org.uk

Rob Baan Declares Koppert Cress is Growing Once More!

Rob Baan, CEO of Koppert Cress is delighted to let you all know that he has started growing again,

He wishes you all well and has created a special video message for all UK chefs.

Koppert Cress is a proud sponsor of The Chefs’ Forum and we look forward to showcasing their market-leading cresses and microgreens at Chefs’ Forum events once up and running again.

In the meantime, should you require any information on Koppert Cress or help with menu development or supplier or recipe inspiration, please email Paul Da Costa Greaves: paul@koppertcress.com

How To Keep Spirits High (and ABV Low) in Lockdown with Lucky Saint

It might feel like our Instagram feeds are full of Quarantinis and Zoom cocktail parties, but while some people are hitting the bottle to cope, many others are using lockdown as a chance to reset, make time for new hobbies and form healthier habits.

In fact, a recent survey found that one in three people are taking steps to manage or stop drinking in lockdown(1), and with one in 14 people saying their own or someone else’s drinking has made stress levels in their household worse since shutdown began(2), it’s no surprise people are saying goodbye to the booze.

Here at Lucky Saint we believe in rewarding those who aren’t drinking with the beer they deserve; we’ve seen firsthand the increased interest in no/low alternatives with online sales of our 0.5% Superior Pilsner-Style Lager increasing by 300% since lockdown kicked in at the end of March.  So, here are our top tips to keep spirits high (and ABV low) in lockdown.

Have a Lockdown Lager

With so much going on in the outside world, it’s important to make time to relax at home. Nothing beats a cold beer and at 0.5% you can enjoy a Lucky Saint (or two!) with a mid-week dinner and still make it out for your walk/run/bikeride the next morning. Use the code CHEFSFORUM20 for 20% off your next order at www.luckysaint.co

Check out Club Soda

Laura Willoughby MBE and her team have created a one-stop-shop at Club Soda: a huge database of no and low drinks and where to find them (clubsodaguide.com), a weekly mindful drinking session on HospoLive every Friday at 2.30pm, online resources and courses to help cut down, stop for a bit or quit: including one launching later May 2020 with The Drinks Trust designed for people working in hospitality, a podcast, and The Mindful Drinking Festival which will be moving online and going global this summer.

Say ‘Cheers’

It feels good to give back so we’re supporting the #cheerstothenhs campaign set up by the Brew London founders: snap a shot of you raising a beer to say ‘CHEERS’ to our amazing NHS, donate £5 here and then nominate five more people to do the same.

Or if you’d like to thank someone closer to home, head to our instagram @luckysaintbeer, nominate your #LocalSaint and we’ll send them a gift card for a case of Lucky Saint.

Try new delicious No and Low alternatives

With some fantastic no and low options out there, it’s never been easier to cut down. Check out our friends at Caleno, Everleaf and Real Kombucha for fantastic drinks, without the booze.

Get Experimenting

With more time at home, we’ve been experimenting with Lucky Saint – from making cocktails: try our Lucky Spritz, to baking bread: check out our Lucky Loaf here. We’d love to hear what you do with yours – make sure you tag us in @luckysaintbeer 

Have fun experimenting!  We’d love to hear how you’re getting on and any other ideas you have. To keep in touch find us here

Instragram – @luckysaintbeer
Twitter – https://twitter.com/LuckySaintBeer
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/luckysaintbeer
Email – hello@luckysaint.co

(1)The Guardian
(2)Metro

Syft Lockdown Series Webinar: Cooking, Community and Mentoring During the Crisis with Cyrus Todiwala OBE DL – Thursday 14th May at 11am

Syft are thrilled that Cyrus Todiwala OBE DL, celebrity chef and chef proprietor of Cafe Spice Namaste is joining them to talk about the importance of Cooking, Community and Mentoring during the Crisis. He’ll be discussing the industry’s response to the crisis, his student culinary competition and recent mentoring, as well as previous and future work with the wonderful NHS, and more. You’ll have the chance to ask the brilliant Cyrus your questions in the closing Q&A. This isn’t one to be missed.

Topics include:

– The various responses to the crisis
– Comfort food for the NHS – how the culinary industry is helping to keep spirits high
– How can we shape the post-lockdown culinary industry
– His student culinary competition: Zest Quest Asia
– Exciting future projects

You’ll have the chance to ask the brilliant Cyrus your questions in the Q&A. Not one to be missed.

Hosted by: Simon Forester, Syft

Born in Mumbai, Cyrus trained at the world famous Taj Hotels and Palaces chain in India, then becoming executive chef for 11 of the restaurants before he and his family moved to the UK in 1991. After cooking for Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and he was awarded an MBE in 2000. Following this, he was awarded an OBE in 2009 for his contributions to the restaurant industry.

TO REGISTER CLICK HERE

Leading Welsh Chefs Bring Restaurant Experience Closer to Home

‘Make it…’ the best campaign helps support local businesses

Some of Wales’s most renowned chefs are joining forces to support the Welsh food industry as the Coronavirus crisis continues to cause significant disruption to local farmers and the wider industry.

Due to the current lockdown conditions the ‘culinary dozen’, which includes a number of Michelin starred chefs, will be getting creative with their smartphones and producing a series of DIY video recipes to inspire people to replicate restaurant standard cooking at home using PGI Welsh Lamb and PGI Welsh Beef.

With people currently unable to enjoy dining out the impressive roll call of names, which include chef and recent Great British Menu Welsh winner Hywel Griffith, Bryn Williams, Anand George, Matt Waldron, Stephen Stevens and Sam and Shauna from the BBC’s Big Cook-out, will be sharing their considerable experience and letting people in on some of their secrets as they help make high-grade Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef dishes accessible to the general public.

It comes as Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales warned that whilst there has been a surge in retail demand for some meat products, the dramatic reduction of trade to hotels, restaurants, pubs, and other establishments has produced a destabilising effect on the supply and market prices for both lamb and beef.

One of the ‘culinary dozen’, as they have been dubbed by some in the trade, has called for the wider public to make the most of the extra time they currently have at home to brush up on their cooking skills and support local food and drink producers in challenging circumstances.

Hywel Griffith, head chef of the Michelin-starred Beach House restaurant in Oxwich, said:

“Through my video recipes I hope to show how creating a really high-quality Welsh Lamb or Welsh Beef dish doesn’t have to be that complicated and also provides a nutritious meal whether you’re cooking for one or for the whole family.

“With the closure of restaurants and cafes because of Coronavirus, we have come together to help people create the eating-out experience at home, while also supporting our local businesses and farmers.”

Commenting on the call to arms, Rhys Llywelyn Market Development Manager from Hybu Cig Cymru, added:

“It’s great to see such prominent chefs leading the charge in supporting our farmers and the wider supply chain during this challenging time. Usually, 20 per cent of beef is consumed in the eating-out market but current closures mean there will be 2.5 billion fewer eating-out occasions across the UK between April and June this year.

“With an increasing supply of Welsh Lamb coming onto the market into the early summer, this pattern is likely to be reflected even further with the supply and demand of lamb. Our message to all consumers therefore is to support our farmers through buying certified PGI Welsh and buying premium cuts of meat be they steaks or joints.”

Each chef will be posting their recipes across their social media channels over the coming weeks to offer some culinary inspiration as consumers increasingly look online at ways to entertain themselves in the kitchen as well as ensure a healthy balanced meal for themselves and their family.

For those who want to get cooking straight away follow the Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef social media channels or visit the campaign page: https://eatwelshlambandwelshbeef.com/en/Uniquely-Welsh

Become a Zero Food Waste Business Through the OLIO Surplus Food Rescue Programme

Every year around 1/3 of all food produced globally goes to waste, largely ending up in landfill and accounting for 8% of greenhouse gas emissions per year.  If food waste were a country it would be 3^rd behind China and the USA in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.

In the UK alone, according to WRAP, in the Hospitality and Foodservice Sector alone over 1.1M tons of food goes to waste each year, and 75% of this is food still fit for consumption, equating to 1.3bn meals.

Reducing food waste represents one of the greatest opportunities to reverse global warming and at the same time build communities and feed people.

While reducing food waste in the first place is where the primary focus should be, the reality is that, despite the best technology to achieve this, surplus food will always exist, and should be redistributed to prevent it from going to waste, reaching instead local communities. Charities play a key role here, but unfortunately not all charities are able to take all food types or have limited availability.  Additionally, there are several ‘food insecure’ families who do not visit food banks, for various reasons, including social stigma.

Through our unique platform, the OLIO Food Waste Heroes programme supports the hospitality industry to prevent surplus food from going to the bin.  Through our nationwide 8,000-strong food safety trained Food Waste Hero volunteers, we rescue surplus food from businesses and share it via our OLIO Neighbour-to-Neighbour sharing app with local communities.  In this way, not only are we helping to reduce food waste, but also helping to build communities as we reach people across the economic spectrum.   The sharing is safe, fast, friendly, and stigma-free.

Particularly during the current pandemic, we have also (through no-contact sharing) been reaching those most vulnerable/at risk who might not be able to visit supermarkets and/or food banks.

If you want to become a Zero Food Waste Business and have surplus food to be rescued due to covid-19, or if you would like to partner with OLIO for regular collections, please visit www.olioex.com or reach out to Martin Rohleder, Director OLIO for Businesses, at martin@olioex.com