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Growing up, my parents encouraged me to eat as much as I could at dinner because, they said, “we don't waste food in this house.” As an adult, I've realized that many Black parents think the same way and ultimately teach us the valuable lesson and practice of not wasting food.
According to Feeding America, 92 billion pounds of food are wasted annually in the United States, which equates to 145 billion meals. Unfortunately, Americans waste more than $473 billion in food annually, wasting 38% of the total food in the United States. These shocking statistics were the subject of the “Chefs Challenge: Fighting Food Waste in the Kitchen” panel discussion, held on the Food And Wine Festival Experience stage on July 6. Led by Tanya Fields of the Black Feminist Project, the panel, along with chefs J’Kwan Fulmore, Lenora Chong, and Larry Morrow, explored the impact of inflation making it harder for people to afford food. The chefs also walked the audience through how to avoid food waste by using up everything they have in their fridge, showing how it makes a big difference. The veteran chefs shared best practices and meal ideas for making the most of the produce and leftovers they have at home, and most importantly, encouraged the fight against food waste through engaging demos.
To show how easy it is to utilize ingredients you already have at home, Chef Jeong, co-founder of Morose and Sancheong, decided to make one of her favorite Korean dishes from her childhood: “Piggies and Puffs.” This dish uses ingredients you would normally have in your fridge, reducing waste in the kitchen and the hassle of having to hunt for new ingredients at the store. “For this dish, I use leftover eggs, lettuce from my pantry, and rice. And don't forget the meat. I use sausage or chicken, any meat, any protein. I also add carrots, sliced peppers, and onions,” she exclaimed to the audience.
Chong then shared how her love for cooking was sparked through her father: “My father and I spent a lot of time in the kitchen. It was a bonding time for us. My father is also a chef and he taught me how to cook from an early age. We talked a lot about ingredients. With my father teaching me about cooking, I naturally fell in love with cooking and eventually took up this profession,” she said.
Through a series of events, Chung's family business and culinary tradition expanded here in New Orleans when her son, Morrow, decided to go into business with her. “My mother always cooked at home, so it was a natural fit for us to partner together and open Morrow's in 2018. I wasn't familiar with the culinary industry, but I grew up in it and loved entertaining,” Morrow said.
In addition to his extensive experience in the culinary field, Morrow's work with a well-known nonprofit organization helped him become aware of food insecurity in the U.S. “We taught people how to sustainably grow and harvest vegetables, and then how to create healthy meals for themselves from what they harvested,” he said.
Through her work with nonprofits and advocacy for farm-to-table meals, Morrow quickly learned that reducing food loss and waste, as well as access to quality grocery stores, are crucial for Black people, many of whom live in food-insecure areas.
To minimize waste, Chef Fulmore suggests buying less groceries. “Buying less produce, storing only what you need, and buying less will help minimize waste,” he told the audience. As solutions to minimize food waste and reduce grocery purchases, Chef Chong shared some easy-to-make dishes. “Use leftovers, make tacos, bowls, you can even make wrap sandwiches,” she said.
Growing your own food, as Fulmore does frequently, is a fun and creative way to reduce waste and save money at the grocery store. “I garden. I grow my own food. I grow my own vegetables,” Fulmore says.
