Artful, Delicious, Waste Less Cooking with Chef Keith Lord

Keith A. Lord is a global chef with a creative and conscientious approach to food. He strives to reduce waste by rescuing imperfect produce from local farmers, regrowing watercress in coolers behind the catering kitchen, and turning kitchen “trash” into treasure.

Lord says he’s motivated by an abiding respect for food—and sees waste as a personal challenge. He credits his principled approach to cooking in two formative kitchens: one in Hawaii, where the majority of ingredients came out of the water, and another in San Francisco, where the fridge was packed to the brim with local produce each week. His mission was to use every last morsel so the kitchen could start over again with fresh ingredients the following Monday.

In the catering and restaurant world, waste is a reality, but implementing simple and inventive practices make a positive impact. Lord says one of the easiest methods to reduce waste is to consider the potential of kitchen scraps that would otherwise be bound for the bin. Strawberry tops are incorporated into tapenade, carrot greens are transformed into pesto, and charred onion scraps become a sweet and decorative ash to top shots of Mexican street corn.

Some of the most eye-catching dishes have been inspired almost entirely by cast-offs, like the Tuscan Five-Spice Grouper with seasoning crafted from bruised mint, citrus peels, and vanilla pods and a root vegetable peel salad. “It’s a beautiful dish, and most of the flavor comes from scraps,” says Lord.

But the most dynamic presentation of waste reduction might be the painted tablescapes—lively food installations highlighting deconstructed takes on savory and sweet dishes ranging from cassoulet to peach cobbler. The experience unfolds like a flash mob performance, where elements of the dish are strewn and swirled across the table covered in recycled paper. Guests scoop up bites with edible implements like toast or doughnuts. There’s no cutlery or plates involved, and practically no waste.

With time and creativity, it’s possible for every chef and home cook to reduce waste and use ingredients to their full potential.