Beyond the zero waste restaurant | Matt Stone | TEDxAuckland

Summary

Matt Stone, a seasoned chef, shares his journey and innovative approach towards sustainable dining at TEDxAuckland. He talks about his collaboration with Dutch artist Joost Bakker, which led to creating zero-waste restaurants like "Silo" and "Brothel". Stone emphasizes the importance of reducing waste, from using kegs for water to creating compostable waste. By partnering with local farms and encouraging a closed-loop system, he inspires leading restaurants worldwide to adopt sustainable practices and reimagines the role of waste in the hospitality industry.

Highlights

• Matt Stone started his culinary journey in Western Australia and later opened a Spanish restaurant.
• He initially doubted but eventually embraced Joost Bakker's vision of a recycled, plant-covered restaurant.
• The greenhouse restaurant in Perth became highly successful and led to further sustainable projects.
• In Sydney, his pop-up restaurant achieved zero waste by innovative means like kegs for water.
• The 'Silo' in Melbourne showcases a fully waste-free dining experience.
• Stone implemented a composting machine to convert leftovers into nutrient-rich compost.
• 'Brothel' uses bones and shells from other restaurants to create nourishing broths.
• Global culinary stars are inspired by Stone's sustainable practices.

Key Takeaways

• Matt Stone is revolutionizing the restaurant industry with zero-waste initiatives 🍽️.
• Collaboration with Joost Bakker led to innovative sustainable dining concepts 🌿.
• The 'Silo' restaurant proves 100% waste-free operation is possible 🚫🗑️.
• 'Brothel' transforms restaurant waste into nutritious broths 🍲.
• Stone's initiatives inspire global culinary leaders to adopt similar practices 🌍.
• Composting machines help turn organic waste into community resources 🤝.
• Every restaurant can play a part in reducing waste and promoting sustainability ♻️.

Overview

Matt Stone began his culinary journey in the scenic Margaret River Region and swiftly ascended the industry ladder, pursuing excellence in notable establishments. When business challenges in his early twenties left him at crossroads, he encountered Joost Bakker, a visionary Dutch artist proposing a groundbreaking concept - a restaurant entirely made from recycled materials. Skeptical yet intrigued, Matt teamed up with Joost, leading to the creation of a landmark sustainable dining venue, the greenhouse.

Their collaborative success paved the way for numerous ventures, including the 'Silo' restaurant, which is renowned for operating without generating waste. Through imaginative solutions like using kegs over bottles and advocating for a closed-loop system with organic farms, they demonstrated that a fully sustainable restaurant model is viable. Melbourne's dining scene became a testament to their innovative practices.

Moving beyond traditional waste management, Matt launched 'Brothel', a restaurant using byproducts from other establishments to craft healthful broths. This ingenuity sparked a ripple effect across the globe, inspiring influential chefs and restaurants to rethink their environmental impact. Matt Stone's journey is a testament to daring creativity, community collaboration, and the unwavering belief in a sustainable future for gastronomy.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 01:00: Introduction and Early Career The chapter introduces the speaker, who is a cook with 12 years of experience. He began his culinary career in the picturesque Margaret River Region, Western Australia. His first significant role was at the esteemed Lun State Winery, where his passion for cooking was ignited. The experience and confidence gained at this restaurant inspired him to advance his career and relocate to the city.
• 01:00 - 02:00: Opening a Successful Spanish Restaurant The chapter discusses the journey of a chef who initially sought employment at the best local restaurant, working long hours and pushing their limits to excel in the culinary arts. Inspired by a transformative trip to Spain at the age of 21, where they fell in love with Spanish cuisine and culture, the chef returns to their home city and collaborates with the restaurant owner to open a Spanish tapas restaurant named Penegra.
• 02:00 - 03:00: The Greenhouse Concept The chapter "The Greenhouse Concept" recounts the experience of a young entrepreneur who, after being bought out of a successful restaurant venture, was uncertain about his future path at the age of 21. Feeling defeated and unsure whether to continue in the culinary field or try something new, he was approached by Dutch artist Yos Becka. Becka introduced an innovative restaurant concept centered around sustainable practices, proposing to build the establishment using entirely recycled or recyclable materials, and to integrate it seamlessly into an urban environment dominated by plants. This unique idea reignited the entrepreneur's passion and provided a new direction for his career.
• 03:00 - 04:00: Success of the Greenhouse The narrator initially doubted the feasibility of a project proposed by Yast but eventually decided to join him. After visiting Melbourne, experiencing Yast's work, and falling in love with it, they collaborated to open the Greenhouse restaurant in Perth. The narrator expresses ongoing admiration for the restaurant's design.
• 04:00 - 05:00: Introduction of Zero Waste Concept The chapter introduces the concept of Zero Waste by showcasing a rooftop garden on a building, emphasizing its role in creating habitats for birds, insects, and plants in urban environments. The entire structure is designed to be fully recyclable, leaving no trace when moved, with the garden serving as the anchor. The success story of a restaurant that embraced this concept is highlighted, having achieved significant recognition quickly, such as winning the best restaurant in Western Australia and best young chef in the country. This recognition opened new opportunities for the establishment.
• 05:00 - 06:00: First Zero Waste Restaurant - Silo The chapter discusses the establishment of 'Silo', a zero-waste restaurant concept that was executed as a popup in Sydney. The location provided a view of the bridge and the opera house, making it an idyllic spot for the restaurant. The team took four weeks to build it and operated it for three months before dismantling it in five days, leaving no trace. One of the innovative approaches they adopted was to provide sparkling and mineral water in kegs instead of bottles, significantly minimizing waste.
• 06:00 - 07:00: Zero Waste Initiatives and Practices The chapter discusses the inspiration and implementation of zero waste initiatives in the hospitality industry. A specific example is given where a restaurant switched from using bottled water to kegs, reducing glass waste significantly. This move not only inspired other restaurants to adopt similar practices but also led to an increase in keg water sales by their supplier, Mitch from Headb Bur Springs. The narrative further explores the possibility of creating a completely waste-free hospitality venue, a challenge that the protagonists, Yos and the author, enthusiastically embrace.
• 07:00 - 08:00: Composting and Community Involvement The chapter discusses the creation of a waste-free business called Silo in Melbourne by two individuals. Despite the challenges and skepticism from others, the founders succeeded in their goal of eliminating rubbish completely from their restaurant. The chapter highlights the innovative approaches they took to alter traditional hospitality practices, such as reducing reliance on plastics and promoting sustainable methods within the community.
• 08:00 - 09:00: Creating Brothl and Using Waste from Other Restaurants The chapter focuses on sustainable practices in the restaurant industry, particularly highlighting the use of milk from a biodynamic dairy farmer named Simon Schulz. The restaurant receives 20-liter vats of milk directly from Simon's farm, which are transported back and forth between the farm and the restaurant. This practice helps to save an estimated 45,000 plastic bottles per year. Additionally, the chapter mentions the use of a flower mill, emphasizing its dual purpose of aesthetic appeal and practical use within the restaurant.
• 09:00 - 10:00: Impact and Influence on Global Chefs The chapter titled 'Impact and Influence on Global Chefs' discusses the importance of using fresh ingredients, particularly fresh flour, in culinary practices. It compares the process of grinding flour to grinding coffee, suggesting that using freshly ground flour enhances the taste of breads, cakes, and pastries. The process of commercial wheat production involves removing the husk and bleaching the grain, which, while making it safe, reduces its nutritional value. The discussion prompts chefs to consider using fresh flour to improve taste in their culinary creations.

Beyond the zero waste restaurant | Matt Stone | TEDxAuckland Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 [Applause] wo I'm a cook I've been a cook for about 12 years I was lucky enough to start cooking in the beautiful Margaret River Region in Western Australia my first serious cooking job was at the highly acclaimed Lun State Winery it was there that I sort of my passion for cooking started that restaurant Winery really gave me the the passion and the confidence to move up to the city uh and
• 00:30 - 01:00 get a job in the best restaurant that I possibly could uh star in so I got my job at the best restaurant in town uh and I was working 15 hours a day and it really pushed me to my limits uh both mentally and physically but overwhelmingly it made me want to become the best cook that I possibly could become uh when I was 21 I went to Spain spent some time fell in love with Spanish cuisine and culture I went back to Perth uh back with the owner of the restaurant star e that I worked in and we opened a restaurant together called penegra a Spanish tappers restaurant
• 01:00 - 01:30 which is still uh very popular today unfortunately business wasn't my strong point and I was bought out rather quickly from a successful restaurant I was out of loss as to what to do next I was 21 I felt defeated I didn't know if I wanted to keep cooking or if I wanted to do something else and I thought you know there's nothing else that I can really do and I was approached by a Dutch artist named Yos Becka who um come to me with this concept of building a restaurant from 100% recycled or recyclable materials uh in the middle of a CBD covered imp plants and I thought
• 01:30 - 02:00 he was crazy I was like may you dreaming there's absolutely no way we could do that uh so I said no he continued with the project um I thought about it for a couple of weeks and thought you know what I've got nothing to lose at all so I caught up yast and set him in flew to Melbourne met with him uh did a flower run with him through Melbourne in in restaurants and fell in love with his work uh and then we opened the greenhouse in Perth this restaurant you see here this restaurant is absolutely amazing I still look at it and just I'm in love it's covered completely in
• 02:00 - 02:30 Plants it has a rooftop garden buildings like this create habitat in urban environments this creates habitat for Birds insects and of course plants as well as being completely recyclable we can pick this place up recycle the whole thing leave no Trace wherever there nothing's penetrated the Earth it's the Garden on the top that anchors the building down we got a lot of success very quickly in this restaurant uh we won best restaurant in in Western Australia from the good food guide in our first year and I won best young Chef in the country this led the opportunity to us
• 02:30 - 03:00 for us to do another popup version of our restaurant in Sydney it's the most idealic spot you could ever want to put a restaurant from my past I could see the bridge and the opera house it was absolutely amazing we built this restaurant in about 4 weeks we operated for 3 months and in 5 days we took it down and left no Trace whatever there one of the most exciting things we did in this restaurant was we put sparkling water and mineral water into kegs instead of bottle might seem small but it minimized our waste hugely so we got
• 03:00 - 03:30 rid of all of those bottles this then inspired a lot of other restaurants to do the same thing and now Mitch from headb bur Springs the guy that supplies our water now sells more water in keg than he does in bottle so he's saving massive amounts of of [Music] glass so what this what this thought this really planted the seed for for Yos and I to say is a completely waste-free Hospitality venue possible um and we we said yes so we then
• 03:30 - 04:00 went back to Melbourne where we were both from and we made this little place called Silo Silo is a business that operates 100% waste free no rubbish in the whole restaurant it was a huge achievement for us um so many people said we couldn't do it and when you think about it it is a quite a daunting task you know everything in Hospitality comes in plastic and wrappers and you know the guy that roasts your coffee is always going to say it needs to be in a sealed bag you know you just need to change these ideas and Inspire the same thoughts so we did a few a few really interesting things uh you see the the
• 04:00 - 04:30 milk on top so basically from our Dairy Farmer Simon Schulz uh he's a biodynamic Dairy Farmer we get 20 L Vats that come directly from the dairy they get dropped off at the restaurant and Vats go back so they go back and forth Simon tells us that we'll save 45,000 plastic bottles per year by using this milk system um and you'll see the beautiful flower Mill um not only does it look great in the restaurant but it actually serves a fantastic purpose we Mill all
• 04:30 - 05:00 of our grain uh fresh so we treat the flour as a fresh product so we make all of our breads Cakes and Pastries in the commercial production of wheat the grain is uh the husk is extracted from the grain it's then bleached um to basically sterilize it so it's not bad for you but it's not near as good for you um by any means at the end of the day as a chef it tastes better so why wouldn't we do it you know every restaurant grinds coffee why don't we grind flour fresh seems logical to me above the FL there you see
• 05:00 - 05:30 the black crates those black crates uh go back and forth from our Farms we we work directly with two Farms y has a farm and and uh a couple of others are sort of within about an hour from Melbourne so we've also then inspired our Farmers to be conscious of their waste you know they're not using boxes and all the these things are recyclable but there's still a process and energy that needs to be used to to do these things so by minimizing that we've minimized waste um straight away so we've created a place where we're not taking in any waste so we're
• 05:30 - 06:00 not taking Plastics we're not taking boxes we're not taking any of these things the next problem in which we faced was what to do with leftovers you know uh as much as we try to use everything possible no one wants to eat an onion skin sometimes people won't eat their whole meal which you know I'm not that happy about but it happens so we then started to to think of how we can do this and the traditional method of composting is fantastic but you know in the city in a laneway in Melbourne impossible so we got this this machine a closed loop composting machine
• 06:00 - 06:30 this machine has a live micro in it it Heats and oscillates the compost so it's basically moving around and very gently cooking it so in a 24hour process it can take the organic waste to one/ Tenth of its weight and volume and turn it into nutrient-rich growing medium so essentially all we're doing is turning our waste back into a commodity so you can see in the photograph the the the compost it's really rich uh it's really you know you can't grow directly in it because there's too many vitamins and nutrients so it needs to be diluted so it's great for fixing bad soils um
• 06:30 - 07:00 and by doing this like in Australia we use natural gas to create fertilizer which is ridiculous when onethird of our landfill in Australia is compostable organic waste so it really seems like an absolute no-brainer that we should be composting uh in one form or another um and you know this machines they're not cheap but it can become a community thing where other restaurants we have because we're in a lane where we have a big big machine that the surrounding cafes put their waste into our machine so it can become a really sense it brings a real sense of community and and a real good feeling to you know throwing
• 07:00 - 07:30 things away so then this inspired our next thought how can we do things better again we thought let's use other restaurants waste to create food so then we opened a restaurant called brothel so this restaurant um we take beef bones from rockpool a very uh successful Restaurant Group in in Australia we take fish frames Marin and crab shells from a restaurant adaa which is the highest rating restaurant in
• 07:30 - 08:00 Australia on the San pelago list we take chicken frames from the European um and vegetable bits and pieces from a few other restaurants around town we then turn it into nutrient-rich broth historically if you look into any indigenous tribe in the world they would use bone broth as medicine when people were sick so in about a 48 hour process of cooking the bones it extracts the natural gelatin which helps helps the goodness stick to our inside so our bodies can retain all of the vitamins and nutrients from this food
• 08:00 - 08:30 um it's it's really about just being conscious of of what's going on and you know there's a lot of things that need a change in the hospitality industry but it's definitely things are on the right path people are you know making big changes uh some of the best restaurants in the world have adapted these systems after visiting us in Melbourne rppi from noma in Denmark world's best restaurant has just got a closed loop composter Alex atala top 10 best restaurants in the world in sou Paulo has got a composting machine sat Baines from the
• 08:30 - 09:00 UK restaurant sat Baines the same Ben Shu from Attica so after these guys have come and visited us like I look up to these guys as chefs you know they inspire me to cook but now they're kind of coming to us to you know get some inspiration on how to do things better and it's really working so you know there's a lot of focus on the Providence of our food today which is absolutely amazing it's really important but I think everyone just needs to be a little bit more conscious of what we're throwing away and what's happening to it afterwards cheers
• 09:00 - 09:30 w