Organic restaurant reduces waste, teaches farm-to-table

Denmark’s Amass restaurant prioritizes sustainability - composting, growing on site, buying locally and finding new ways to use leftovers.

Increasing sustainability by reducing waste is a multi-faceted challenge for the food industry. One solution brings customers to growers. Technology also helps, providing on-demand donations to food banks and shelters. In Denmark, Copenhagen’s Amass restaurant holds a Gold Organic Certificate, meaning that 90 to 100 percent of the restaurant’s food and drink is pesticide-free.

As part of its dedication to creative sustainable solutions, the Amass team stretches the use of each ingredient as far as possible. Crispy crackers contain coffee grounds. Condiments and a butter replacement contain green vegetable scraps. And dishes change each day, depending on what is ripe. Amass grows produce in its own kitchen garden, composts in a closed-loop system and works with other local organic farmers.

Run on the principle that farm-to-table gastronomy is the future of the food industry, the restaurant also hosts the Amass Green Kids Program. The Program’s courses are based in the kitchen’s garden, with children growing, harvesting and cooking. How could sustainable solutions to food chain processes be scaled up for industry level impact?