TOWARDS ZERO
A long with producing our favourite meals, kitchens are also responsible for creating a substantial amount of waste. But with a little thought and preparation this can be reduced significantly by establishing closed-loop cooking habits. Is it simple? Not exactly – but it is achievable. One chef who is helping set new standards is Emma McCaskill of Adelaide’s Sparkke at the Whitmore, a restaurant that looks at food holistically and is constantly refining its systems to minimise waste. We asked McCaskill to create a menu that harnesses the potential of each and every ingredient – from root to peel, nose to tail – to piece together a cooking puzzle that’s both delicious and almost entirely waste-free.
“I wanted to include dishes that are staples on our menu in order to stay true to our food ethos at Sparkke,” says McCaskill. The restaurant’s ethos is to showcase the incredible producers they work with while minimising their own carbon footprint.
“My mindset has developed from a focus on the best produce and agricultural practices, to a more sustainable and resourceful approach to everything we do in our kitchen,” she says.
Sparkke at the Whitmore, 317 Morphett St, Adelaide, SA, (08) 7123 0808, sparkke.com/the-whitmore
Baby rainbow carrots with coriander and carrot-top pesto
SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 10 MINS
“This is a simple but delicious dish of roasted baby heirloom carrots that highlights the whole plant,” says Emma McCaskill.
2 bunches baby heirloom carrots (500gm), tops reserved, washed and dried
100 ml extra-virgin olive oil
