Food Waste Intelligence

Reducing food waste in a professional kitchen is an ongoing battle. Some solutions are easier to see and implement than others. There are quick fixes that can show an immediate reduction in the amount of food waste, like smaller portions, small batch cooking, cooking to order. Some solutions take time to implement and results come slower, but the outcomes are long-term and impactful. Smart “menuing,” proper forecasting, strong inventory and purchasing practices will make the most impact in the long run. One of the biggest waste culpri...

Companies Save $14 on Every $1 Invested in Reducing Food Waste Earlier this month a new report was released from Champions 12.3, in collaboration with the World Resources Institute (WRI) and WRAP, that found companies saved $14 for every $1 invested in reducing food waste. This report, which includes customer-protected data from LeanPath among the data set, is very favorable financial validation of the food waste prevention work that LeanPath has led for the past 13 years. It supports the fact that if organizations, consumers and gove...

Leaving a career is never easy, and leaving one that you’ve been doing your entire life is outright scary. I’ve been a chef my whole life. Over 30 years of being in the heat of the battle—the chaos and beauty that is a working kitchen. The kitchen has always been my refuge, my happy place. I’ve been a dishwasher, line cook, student chef, Executive Chef, Culinary Dean, Regional Executive Chef, and National Culinary Director. My career has included extensive travel and stints in hotels, country clubs, B & I accounts, restaurants, and se...

I come to LeanPath following a lengthy career in the supply chain sector in operations and finance roles, where I spent a considerable amount of time focused excessively on the financial bottom line and all of the associated operational drivers.

Many foodservice operations incorporate donating excess edible food into their food waste strategy and overall mission to do good. The US EPA food recovery hierarchy, which has long been a guiding resource for prioritization of food waste solutions, positions feeding hungry people just below source reduction for preferred approaches to food waste. And it seems like it’s hard to argue with the inherent “good” that comes along with feeding hungry people, right?