Food Waste Intelligence

Picture this: you’re the head chef of a foodservice operation, it’s Friday evening, and it’s time to close the kitchen doors for the week and start prepping for the coming one. The thing is, you have a refrigerator full of leftovers from meals earlier in the week, and they’ll undoubtedly go bad. This scenario isn’t unfamiliar to many chefs in large foodservice operations, so what can be done to fix it?

Earlier this month, we facilitated a session with some LeanPath clients to discuss best practices to utilize the LeanPath System and reduce more waste. Throughout the conversation, there was a common theme: Reducing food waste starts with cultivating a positive, waste-aware culture in the kitchen. Once your team is on board, reducing waste becomes second nature, resulting in less food wasted and more money saved.

Northern Arizona University (NAU) began using the LeanPath System in late June 2012, installing automated tracking systems in both of their dining halls. LeanPath sat down with Executive Chef Timothy Cunningham to learn more about their experience with the system and changes they’ve made to reduce food waste in their kitchens.

Sodexo Dining at the University of Vermont began using LeanPath in April 2013. Since installing the system, they have prevented a significant amount of food waste through diligent waste tracking and high employee engagement. We recently spoke with Executive Chef James Poulos about his team's experience with LeanPath.

Orlynn Rosaasen has been at the University of North Dakota for 19 years, working in his current position as Director of Dining Services for 12 years. He oversees all of the dining initiatives across three large residential dining halls, as well as a multi-concept retail food operation. He was the key decision-maker for the LeanPath System, which was implemented at UND in September of 2011 with four Trackers across the three dining halls and one café.