One-third of all food ends up in the trash. That's heartbreaking, says Freke van Nimwegen, 29, co-founder of Instock restaurant. By creating delicious dishes from surplus ingredients that would otherwise be discarded, she's shining a spotlight on food waste.
Why is food waste such a personal issue for you? Freke: 'The statistics are staggering—in the Netherlands, we discard €5 billion worth of food annually, about 50 kilos per person. If you're environmentally conscious, you know the ripple effect: not just the food itself, but all the energy invested in growing, packaging, transporting, refrigerating, and preparing it goes to waste too.'
How did Instock come to life?
'During my management traineeship at Ahold, I spent a year as an assistant supermarket manager at Albert Heijn. Daily, I witnessed perfectly edible bread, fruits, and vegetables being tossed at closing time. It was frustrating—there had to be a better way. Brainstorming with colleagues Selma, Bart, and Merel, we dreamed up a restaurant using these surplus items. It serves a dual purpose: rescuing kilos of food while positively educating diners about waste. Albert Heijn supported our launch, and Instock opened in June 2014.'
Restaurant Instock, Czaar Peterstraat 21, Amsterdam
Read the full interview with Freke in the July issue of Santé.
Text: Belinda Fallaux | Photography: Bart Honingh | Make-up: Linda Huiberts
