Happy Thursday,

Supply chain costs keep climbing, labor isn't getting any cheaper, and the gap between what you charge and what's left over is shrinking. The operators still making money right now are the ones treating every ingredient like it actually matters.

Which is why I had Vojtech Vegh back on the show this week. Vojtech has spent the last decade turning zero-waste cooking from a buzzword into an operational practice. He worked in fine dining across Europe and Asia, opened his own restaurant in Cambodia, and now travels the world running masterclasses for hotels, resorts, and contract caterers on how to use what most kitchens throw away.

This isn't altruistic fluff. The trimmings sitting in your bin right now can be 20-50% of what you bought, sometimes more. In a margin environment this tight, that's the difference between a profitable kitchen and a kitchen that's just busy.

🎙️ The meez Podcast

QuickFire: Chef Vojtech Vegh

Vojtech Vegh has spent the last decade turning zero-waste cooking from a buzzword into an actual operational practice.

He works with hotels, resorts, and contract caterers all over the world, runs masterclasses on how to use what most kitchens throw away, and has just relocated his family back to Siem Reap, Cambodia.

We did a QuickFire round on the most wasted ingredients on earth, and his answers will change how you walk through a prep kitchen.

• The #1 most wasted ingredient on earth (it's not what you think)
• Why watermelon rind is basically another cucumber
• Banana peels that taste like pulled pork
• The most expensive thing every bakery is putting in the bin
• Why "we've always done it this way" needs to be banned from kitchens
• The healthiest part of the avocado (and how to drink it)

👉 Listen to the full episode

‍

📔 Chef Notes

The #1 Most Wasted Ingredient in the World

I've pickled my fair share of watermelon rind. Vojtech took it to a whole other level.

I've pickled my fair share of watermelon rind. Vojtech took it to a whole other level.

The rind is 20-30% of the weight of every watermelon you bring into the kitchen, and globally it's the #1 most wasted byproduct on earth, estimated at 30-36 million tons wasted each year 🤯.

He treats it like any other vegetable. Which makes a ton of sense, because it's basically a cucumber with less water content. We salt cukes first to extract that water anyway.

Some of his ideas were a little out there, so you'll have to try them yourself. But swapping watermelon rind for cucumber seems like a no-brainer. Feels like incremental profit. Just don't forget to account for the labor. A robot coupe with the shredder attachment, or a Hobart with a similar setup, is a smart play here.

Funny enough, my daughter likes the green part of the watermelon as much as the red. Maybe we're just eating it wrong :)

👉 Watch the clip on LinkedIn

👉 Watch on Instagram

‍

🤔🌶️ Hot Take

‍

‍40% Revenue Growth, only 3% more dollars

Margin compression is only getting harder. That said, this is not something you want to learn at the end of the year.

It's critical to know your accurate theoretical food costs at all times so that you can make quick, informed decisions.

Back of the napkin does not cut it.  You will be much farther off than expected without dialing in your recipe costs.

The yield and cost conversion of every single ingredient matters more than ever.

Cilantro may cost you $8/lb, but if you're just using the leaves, you can lose up to 48% of the cilantro. You're almost doubling the cost, and that is just one ingredient. When you account for every ingredient, what you thought your profit margin was is actually way different.

👉 Watch the clip on LinkedIn

👉 Learn how to menu engineer with meez

‍

Want to Be a Guest on The meez Podcast?

We are always looking for operators, chefs, and food industry leaders who have a story to tell.

👉 Apply to be a guest

‍