Struggling to find a place to take your first date? You know, the one who self-describes as "quirky" and "adventurous" on Tinder? Do I have the place for you…
Meet the Salvage Supperclub. In some of the world’s top cosmopolitan cities (think Brooklyn and San Francisco), foodies are shelling out at least $80 to get served past-its-prime food -- in a dumpster.
Avid Waste Systems x avid diners #salvagesupperclub #eateverything
A photo posted by Haya Shaath (@thehappybox) on Apr 14, 2014 at 5:53am PDT
While some people tend to pay the big bucks for a more conventional dining experience (the kind that takes place in an actual restaurant, with fresh ingredients), the Salvage Supperclub offers diners:
- the chance to eat in a dumpster (albeit a thoroughly cleaned and adorned one) as well as
- a unique experience for a good cause. The purpose is to raise awareness about food waste, and profits from the Salvage Supperclub events are donated to charities fighting to end waste and hunger.
According to NPR, Salvage Supperclub is the design of Josh Treuhaft, who works as a designer with a focus on sustainability. The events have thus far taken place in Berkley, Brooklyn, California and San Francisco, with menus comprised of ingredients that would have otherwise been thrown away (despite the fact that it is still safe to eat, as well as nutritious).
"The idea behind this multi-course, veg-forward tasting menu is for eaters to see the incredible potential many of us fail to see in our food," says Treuhaft, who is originally from New York.
"I want to engage people and get them excited about food waste prevention, so we send less food to the landfill or compost," he says to NPR. "The goal here is to broaden the scope of what is edible."
"I hope my guests come away from my dinners with a new outlook on how they're using and not using the food in their kitchens," says chef Pesha Perlsweig, who executed the menu at a recent San Francisco event.
According to NPR, her menu includes: wilted basil, bruised plums, past-their-prime tomatoes, vegetable pulp, surplus squash, whole favas (tough outer layer included), garbanzo bean water, dairy whey, sweet potato skins and overripe, peel-on bananas.
Let's do this! #salvagesupperclub
A photo posted by James Grady (@jmsgrady) on Jun 26, 2016 at 7:46pm PDT
“It makes me happy to hear that a former guest made carrot top pesto or was inspired by a dish of mine. Change is hard. If I can move the dial, however small, in the right direction, then I feel like I've done my job.”