Winifred documents Matt Whiley’s quest to re-define food waste in Sydney hospitality industry

Food waste is a serious issue. For the hospitality industry, there’s mounting tension for bars and restaurants to positively change their food waste footprint. But for industries that are built on delivering premium food and drink experiences using the freshest produce, there’s an inherent paradox that has prevented the industry from inciting lasting change. Until now.

 

Directed by Kaius Potter, with the support of Ketel One, Winifred has produced a launch film documenting the first step in the ‘Never Wasted’ program; a ground-breaking sustainability movement driven by the globally acclaimed bartender, Matt Whiley.

Whiley is challenging bars, restaurants and producers to rethink what they know about waste. His acclaimed London bar, Scout, pioneered the use of hyperlocal and foraged produce, and when launching his most recent venue, Re, in South Eveleigh in Sydney, he’s taking it a step further by creating the world’s first zero-waste bar, literally built on waste. Using his laboratory onsite at Re, Whiley converts by-products from local cafes, restaurants and producers that others would consider imperfect, unfit for service or straight-up scraps into delicious cocktails and bar snacks.

Says Whiley: “Re is living, breathing, proof that bars and restaurants can not only deliver high-quality food and beverage in a more sustainable way, but can also make businesses more profitable in doing so. Food waste costs our economies billions per year as more than five million tonnes of food ends up in landfill meaning one in five bags of groceries winds up in the bin. We have a responsibility to look hard at what we’re not using and find ways to make it desirable, and the time is now.”

The film captures the heart and soul of what personally drives Whiley as he tirelessly educates and develops his unique supply chain of waste products and by-products from the daily running of local Sydney businesses. Collaborating with Ronni Khan (OzHarvest / Refettorio ), Josh Niland (Saint Peter / Fish Butchery), Dan Ye (Artificer), Shelley Simpson (Mud Ceramics), James Harvey (Yullis Brews), ​​Matteo Pochintesta ( Mapo Gelato) , Donato Toce (Gelato Messina) and more.

Says Celia Nicholas, executive producer at Winifred: “It’s been great to see how the film has already had a profound impact on the industry locally with over one hundred entities proactively outreaching to join the movement. We know there is a bigger story to tell, and we’re looking at opportunities to produce a longer-form series that follows Matt’s pioneering efforts to continue to educate and change the way the hospitality industry thinks about waste, both here and overseas.”

Brand: Ketel One
Client partner: Alfred
Talent acquisition: Erin Flanagan

Production Company: Winifred
Executive Producers: Celia Nicholas/Stuart Couzens
Director: Kaius Potter
Producer: Rosie Parker
Production Assistant: Sophia Buck
DOP: Jack Shepherd
Camera Operator: Mikey Hamer
Camera Assistant: Aedan O’Donnell
Editor: Lucas Vazquez
Design/Animation: Cecilia Troiani
Composer/Sound Design: Thom Pringle