The University of Melbourne's North Court is set to transform into a marketplace of fresh food this July for the event Think.Eat.Save, with visitors to the location receiving a free lunch of soups and toasties by chef Matt Wilkinson of Pope Joan.
OzHarvest and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) are teaming up for the event with the aim of not only filling the hungry stomachs of chilly Sydneysiders, but also to raise awareness of the global problem of food waste. The chef will be on-hand from 11.30am till 2pm alongside sustainable chef Joost Bakker.
With four million tonnes of food wasted in Australia each year, the path to change starts with the fridge of every Australian. A recent study revealed that Melburnians waste nearly a million tonnes of edible food every year, of which fresh fruit, vegetables and dairy are among the main foods tossed (and, arguably, the easiest to save).
While you eat your free celebrity chef-cooked lunch — and taste a range of free food samples — you'll be able to pick up some of their tips for preventing food waste. You'll be making master stock with your veggie scraps in no time.
Image: Cole Bennetts for OzHarvest.