Upcycled Cuisine Takes Off

Food waste gets a second life at restaurants. 

One man’s trash is another man’s… next big food trend. In kitchens across the globe—and right here in Raleigh—chefs are giving scraps a glow-up, transforming would-be waste into craveworthy dishes and drinks. Dubbed “upcycled cuisine” or “zero-waste cooking,” the movement is gaining serious traction as sustainability shifts from buzzword to business model—especially in cities like Denver, Portland, NYC and DC, where dodging food waste is top of mind (see sidebar below).

Let’s be real: The stakes are high. Restaurants currently waste an average of 4 to 10% of the food they buy before it ever hits the plate—resulting in a staggering 915K+ tons of food trashed each year nationwide. That waste not only impacts the bottom line, but also strains landfill capacities and contributes significantly to methane emissions. And while curbing the waste feels a long way off, change is cooking. 

Making a dent in the dump, local spots are stepping up, working leftovers into the lineup like pros—literally churning would-be trash into palatable treasures. Case in point: At Crawford and Son, beef and fish trimmings morph into delightful tartares and crudos, respectively, while scraps from the roasted sea trout entree are repurposed in smoked trout rillettes. 

And at budding “east meets west” gem Peregrine, chef Saif Rahman lives by using every part of a product. “I grew up in a household where we couldn’t afford to waste food,” says the celebrated chef. “We were taught to make the most of everything we had.”

He channels that mindset into his globally influenced dishes—blitzing leftover onion skins, scallions, cilantro and the like into powders as a garnish and flavor booster. But the real trash-to-treasure star? Peregrine’s chicken crackling: fried chicken skin remnants served with a chicken fat soubise dip. 

Meanwhile, Madre is also taking the trend a step further with its cheekily-dubbed “garbage” artisan biscuits. An absolute must-order on the brunch menu, these aren’t your grandma’s basics. Upping the ante on the Southern delicacy, sous chef Lucas Barfield hatched the idea of incorporating leftover charcuterie scraps into a basic biscuit dough last year in a deliberate effort to cut down on waste. And Raleigh brunchers can’t get enough.

I saw this [sustainability] mindset in the restaurants I worked in, where farmers would bring in products they worked hard to grow or raise. Seeing their effort made me respect the ingredients even more—they come from real people putting in real work.”
—Saif Rahman, Peregrine

Barfield’s genius carb concoction is a nod to the comforting ham and cheese biscuits his dad used to make—a nostalgic reminder of home in every bite. Spotting the overlooked off-cuts of serrano ham, chorizo, manchego, cheddar and salami from flavorful event charcuterie boards, Barfield spied the ideal savory add-in for a rich biscuit dough of flour, butter, buttermilk, cream, salt and honey—a clever mix transforming simple ingredients into a layered, indulgent biscuit that’s both familiar and unexpectedly complex.

“If you know anything about charcuterie and cheese service, you know it involves a ton of waste—something that is looked over every day,” shares Madre GM Red Brewer. “Chef Lucas’ idea to take the scraps and fold them back into something as loved as a good biscuit is the pinnacle of Madre mentality.”

Taking a note from the to-die-for biscuit’s sustainability factor, Barfield says Madre tries to cross-utilize unused scraps in other areas of the menu—or for staff meals. “We avoid throwing anything away as much as possible,” he emphasizes, with Brewer adding sustainability is a core value of the restaurant. 

So, as Raleigh’s chefs turn scraps into stars, the city is quietly reshaping how we think about food and waste. This movement—rooted in respect, creativity and sustainability—isn’t just a trend, it’s becoming a way of life, proving that small changes in the kitchen can ripple out to big change on our plates and beyond. 

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