We wrote recently about tackling food waste, a major contributor to climate change causing emissions, by embracing ugly food. Although the ugly food movement has footholds worldwide, some of it’s strongest proponents are in France, including Nicholas Chabanne of Gueules Cassées. But as wonderful as the idea is to get “imperfect” produce out of landfills and onto our plates, it requires reversing a lot of momentum and decades of habits for both consumers and suppliers. Since the French government has stated that they intend to cut food waste in half by 2025, they are pulling out all the stops necessary to do so.
In May, the French National Assembly passed legislation requiring grocery stores to have formal contracts with food banks and implementing hefty fines for throwing out food or deliberately spoiling it (an apparently common practice to prevent dumpster diving). Now the French government has made it illegal for large restaurants (generally those seating over 150) not to offer doggy bags to all guests. Since the French do not have a native word for the concept, it could be slow to catch on, but every bit counts in a nation where restaurants are such a vital part of the national economy.
To read more, click here.



Danny Meyer’s decision to end tipping at all his restaurants has already become the sort of high profile case that’s likely to spark conversation and debate in circles reaching far beyond the industry. As two more restaurateurs move to join him, it now seems like his announcement represents a major tipping point (pun intended) in what is considered standard.


Eater asked New York’s best food critics to anonymously share their frustrations about the restaurant industry. A total of 26 complaints were complied to help owners and businesses in NYC’s restaurant scene to avoid bad criticism from food writers.