Zero Waste Dining: Chef Doug McMaster’s Bold Revolution
Chef Doug McMaster’s zero waste restaurant, Silo, located in Hackney Wick, East London, is pioneering a sustainable approach to dining by eliminating waste entirely. Inspired by a challenge posed in 2011, McMaster has created a closed-loop system where all materials are reused, repurposed, or composted, drawing inspiration from nature’s ability to recycle everything. Silo’s innovative practices include working directly with local farmers to avoid single-use packaging, using upcycled materials for furniture and tableware, and transforming food scraps into flavorful ingredients through fermentation, particularly with the use of koji. Signature dishes like the “quaver” and the ice cream sandwich demonstrate that zero waste dining can be both inventive and indulgent. For Malta, where sustainability and local sourcing are increasingly prioritized, McMaster’s approach offers a compelling blueprint for reducing waste while celebrating the island’s rich culinary heritage. His story highlights the potential for aligning environmental responsibility with extraordinary dining experiences, inspiring restaurateurs and food lovers to embrace a
"Could You Run a Kitchen Without a Bin?" Chef Doug McMaster’s Zero Waste Revolution
Imagine a restaurant with no general waste bin. Sound impossible? That’s exactly the bold vision that has driven Chef Doug McMaster to create the world’s first zero waste restaurant, Silo. Nestled in the vibrant Hackney Wick area of East London, Silo is more than a dining establishment—it’s a philosophy, a movement, and a glimpse into a sustainable future for food. For audiences in Malta, where the Mediterranean’s natural beauty inspires a culture of resourcefulness, McMaster’s story offers an inspiring model for aligning culinary excellence with environmental responsibility.
The idea sprouted in 2011, when Joost Bakker, a Dutch-Australian eco-architect, posed a radical question to McMaster: “Could you not have a bin in the kitchen?” At the time, McMaster was working at The Greenhouse, a Sydney pop-up restaurant built entirely from waste materials. That simple yet profound question sparked McMaster’s unwavering commitment to zero waste dining—a commitment that has since shaped his career and inspired countless others in the culinary world.
More Than a Trend: A Holistic Zero Waste Approach
McMaster insists that zero waste is not just a fleeting trend, but a necessary shift in how we view consumption and production. In his book, The Zero Waste Blueprint, he provides a roadmap for others to follow, proving that sustainability is not only achievable but essential. Silo doesn’t just avoid waste—it actively reimagines it. Anything that cannot be reused or repurposed is composted or fermented, giving it a new lease on life.
Walking into Silo, you immediately feel the ethos of the place. The floors are made of cork, the ceiling is insulated with sheep’s wool, and the tables and chairs are crafted from upcycled materials. Even the plates are fashioned from recycled wine bottles, created in a kiln located just upstairs. A refillable cleaning spray on the bar boldly declares, “Waste is a failure of the imagination.” The message is clear: every element of Silo serves a purpose, and nothing is wasted.
For Maltese readers, where sustainability is becoming a key focus in local farming and fishing practices, Silo’s holistic approach highlights how restaurants can lead the way in reducing waste while maintaining a deep connection to nature.
A Closed-Loop System Inspired by Nature
“Nature is a system that doesn’t have a bin,” McMaster explains. “It closes the loop on everything. Waste shouldn’t exist—it’s a human concept that we need to design out.” Silo operates on this principle, striving to emulate the natural world where every byproduct serves a purpose.
McMaster’s vision extends beyond food. Every product that comes through Silo’s doors—be it wine bottles, produce, or packaging—is carefully considered. Collaborating directly with local farmers and producers, the restaurant ensures that all deliveries arrive in reusable vessels, eliminating single-use plastics.
In Malta, where the connection to locally sourced ingredients is deeply ingrained in the culinary culture, this philosophy resonates. Imagine applying the zero waste mindset to the island’s abundant resources—fresh fish, sun-ripened vegetables, and artisanal cheeses—while reducing the environmental footprint of the food industry.
A Menu Rooted in Ingenuity
At Silo, the menu evolves daily, dictated by the ingredients their trusted producers have available. Foraging also plays a vital role. McMaster’s long-time forager, Andy, brings in treasures like wild mushrooms and tart, indigo-colored berries, which are creatively incorporated into the restaurant’s 12-course tasting menu.
Two signature dishes have become icons of Silo’s closed-loop philosophy. The first is the “quaver,” an ingenious snack made from bread waste that’s transformed into miso, deep-fried into a crisp, and topped with treacle (made from vegetable scraps) and a cloud of grated goat cheese. “It’s umami, sticky, crunchy, sweet, and savoury—all at once,” McMaster says with pride.
The second is their ice cream sandwich, crafted from leftover bread and butter. The wafers are made from bran, a byproduct of milling flour, while the ice cream filling uses buttermilk from their in-house butter production. These dishes demonstrate that zero waste dining can be as indulgent and creative as any fine dining experience.
For Malta’s foodies, these examples showcase how sustainability doesn’t mean compromising on flavor or innovation. In fact, it can lead to dishes that are not only delicious but also deeply satisfying in their ingenuity.
Unlocking the Magic of Koji
One of the most exciting breakthroughs at Silo has been the use of koji, a mold traditionally used in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean cuisines. Koji has a remarkable ability to transform food waste into intensely flavorful ingredients. “It’s like magic,” McMaster says. “Koji is the golden gateway to zero waste.”
After years of experimentation, Silo now uses koji to process nearly all of their food scraps, turning what was once compostable waste into what McMaster calls “liquid gold.” This innovation has allowed Silo to utilize 99% of their produce—a staggering achievement when compared to the average fine dining restaurant, which wastes up to 50%.
To further explore koji’s potential, McMaster and his head of fermentation, Ryan Walker, established a “fermentation factory” just five minutes from the restaurant. Named Flux, this facility produces koji-based products like miso, soy sauce, and fish sauce, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in zero waste cooking.
For Malta, where traditional food preservation methods like pickling and curing are part of the culinary heritage, koji represents an exciting opportunity to blend innovation with tradition. Could koji-inspired fermentation become the next big thing in Malta’s burgeoning farm-to-table scene?
A Pioneering Future
When McMaster first opened Silo in Brighton 11 years ago, people thought he was crazy. But today, as conversations around sustainability and food waste grow louder, Silo has become a beacon of what’s possible. While McMaster admits that running a zero waste restaurant still feels like swimming upstream, he remains optimistic about the future.
“Nature has an extraordinary ability to bounce back,” he says. “Even the most barren landscapes can explode into diversity and abundance when nurtured the right way.”
For Malta’s restaurateurs and food lovers, McMaster’s story is a call to action. Whether it’s reducing waste, sourcing locally, or rethinking ingredients, there are countless ways to contribute to a healthier planet while celebrating the island’s rich culinary traditions.
As McMaster proves, sustainability isn’t just good for the planet—it’s good for the plate. And for those of us lucky enough to enjoy the Mediterranean’s bounty, there’s no better time to embrace this philosophy than now. Bon appétit, or as we say in Maltese, l-aħwa!