While the majority of kitchen scraps may be destined for the compost, XYST is a plant-based eatery that is now putting discarded—yet useful—ingredients to good use for the creation of cocktails. In collaboration with XYST's plant-based chef Matthew Kenney, New York bartender Meaghan Dorman is creating inventive drinks like the Reverse Monarch with cucumber trimmings. As Dorman describes, their combined efforts "ensure we use ingredients to the best of their potential and do not keep perishable items around that may go to waste."
The Vineyard Sun cocktail squeezes another beverage out of used tea bags, while the Crimson Spritz integrated juice from fruits that are "too ugly to plate."
This mindful approach to the creation of food and beverages helps to minimize waste and transform edible items into everything from syrup to garnishes.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Sustainable Cocktails
- Creating cocktails using repurposed kitchen scraps and discarded ingredients.
- Zero Waste Mixology
- Adopting a mindful approach to minimize waste by transforming edible items into cocktail ingredients.
- Ingredient Maximization
- Using ingredients to the best of their potential to avoid food waste in cocktail creations.
Where This Applies
- Hospitality Industry
- Restaurants, bars, and hotels can adopt sustainable cocktail practices to appeal to environmentally conscious consumers.
- Culinary Industry
- Chefs and bartenders can collaborate to develop innovative cocktails that utilize leftover ingredients and kitchen scraps.
- Sustainable Food and Beverage Industry
- Companies focused on reducing food waste can explore the creation of sustainable cocktails as an additional product offering.
