It’s easy to neglect the shear amount of waste produced by a busy restaurant, but behind kitchen doors, the average eating establishment produces over a ton of waste every week. with this sad realization, the finnish cultural institute in new york, combined with a team of chefs and designers, came up with the world’s first 100% waste-free bistro. this laboratory of food presented at wanteddesign manhattan during NYCxDESIGN contemplates themes of waste and sustainability.
Designer linda bergroth crafted a dramatic space within the wanteddesign venue in collaboration with the finnish design shop. made using recycled materials, the zero waste bistro introduces tableware and furniture from iittala and artek. a collage of recycled mediums comes together to form an all-blue bistro — a testament to the idea that one man’s trash can be another’s treasure. ‘I’ve created the dining area as a space within a space, using all sustainable materials,’ says bergroth. ‘the design is like an installation that functions both as a restaurant space and a platform for talks and debate.’