By Sara Mariza Vryonidi

The Zero Waste Dinner, organised by the Zero Waste Alliance Cyprus (ZWAC), brought people together to experience a more conscious way of eating. This dinner aimed to inspire participants to rethink how they view and use food, during the festive season, a time synonymous with food abundance and, unfortunately, waste.

The event wasn’t just a gathering; it was a celebration of creativity, collaboration, and the potential for change, served through delicious and thoughtfully prepared dishes.

The heart of the dinner was a carefully curated menu crafted by Jack Yiannakou, executive chef of Bistrot 55 Restaurants, using ingredients that usually become leftovers during the festive period.

Participants were treated to five dishes, from a potato-vegetable salad made from leftover potatoes to a reimagined pudding crafted from Vasilopita, showcasing how to transform overlooked ingredients into something new, nutritious and unique. To complement the dishes, local wines from Gerolemo Winery, a family-run winery in Omodos, were paired with the meal.

The evening was enriched with support from Agno Grocery and RescuedBox, who supplied leftover fruit and vegetables. These collaborations made it clear that addressing food waste is not just about individual actions but about creating a network of organisations, businesses and individuals working toward the same goal.

The philosophy behind the dinner

This Zero Waste Dinner was more than a meal; it was a statement. Drawing inspiration from Cyprus cuisine and Christmas leftovers, we reminded attendees that sustainability doesn’t require giving up on traditions but rather embracing them mindfully.

Participants at the dinner were not just passive diners but actively contributed to the experience by sharıng their thoughts on food waste, their relationship with food during the holidays, and how they could take small but impactful steps toward more sustainable habits.

Why food waste matters

Food waste is one of the most pressing environmental challenges globally, especially in Cyprus. According to 2022 data, Cyprus comes first in the EU in food waste per capita, with the average Cypriot discarding nearly 294 kilogrammes of food annually, more than double the European average of 132kgs. This staggering amount of waste represents not only lost resources like water, energy and labour but also contributes to global issues such as climate crisis and food insecurity.

In the EU, regulations require food waste generated at any stage of the food supply chain to be collected and treated separately. This includes measures like landfill bans to ensure organic waste is diverted from landfills and processed in ways that minimise environmental harm. However, in Cyprus, food waste is not yet treated separately, and huge amounts of organic waste end up in landfills. This poses a severe problem for waste management, undermining efforts to create a more sustainable waste management system.

Participants were treated to five dishes, from a potato-vegetable salad made from leftover potatoes to a reimagined pudding crafted from Vasilopita

Events like the Zero Waste Dinner show that addressing food waste can become a part of our culture and everyday actions. Small steps such as saving leftovers, embracing imperfect produce and finding creative ways to reuse food, can make a big difference. And when these actions are amplified through community efforts and systemic change, the impact becomes big.

The Zero Waste Dinner was just the beginning. The recipes featured during the event are now available online, and ZWAC is working on a recipe ebook that will include even more creative ways to use common household leftovers.

A call to action

“We have the privilege of coming together, sharing ideas, and building on each other’s creativity to transform the way we approach food. Let’s take full advantage of it!” I said in my opening remarks at the dinner.

As we reflect on the success of the Zero Waste Dinner, one thing is clear: change begins at the table. By rethinking how we approach food, we can not only reduce waste but also strengthen our connection to the environment, our communities, and ourselves.

So next time you’re faced with leftovers or imperfect produce, remember: with a little creativity and care, they can be transformed into something extraordinary.

The event was organised by Zero Waste Alliance Cyprus (ZWAC), a coalition of four organisations Friends of the Earth Cyprus, Zero Food Waste Cyprus, Ecological Movement Cyprus, and Let’s Make Cyprus Green. have these intrinsic values and are working collectively towards a future with zero waste. Through advocacy, awareness-raising campaigns, and on-the-ground actions, the alliance seeks to build a more sustainable Cyprus.

The event was possible with the support of the LIFE I – Zero Waste Cyprus project, which was co-funded by the European Union’s LIFE programme and coordinated by the Department of Environment of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment.

Sara Mariza Vryonidi is a project coordinator at Friends of the Earth Cyprus and a Research Associate at the Sustainable Energy Laboratory of the Cyprus University of Technology. Sara stands up for environmental and social issues and has been active in volunteering with various NGOs and the local community