Sustainable eating: Buy better & reduce food waste
Kausmo sets the table for sustainable eating by serving artisanal fare made for conscious living
Text: Shannon T
When embarking on living a more sustainable lifestyle, the food we eat is the first thing on our mind. How and what we eat has a considerable impact on our overall carbon footprint. Eating plant-based food is an awesome way to start, but reducing food waste is also a great way to tackle food sustainability and is regrettably often overlooked by consumers.
In 2019 alone, Singapore generated a whopping 744 million kg of food waste — that’s equivalent to 51,000 double decker buses. Just think about what we could do with all that food! Thankfully, more social enterprises and businesses are stepping up to impact change against our food waste problem, with Kausmo being one of them.
Sustainable dining in Singapore
Kausmo, a sustainable dining concept promotes conscious living by challenging food norms that bring about unnecessary wastage. Derived from the word “cosmos” (a system of thought), Kausmo is the brainchild of co-founders Lisa Tang and Kuah Chew Shian, two bright-eyed millennials who have taken on the calling to challenge and change the way people viewed food.
The young duo, who were old-time fellow course mates from Temasek Polytechnic’s Diploma in Culinary & Catering Management (CCM), took their friendship a step further when they recognised their shared passion in promoting conscientious food practices in Singapore. Their vision for a sustainable dining concept quickly gained the support of the Les Amis Group and kitchen equipment partner Sub-Zero and Wolf.
Committed to their goal of promoting thoughtfulness through challenging food norms and unnecessary food wastage, guests at Kausmo will be served a six course Carte Blanche menu (SGD 75++) that is designed based on what is available. Dishes are made with aesthetically filtered fruits and vegetables that are overstocked, over-ripened or oddly shaped and sized; sustainable seafood from local or regional small farming communities; fresh secondary cuts of meat that are skipped in favour of prime cuts; and forgotten native greens and florals. The ever-changing menu features delectable fare that marries European techniques with Asian influences, that are inspired by thoughtful stories.
Recognising the importance of a holistic approach, Kausmo also offers events ranging from cooking demonstrations and knowledge-sharing sessions, to hands-on workshops to reach a vast audience. They also share recipes through the brand’s social media channels to guide their followers through simple tips to better utilise everyday ingredients.
Krusty by Kausmo
Just last year, Kausmo launched Krusty by Kausmo, a pre-order-only line of artisanal bakes, house-brewed kombucha, gourmet sauces and delicious compotes. Aligned with Kausmo’s original values for sustainable sourcing, their spreads, which they make in-house, utilise imported produce that was rejected for aesthetic reasons as well as locally-farmed greens.
We’re eyeing the crisp-crusted Kausmo Sourdough (SGD 15/loaf), made with no dairy and seeded with sunflower seeds for a nutty bite; and the Roasted Portobello Butter (SGD 22/jar), a mouth-watering butter featuring aesthetically-filtered Portobello mushrooms — these yummy fungi are roasted and deglazed with red wine, then mixed into whipped butter with Maldon sea salt. Grab a bread and a butter for SGD 2 off your bill.
As their goodies are only available in small batches and on a rotational basis, it’s fastest fingers first if you’re planning on getting in the fun. Visit their Instagram to see what’s available and make your orders here. Bon Appétit!
