Food & recipes

Wellbeing: Jo Wood on Sustainable Eating

Our organic guru Jo Wood on how she’ll be bringing sustainable dining to London once again with her famed pop-up restaurant.

Our organic guru Jo Wood on how she’ll be bringing sustainable dining to London once again with her famed pop-up restaurant.
In this month’s column I find myself taking inspiration once again from my friend, the eco chef Arthur Potts Dawson. Arthur’s show The People’s Supermarket has finally aired on Channel 4 after months and months of hard work and filming, and I feel immensely proud of him. The People’s Supermarket is exactly what it sounds like – a supermarket owned by the people for the people. In the programme Arthur documents his journey from opening the supermarket to the challenges he faces in taking on the big corporations who monopolise our food buying as well as the challenges in changing the way we shop.

Lashings of fun

Arthur and I share a passion for sustainable living. Back in 2009 I established my own pop-up restaurant, Mrs Paisley’s Lashings, in a bid to demonstrate that you can enjoy a delicious dinner and a glamorous night out – all in a sustainable fashion. Arthur was the only choice for my head chef and on a balmy June night we opened the doors of my home to the public.

We spent months planting up my vegetable garden and planning the menus. I had scoured antique shops for plates, cutlery and vintage table cloths, and we even collected jam jars which we used as cocktail glasses! We worked with local suppliers and producers to minimise our carbon footprint whilst supporting the local economy. It was hard work yet great fun and Mrs Paisley’s Lashingshas since popped up for another two seasons, with repeat bookings.

One thing that hit home from Arthur’s programme was the amount of food waste we generate in the UK. Small producers and farmers are continually being challenged by the supermarkets for perfect fruit and vegetables, which have to be a certain size and shape to fit their criteria. What doesn’t meet their standards gets rejected. These farmers have spent months growing their produce fora profitable return and this has a disastrous effect on their business. This is especially hard for organic farmers who don’t genetically modify their food, meaning that there are definitely going to be some funny-shaped potatoes and carrots in their crops.

Waste not want not

Arthur has been going to these suppliers and buying the rejected stock for his supermarket. The produce tastes the same – it just looks a little quirky. As consumers we are so used to the perfect potato or carrot which has been washed and trimmed before it makes it to the supermarket, but why not just do it at home?

There are people starving in the world, and if this means that we as consumers can also reduce the cost of our weekly shopping, well this is a hit in my mind.

Mrs Paisley’s Lashings is going to be popping up in London at the Real Food Festival from 5th to 8th May. It will be a great chance for us to meet and work with the local suppliers exhibiting at the festival and to spread the sustainable dining message even further. Why not come and see us for dinner one night? I guarantee there will be lashings of good vibesand some of the best cocktails in town!

For more information and to book, visit realfoodfestival.co.uk and mrspaisleys lashings.com

Article by

Jo Wood

Healthy and Organic Living Guru

is a healthy and organic living guru and creator of her own natural beauty range

Discover more

Article by

Jo Wood

Healthy and Organic Living Guru

is a healthy and organic living guru and creator of her own natural beauty range

Discover more