Food & Drink

Crowdfunder campaign to open Manchester waste food restaurant smashes target

A fundraising campaign to open a ‘pay-as-you-feel’ restaurant in Manchester which only uses products donated from food businesses has reached more than £39,000.

The Real Junkfood Project Manchester received pledges from 790 backers on Crowdfunder including a late £10,000 donation from Santander Bank which dwarfed the £20,000 figure that they had initially set.

The restaurant group believe that they have been successful as the public have identified with the fact that food wastage is a problem that needs addressing.

Corin Bell, director of The Real Junkfood Project Manchester, said: “Raising awareness is everything that we do.  It’s the reason behind starting the project.  It’s the mission.  

“The aim is to work with and support food businesses in doing something different and slowly but surely moving something in a way that they can deal with moving towards a more sustainable future.”

The company aim to prove that the food they receive can also be used to make dishes that are of a very high standard.

At the moment, donations are sent from Ocado, Neighbourly, Levinshulme-based Trove, other smaller wholesalers and are also in talks with Co-Operative Food and Morrisons. 

Award-winning Manchester-based chef Mary-Ellen McTague has been recruited as Head Chef of the restaurant to prove that great meals can be produced from wasted food.

Ms Bell added: “One of the biggest challenges is that we will never know what is being sent to us.  It’s the biggest game of Ready Steady Cook anyone has played in their lives.”

The business has provisionally agreed on a site for the restaurant which they cannot reveal for legal reasons at the moment but they hope to be open in the next few months.

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