Why You Should Stop Wasting Food: Max La Manna's Guide to Using Every Part of the Ingredient

In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Max La Manna, chef, best-selling author, and sustainability advocate who is pushing the boundaries of what low-waste plant-based cooking can be. With over a billion views across his recipe videos, Max is a leading voice in the movement to make delicious food with less waste. From his early days growing up in his father's quick-service restaurants to discovering the shocking reality of food waste at an Australian farmer's market, Max's journey is a testament to the power of creativity, frugality, and cooking with purpose. Max prepares his ingenious Broccoli Stem Tartare, a dish that transforms one of the most wasted ingredients in our kitchens into something spectacular. Using every component of the broccoli stem - peeled, pickled, diced, dehydrated into powder, and even blowtorched - alongside a punchy tartare sauce made with Dijon mustard, white miso, capers, shallots, and quality olive oil, all finished with crispy sourdough breadcrumbs. This recipe beautifully encapsulates Max's cooking philosophy - taking humble, overlooked ingredients and making them the star of the plate whilst celebrating bold flavours, varied textures, and zero waste. Throughout the episode, Max shares his remarkable journey from working in hospitality in all shapes and forms to becoming a social media sensation with his "Taste Not Waste" movement. He discusses the shocking reality that we waste 20 million slices of bread a day in the UK, why planning your meals and taking a photo of your fridge before shopping can save money and reduce waste, the importance of using your freezer as a powerful tool, and why cooking seasonally is not just better for flavour but also for your wallet. Max also opens up about his passion for teaching the next generation, visiting regenerative farms in Gloucestershire, making homemade kombucha, and why "perfectly imperfect" is his mantra for life and cooking. You can find Max's full Broccoli Stem Tartare recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to check out his best-selling cookbook You Can Cook This for more inspiring low-waste recipes. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/therecipe.podcast/) Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk (https://www.instagram.com/filippoberio_uk/) Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall (https://www.instagram.com/theo.randall/) The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.