I judge a restaurant not by food alone but by the quality of their silverware and also their restrooms.

I am not a fan of plastic cutlery, paper cups, eating off paper in a plastic basket, etc. etc. I have been known to request my food off a proper plate when I know the restaurant serves some food on plates and others on baskets.

I know it is often a cost and staffing issue, but when I eat out I want to be treated well and treat the environment well. If coffee shops can refill a cup brought by the customer, can restaurants serve food on plates brought by the customers too?

"can restaurants serve food on plates brought by the customers too?"

Oh, of course. You answered your own question: "I know it is often a cost and staffing issue"

If I was running the joint and you wanted us to serve our product upon your plate, I would have no problem with that. Let's see, that's likely several more trips for the server, we would take no liability for your plate, hmmm... let's call it a $25 fee for your 'convenience', plus the delays.

Never been in a working kitchen before, I see...

OMG. I just looked at that photo! They couldn't use a real prep?!!????

Besides the soon-to-be missing fingers, where are the burns, blisters, cuts and scars? And such a quaint notion - a cutting board!

Hell, while I'm at it - with all those sponsors for such a good cause, I'm really interested how many working pro's are going to pop for a buck and a quarter, even if discounted.

Want to fill up the room? Pay working sous' and exec chefs to attend. This isn't a tech or sales conference, with marketing budgets to cover the attendees receipts on their expense reports.

I was actually thinking more along the lines of it I get served on a piece of paper in a plastic basket I would take my plate out my bag, transfer the food, eat with my own silverware, and afterwards put my empties in my ziplock in my bag. I would not expect my plate to be taken to the kitchen, what do you take me for?

"I have been known to request my food off a proper plate when I know the restaurant serves some food on plates and others on baskets."

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"I was actually thinking more along the lines of it I get served on a piece of paper in a plastic basket I would take my plate out my bag, transfer the food, eat with my own silverware, and afterwards put my empties in my ziplock in my bag. I would not expect my plate to be taken to the kitchen, what do you take me for?"

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I honestly do not want to answer that query, based on the available evidence. So let's just ask this: what do you think of the topic of this blog - the conference?

I'm sorry. I thought the topic was making food serving climate friendly and getting away with plastic straws.

I follow that with paper plates and plastic silverware which I thought was right on topic. A conference to discuss this issue makes sense to me.

Sorry, my mistake if I misunderstood.

I only dine at Asian restaurants that use those disposable bamboo chopsticks. The ones made from pine for take-out purposes affect forestry in an adverse way.

Bamboo is a weed-like grass & nobody cares about bamboo. Bamboo is cheap, disposable & readily available. Bamboo will never go extinct so no big deal.

>>>"can restaurants serve food on plates brought by the customers too?"

Then you are putting dishwashers out of work.

"I was actually thinking more along the lines of it I get served on a piece of paper in a plastic basket I would take my plate out my bag, transfer the food, eat with my own silverware, and afterwards put my empties in my ziplock in my bag. I would not expect my plate to be taken to the kitchen, what do you take me for?"

A tad eccentric wouldn't you say?

This conference is 8 hours, 125 dollars, starts at 8am, with any kitchen staff working to 10-11pm or later the night before.

Tough get.

May owners. Not staff.

Smaller food portions@same price = less food waste.

No need spending $125 to learn obvious. Rather keep that money in my pocket.

>>>>I was actually thinking more along the lines of it I get served on a piece of paper in a plastic basket I would take my plate out my bag, transfer the food, eat with my own silverware, and afterwards put my empties in my ziplock in my bag. I would not expect my plate to be taken to the kitchen, what do you take me for?

So far, someone like Felix Unger on The Odd Couple.

"Pay working sous' and exec chefs to attend" - I hope that is the plan. And scholarships from sponsors for self employed. Food service = lowest paid workers.

...Food service = lowest paid workers.

I work at Taco Bell & asked my manager if I could attend this conference to learn more about improving food preparation.

He told me NO and to get back to work.

Hillarious! Why don't I believe it though? So what Taco Bell? We'll all call him.

People who work at Taco Bell read The Food Party!? We are cooler than I thought!

Please clarify. How can food be climate friendly when much of it is cooked via heating methods that generate environmentally unfriendly by-products?

Eliminate outdoor barbeque/grilling, the use of gas, and anything that generates smoke or exhaust?

"How can food be climate friendly"

Wowzers! Shall we count the ways?

- seriously, are you *that* unaware of current food production methods? of current food practices? Nor able to read the flyer for 'hints'?

- more seriously: you are curious enough to type that question, but so incurious for an answer as to not do a quick google on your very question?

- a google on "How can food be climate friendly" yields over 110 million results, if indeed you are curious.

(which you are not, obviously)

"About 111,000,000 results (0.41 seconds)"

If people care about reducing foods' impact on weather, they should consider eat less. More food consumed, more weight gained, more gym exercise needed to keep fit. Meanwhile, more food brought to the table, more transportation, prepackaing are needed, more food wastes will be generated, all these activities contribute to climate change. An environmental scientist will give more thorough analysis. So two words, Eat Less.

"If people care about reducing foods' impact on weather, they should consider eat less. More food consumed, more weight gained, more gym exercise needed to keep fit."

Are overweight/obese people 'non climate-friendly' when it comes to the environmental impacts of food production?

Your logic makes sense as added food consumption equates to additional food production requirements.

Should professional hot dog eating contests also be banned as a show of good faith?
Gluttony is a very unattractive trait & as I recall, one of the seven deadly sins.

As a general practice, we tend to associate with only physically-active, slender & attractive people. A few slugs slip in from time to time but they generally don't stick around.

> Are overweight/obese people 'non climate-friendly' when it comes to the environmental impacts of food production?

Considering the number of overweight/obese people one sees at the drive-thru fast-food outlets, I would have to say yes.

Fast-food is heavily processed...with high cholesterol and high sodium/sugar content as trademarks. Stuff that overweight people shouldn't be eating on a regular basis. But most do.

...Are overweight/obese people 'non climate-friendly' when it comes to the environmental impacts of food production?

If they consume a lot of junk foods with GMOs then yes...but skinny people can be just as guilty when it comes to questionable food choices.

I have found that heavier-set people tend to turn the AC up which in turn uses more electricity. It might have something to do with the cool air having to permeate additional layers of fat cells.

About the only advantage to being obese is that since fat cells are lighter than leaner muscle mass, it allows for more floatability when submerged.

This and the added insulation may have come in handy on the Titanic.

"...Are overweight/obese people 'non climate-friendly' when it comes to the environmental impacts of food production?"

If they consume a lot of saturated fat, empty carbs + refined sugar then yes.

I've never bought into some of the lame excuses I've heard for being overweight.

Stuff like: "I have a low metabolism." or "I have big bones." or "it's my glands." etc.

No wonder Nutri-System, Jenny Craig, & Weight Watchers do so much business.

The key: Eat until you are no longer hungry. Not until you are full.