Fresh Tables is a pop-up kitchen concept that takes surplus groceries from our partnered stores, and pair with two chefs each weekend, challenging them to create a new menu that features these ingredients. They will then, hosted under our pop-up kitchen, cook for the evening while people come, dine, meet their community, and learn more about how they can integrate zero-waste practices in their own kitchen after being inspired by our chefs.

After 7 weeks of researching people's sustainability habits, we learned that sustainability needs to be readily integrated into everyday life, that people connect with food the strongest, and that there are opportunities to consume food before it spoils. To maximize the impact, our concept starts on a neighborhood level, centered around Bridgeport, Chicago (where many of our peers reside). Once developed, we conducted several tests with further research into existing systems in place for such an idea. We talked to farmers markets, local grocery store, and Bridgeport chefs to assess feasibility, interests, and viability of our concept. In parallel, we conducted front-stage tests to validate that there would actually be people interested in the idea. At the end of the semester, we believe that Fresh Tables could make sustainability fun, approachable, but still impactful.

The Space Between : Our concept very directly addresses the challenges that comes with adopting sustainability in your everyday life, and paves the way to start introducing people to the concept of zero-waste and repurposing food before it gets to waste.

Designers : Anahita Dasgupta, Brayan Pabon Gomez, Claire Xu, Kota Fujikawa

Course : Service Systems Workshop

Instructors : Mark Jones

Project Partner : Fjord