Chef Nic Odhiambo
Nairobi, Kenya
Universal Kitchen: Group 1
Register here:
Deep Dive and Q&A: A pathway to nutrient density, food-waste reduction, and environmental reclamation
The Story Behind the Dish
We are living at a time when we have an ironic double-edged paradox: on one hand, millions of people sleep hungry every day and millions more do not have enough to eat. On the other hand, billions of tonnes of food are wasted and are not consumed. Wastage occurs at different stages in the value chain: production, harvest, value addition and processing, storage, retail, and consumption. Wastage occurs in farms, markets, hotels/restaurants, and households. This forms the basis and premise of my class. What if we dried and powdered millions of tonnes of food items that would go to waste anyway and put that food to good and efficient use? The advantages are immense and it is those I wish to talk about whilst highlighting how they can be creatively incorporated into different meals.
What you’ll need!
Dehydrator (optional)
Freeze dryer (optional)
Food processor, blender or spice blend mixer (optional)
Notes about the class
This class is about asking questions and getting live feedback on how to increase nutrient density in a vegan diet. Don’t worry if you don’t have the equipment! Come on in, take notes, and most importantly go back and try to implement what you learn!
About Nic Omundo
I am a vegan and an exclusive vegan chef with a major focus on using food as a powerful tool to solve some of humanity's biggest problems. In 2016, I Co-founded Organic Life Limited, an agri-technology company based in Nairobi, Kenya that leverages technology at the intersection of sustainable food systems and positive human health. I have written two books: Organic Life's Guide to Concoctions and Minimal Eats, Ideas for Living, and Eating. Both books speak on health and wellness. They particularly emphasize the need to see food not just as a means to fill our stomachs but as a gateway to sustainable health both for humans and the planet.
I am also a member of different organizations that at their core champion sustainable food systems. They include Social Gastronomy Movement (Brazil), The Chef's Manifesto (UK) Route to Food Initiative (KE) as well as the Future Food Institute (Italy).
I believe that food has the same agency to heal us as it does to make us sick. As such, I only eat and cook plant-based foods for two main reasons. First, that we may take back and be in control of our health and second, that we may sustainably enjoy this one planet that we call home. I advocate for sustainable food systems and responsible consumption of food given that agricultural production is the number one cause of the climate crisis
I use my cooking skills to demonstrate to people that in going vegan or at least plant-based, there is absolutely nothing we lack - from nutrients to flavor and variety.
I am convinced that veganism is not about being rich, fancy, sophisticated, complicated, or privileged. Veganism is about combining everyday food items (with the exception of any animal or dairy products) in new and exciting ways to come up with something sweet, delicious, savory, and most importantly nutrient-dense.
