Food waste on the agenda at Climate Day in Vejle
The Culinary Institute in Vejle Municipality, Denmark, puts food waste on the agenda at Climate Day in Vejle.
As part of the Interreg Europe Cibus project, the Danish partner Vejle Municipality (Culinary Institute by Vejle Erhverv) contributed to Vejle’s Climate Day on April 26 with an engaging and interactive food waste workshop.
The public event invited citizens to taste, talk, and be inspired to reduce food waste in their daily lives — all in the heart of Vejle’s city centre.
Workshop with a Local Chef
In collaboration with a local Stakeholder and chef “Kokken på Kanten”, the Culinary Institute presented a menu made from surplus ingredients — creatively reimagined into tasty samples that showcased how “waste” can become value on the plate.
Tasting menu highlights included:
• Bread made with leftover boiled potatoes for moisture and longer shelf life
• Crispbread using onion peels – adding both flavour and crunch
• Dessert with sour yoghurt, toasted breadcrumbs from day-old bread, and potato peels
Throughout the day, the team held open dialogues with passersby, sharing practical tips on how to avoid food waste at home, including meal planning, storage, and repurposing leftovers.
A Local Contribution to a European Mission
The activity reflects Vejle’s local contribution to the broader Cibus project mission of promoting sustainable and circular food systems. By involving citizens directly, the Danish partner supports one of Cibus’ key objectives: bridging policy and practice through hands-on activities that inspire behaviour change
Beyond engaging the public, the Culinary Institute also works with companies and institutions to create strong partnerships around sustainable food production. One core principle is to help businesses develop and produce the right food, in the right quantities – with great taste – to ensure it gets eaten rather than wasted. This benefits both the climate and the economy.
From Local to European Impact
The Climate Day workshop in Vejle demonstrates how small, local actions – such as serving bread made from yesterday’s potatoes – can support larger climate ambitions. Through the Cibus project, Vejle’s experiences and approaches contribute to knowledge sharing and policy development across regions in Europe.