Rethink Food Spotlight

Rethink Food's truck that delivers meals

I recently had the chance to visit Rethink Food, an organization on a mission to create a more sustainable and equitable food system. After finding the organization online, I was curious to learn more about what they do and the founder’s story. Their storefront located on Houston Street was a welcoming environment with a kitchen where they prepared their “repurposed meals.” I wasn't sure what to expect but was immediately welcomed by their friendly team, eager to answer any questions I had. I was fortunate to talk with the culinary director, Ken Baker, and Operations Executive Assistant Patrice McGloin about their mission. 

Front office and workplace of Rethink Food

Rethink Food takes excess food from restaurants and grocery stores from all around New York City. The food is then brought into their kitchen and made into fresh meals with dignity and respect. They have 50 community partners that they then deliver the food to. I thought it was very interesting that they try to match restaurants with community organizations that fit the demographic. For instance, “46 Mott Street in Chinatown, they do a really great meal service for an elderly care center that is in Chinatown as well, so the food matches the population,” McGloin explains. 

I was curious how the organization got started and what its mission was. Matt Joziwak, founder and CEO, was a chef by training and saw firsthand the amount of food underutilized. Joziwak “saw all this food waste happening out of the top restaurants and grocery stores and thought why are there so many food insecure people? One out of four New Yorkers are food insecure, so how do we help to bridge that gap between this food that's going to waste to people who are in need.” Before Rethink Food was the storefront it is today, it was simply Joziwak picking up excess food from restaurants and preparing the repurposed food himself. However, the organization has since expanded and has provided close to 30 million meals. 

While visiting, I got the chance to see Rethink Food in action. The kitchen was filled with a large team of chefs cooking chicken for the greater New York community. I really admired how much effort and attention to detail was being put into each plate. McGloin emphasized that, “One thing we pride ourselves on is that we are restaurant people, that means making restaurant quality meals, and not simply taking the lettuce we got and repurposing it so we can sell it.” Rather than expecting the bare minimum, Rethink Food goes above and beyond with its quality and focus on health. On my tour, I also learned about their in-house AI system that tracks food waste so they can maximize the ingredients they are cooking with. She explains, “So let's say you realize you are wasting a lot of greens; how do we change the way we chop them so we are repurposing them more effectively?”  

I really enjoyed getting to learn more about the organization and plan to stay connected in the future. They are open to volunteers, hosting events, and I’m sure would be happy to welcome you into their space. For more information, visit their website or stop in the storefront!