A Celebration of Sustainable Dining
New York’s food scene is once again turning its attention to one of the industry’s most pressing challenges: food waste. Mill’s Make Food Not Waste Restaurant Week returns for its third year, running from September 28 to October 4 and bringing together some of the city’s most celebrated and innovative chefs. Their shared goal is simple but powerful: to raise awareness around food waste and highlight the importance of sustainable cooking.
A Kickoff Cocktail Party in Tribeca
The week opens with a cocktail party on Monday, September 28, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Maxwell Social in Tribeca, located at 453 Washington Street. The evening offers guests a chance to toast the start of the week alongside chefs, food lovers, and advocates for a more sustainable kitchen culture.
This Year’s Lineup
The 2026 edition blends returning favorites with exciting new voices. Beloved participants such as Bangkok Supper Club, Corima, and Raf’s are back, joined by newcomers including Chambers, Cynthia, Somssi, and Oberon, among others. Together, these restaurants represent a wide range of cuisines and culinary philosophies, all united by a commitment to reducing waste in their kitchens. More details on the full program are expected to be announced soon.
The Story Behind Mill
Mill made waves in early 2023 with a sleek, Apple-esque kitchen bin designed to help households across the United States prevent food waste. The device grinds and dehydrates kitchen scraps overnight, turning them into clean, dry grounds and removing much of the mess and odor traditionally associated with food scraps.
The product quickly earned industry recognition. Mill was named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2023 and went on to win Bon Appétit’s 2025 Gear of the Year Award and Esquire’s 2025 Gadget Awards. The company was also a finalist for Fast Company’s Design Company of the Year.
A Growing Community
Mill has attracted a devoted following among famed chefs, creatives, and entrepreneurs, including Hetty Lui McKinnon, Ayesha Curry, Brie Larson, Eva Chen, and Pierce Abernathy. Collectively, the Mill community has kept more than 20 million pounds of food out of landfills to date, a figure that shows how small changes in individual kitchens can add up to a meaningful environmental impact.
From New York to the Nation
Make Food Not Waste launched in New York City in 2024, uniting top culinary leaders around a shared commitment to zero food waste. Since then, the initiative has expanded nationally, including a pop-up dinner series in Los Angeles earlier this year. Its return to New York for a third year signals that the movement is not just a passing trend but a growing part of how the restaurant world thinks about its responsibility to the planet.
Why It Matters
Food waste remains one of the most overlooked contributors to environmental strain, from wasted resources to landfill emissions. By bringing chefs, diners, and innovators together, Make Food Not Waste Restaurant Week turns a serious issue into an inviting, delicious conversation, proving that sustainability and great food can go hand in hand.
