Restaurant Associates Cuts Food Waste Value by 21% at Clifford Chance Law Firm in London

Restaurant Associates, a premier contract caterer and leader in sustainable workplace dining, has set an ambitious target: to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030. At Clifford Chance, one of the world’s largest law firms, they’re putting that goal into practice—transforming kitchen operations through data, creativity, and a shared commitment to sustainability.

The Challenge

At Clifford Chance, the team serves over 1,200 daily covers across a dynamic mix of hot food counters and salad bars. In such a fast-paced setting, waste can quickly accumulate. While the team had strong operational experience, they needed a smarter, data-led solution to reduce waste without compromising on quality or service.

Making the Change

Head Chef David Higgs , enthusiastically followed Restaurant Associate's lead and fully supported the introduction and implementation of Winnow. Michela Asnicar, Deputy Account Director, also brought a strong sustainability ethos to the Clifford Chance kitchen, shaped by her upbringing in Italy. “In Italy, we’ve always used as much as we could from the food at home. It wasn’t just about sustainability—it was about not being wasteful,” Michela shared.

Both Michela and the kitchen team were eager to reduce waste. When Winnow was introduced, it offered the visibility and insight they’d been missing—giving the team clear data on where waste was happening and how to tackle it.

Head Chef David Higgs, with decades of culinary experience, immediately saw its potential—not just to cut waste, but to challenge long-held habits. “Why did we think this wasted food was not good enough? There’s value in things we used to throw away,” he explains.

Results

• 21% reduction in food waste value
• £16,000 in annualised food cost savings
• 13,000 meals saved each year
• 23 tonnes of CO₂e emissions prevented

Using the Data

Winnow’s reporting tools empowered the team to fine-tune their operations—cutting batch sizes, aligning ingredients with customer demand and inspiring creativity.  Winnow’s insights helped them make real-time, informed decisions. “You don’t notice waste when it happens bit by bit, but then you see it all together in the report… and it’s shocking,” Michela noted.

Vegetable Trimmings to Salad Showpieces

Inspired by a workshop led by Chef Vojtech Végh, Winnow’s zero waste culinary advisor,   David Higgs and the team began creatively repurposing ingredients that once would have gone to waste:

• Cauliflower trimmings and leaves Cauliflower trimmings and leaves were transformed into crisp salad toppings and pickled garnishes.
• Broccoli stalks were shredded and pickled to add texture 
• Root vegetable off-cuts found their way into soups, sides, and salads

The salad bar became the flagship of their sustainability efforts, now making up 40–45% of the kitchen’s daily offering. It gave the team flexibility to experiment, reduce waste, and offer vibrant, health-forward dishes that customers love.

“The cauliflower salad is one of my favourite dishes. It looks really good and uses parts we’d normally throw away. Now they’re a highlight,” David shared.

Team Engagement

The team embraced the change from day one. Waste tracking became part of daily conversations and prep routines.“We didn’t need to push it. Everyone just got on board,” said David. Restaurant Associates reinforced this momentum through regular training, peer workshops, helping to embed a long-term culture of sustainability.

Future Plans

The team is now exploring additional ways to reduce waste. One promising initiative involves sourcing cosmetically imperfect produce through Waste Knot, rescuing 150–200 kg of surplus vegetables every two weeks. These are creatively integrated into the menu, giving ingredients a second chance and reducing pressure on supply chains.

The partnership between Clifford Chance, Restaurant Associates, and Winnow shows that powerful change can happen in the kitchen. With data, creativity, and a culture of engagement, this team has cut waste, saved money, and reshaped their operations—setting a new standard for sustainable contract catering.