Meet Chef Hari Pulapaka: Upcycling Food, Fighting Waste, and Creating Delicious Recipes
- darren wong
- Aug 28
- 7 min read
Updated: Sep 10
Ever wonder what happens when a world-class chef takes on the challenge of upcycling food? Spoiler: it’s delicious, creative, and surprisingly simple.
Today we’re introducing you to Chef Hari Pulapaka, a four-time James Beard Foundation semifinalist, tenured mathematics professor, and founder of The Global Cooking School. Known for his innovative approach to sustainable cooking, Chef Hari is passionate about reducing food waste and helping home cooks make the most of what they already have.
Whether he’s in the kitchen, teaching students, or speaking at international conferences, Chef Hari champions a simple truth: good food shouldn’t go to waste. That’s why we’ve teamed up with him for our Upcycled Recipe Challenge, where he’ll create a dish from common household ingredients that might otherwise be thrown away and show you how easy it is to start upcycling food at home.
Meet Chef Hari Pulapaka
Chef Hari’s culinary journey is anything but ordinary. A mathematician by training and a chef by passion, he has spent decades blending precision with creativity. He’s earned national acclaim for his restaurant and written books on sustainability in the culinary world.
His mission is clear: help people cook better, waste less, and support a food system that works for everyone. From using vegetable scraps in gourmet stocks to finding new life for stale bread in decadent desserts, Hari proves that upcycling food isn’t just eco-friendly - it’s exciting, flavorful, and cost-effective.
Chef Hari Pulapaka is an award-winning chef, educator, and food advocate whose culinary philosophy is rooted in respect for ingredients and a deep commitment to sustainability. Growing up in Mumbai in a family of seven, he learned early that nothing in the kitchen should go to waste - a value that continues to shape his work today.
Recognized nationally for his leadership in fighting food waste, Chef Hari was named a Grist 50 Fixer, joining a select group of innovators driving real-world environmental solutions. His expertise and creativity have been showcased in the James Beard Foundation’s Waste Not Cookbook and its educational materials, where he contributed recipes that turn often-overlooked ingredients into memorable dishes.
Through his globally inspired, plant-forward cooking, Chef Hari has championed the idea that upcycling food isn’t just about sustainability - it’s about delicious possibilities. His advocacy has been featured in multiple publications, including Orlando Magazine and national food media, where he continues to inspire home cooks, chefs, and policy makers to see “waste” as opportunity. His commitment to sustainability includes serving on the Where Food Comes From Smart Catch Advisory Committee and promoting responsible seafood practices as an ambassador for sustainable sourcing. Whether in the kitchen, classroom, or community, Chef Hari Pulapaka blends skill, creativity, and purpose to help change the way we think about food and its future.
Q&A with Chef Hari Pulapaka
Q: Chef Hari, what sparked your interest in upcycling food?
A: I think my interest in upcycling food started long before I even knew the word for it. I grew up in Mumbai in a household of seven, where my parents cooked every meal from scratch. We didn’t have much, but nothing went to waste - vegetable peels became chutneys, leftover rice turned into breakfast the next morning, and every part of an ingredient had a purpose. It wasn’t called sustainability back then - it was simply how we lived.
When I went to culinary school, I was shocked by how much food was discarded during training - ingredients that were perfectly fine, just not needed for the lesson. Later, as a chef cooking for large events, I saw trays of beautiful food end up in the trash because of overproduction or logistics. That waste stayed with me. Upcycling became my way to bring the resourcefulness I learned at home into my professional life, and to find creative ways to give every ingredient the respect it deserves.
Q: How would you explain “upcycling food” to someone new to the idea?
A: Upcycling food is just a fancy way of saying we find creative, delicious uses for ingredients that might otherwise get thrown away. It could be carrot tops turned into a pesto, yesterday’s bread made into croutons, or bruised fruit transformed into jam. It’s about looking at what you already have and asking, ‘What can I make from this?’ instead of ‘Should I toss it?’ It’s not about lowering quality, it’s often the opposite. Some of the best dishes I’ve made have come from reimagining what others might call scraps. It’s a way to reduce waste, honor the ingredient, and sometimes even surprise yourself in the process.
Q: What ingredients do you love rescuing from the compost bin?
A:
Vegetable peels & stems – carrot peels for chutneys or crisps, broccoli stems for slaws, cauliflower stems for soups or purées.
Overripe fruit – mangoes, bananas, berries, apples transformed into chutneys, quick breads, sorbets, or jams.
Bread – turned into croutons, breadcrumbs, bread puddings, or savory stuffing.
Leafy tops & greens – beet greens in dals or stir-fries, carrot tops in pesto’s, radish greens in parathas or soups.
Aquafaba (chickpea water) – whipped for vegan meringues, emulsified in dressings.
Bones & shells – stocks and broths from poultry bones, fish frames, and shrimp shells.
Coffee grounds – used in spice rubs, baked goods, or even garden compost.
Whey from yogurt-making – in breads, soups, or for marinating meats.
Q: What tips do you have for beginners who want to start upcycling food at home?
A:
Rethink Waste Before you toss it, ask: Is this edible, and how might it taste? Beet greens can be sautéed, carrot tops make a great pesto, and citrus peels can be candied or infused into oil.
Start Simple
Bread → Breadcrumbs, croutons, or savory puddings.
Overripe fruit → Smoothies, chutneys, or quick jams.
Vegetable trimmings → chutneys, stocks, soups, or stir-fry bases.
Collect & Store Smartly Keep a container in your fridge or freezer for clean vegetable peels, herb stems, and bones. Once full, use them to make broth, sauces, or marinades. Label and date for freshness.
Take Cues from Global Traditions Many classic dishes were born from necessity: Italian panzanella, Indian chutneys, French pain perdu. Explore these as inspiration and adapt them to local, seasonal ingredients.
Cook with Intention Upcycled dishes should feel deliberate, not like “leftovers in disguise.” Balance flavors, add texture, and plate beautifully.
Build the Habit The more you think in terms of “next life” for food, the easier and more natural upcycling becomes. Soon, it won’t feel like a trend - just good cooking.
Q: How do Upcycled Certified® products fit into the bigger food waste solution?
A: Upcycled Certified® products are an important bridge between individual good intentions and a larger, measurable impact. As a chef, I can upcycle ingredients in my own kitchen, but for most consumers, convenience and trust matter. A standardized certification gives shoppers confidence that the product they’re buying truly helps reduce food waste, because it meets clear, verified criteria.
In the bigger picture, certification creates a common language between producers, retailers, and consumers. It rewards companies for innovation, incentivizes the use of overlooked ingredients, and helps scale solutions beyond farmers’ markets or restaurant menus. When that seal appears on a package, it’s not just a label - it’s a signal that the product is part of a global effort to keep good food from going to waste. And if enough of us choose those products, we shift demand, change supply chains, and make upcycling a normal, expected part of how we feed ourselves.
Featured Upcycled Recipe: Chef Hari’s Core Values Chutney
A flavorful, easy-to-make dish created from everyday kitchen leftovers.
Servings: makes approximately 4 cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Upcycled Ingredients in This Recipe:
Leaves, stems, and cores of broccoli, cabbage, or cauliflower (or a mix), washed
Stems and leaves of wilted herbs – basil, parsley, and cilantro
Ingredients
1-pound leaves, stems, and cores of broccoli, cabbage, or cauliflower (or a mix), washed
1 cup nuts (such as almonds, cashews, or peanuts), toasted
3 lemons, zested and juiced
3 limes, zested and juiced
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup white or golden balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons skin-on ginger, minced
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 bunch basil leaves with tender stems, washed
1 bunch cilantro with stems, washed and roughly chopped
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley with stems, washed and roughly chopped
1 jalapeño (with seeds), chopped
Granulated sugar, as needed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the vegetables: gently boil the broccoli, cabbage, or cauliflower leaves, stems, and cores in a large pot of salted water. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 18 minutes.
Drain well and cool to at least room temperature.
In a food processor, grind the nuts until they are a fine crumb.
Add the citrus juices and zest, garlic, olive oil, honey, vinegar, ginger, and mustard. Process well.
Add remaining ingredients, including the boiled vegetables. Puree well.
Taste the chutney and adjust the salt and sugar levels, as desired.
Chef Hari’s Note About Core Values Chutney:
You’d never know it, but this herby, nutty, and bright chutney is powered by the oft-discarded leaves, stems, and cores of cruciferous veggies like cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage. Whip up a batch and use it as a spread on seafood, tacos, or enchiladas, as a dipping sauce for crudité, or folded into grains for a fresh punch of flavor. the oft-discarded leaves power this herby, nutty, and bright chutney.
Why Choose Upcycled Certified® Products
Cooking at home with rescued ingredients is just one way to fight food waste. Another is supporting brands that are Upcycled Certified® - products that meet strict standards for reducing waste and using surplus food or ingredients that might otherwise be lost.
Every time you choose an Upcycled Certified® product, you’re joining a growing movement to keep good food out of landfills and put it back on plates where it belongs.
Your Turn: Join the Upcycling Food Challenge
We want to see your upcycled creations or taste testing those upcycled certified products! Try Chef Hari’s recipe, invent your own using the ingredients you have on hand, or find Upcycled Certified on the grocery store shelves.
Share it with #UpcycleWithWFCF and #UpcycledCertified - you might inspire someone else to give food a second life.
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