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I'm Zoe, 43 years old, and I live with my husband and dog in my favorite city, Zurich. I love food, wine, and good conversation. I've been a freelance presenter, recipe author, and cookbook author for 10 years.
When did your love for cooking begin?
Even when I was very small. My mother is a gifted cook and can whip up a feast from two carrots and a packet of rice. Even as a little kid, I loved watching her in the kitchen. I made my first pizza when I was probably around 6-7 years old...
What do you think about food waste in general?
I find it difficult to summarize this so briefly, as the topic is so broad. I've been working on this for years and try to throw away as little as possible. There are now many great projects, like Madame Frigo's public refrigerators or the "Too good to go" app, that help prevent food waste, and on my blog cookinesi.ch, I regularly show how you can use leftovers to create wonderful dishes. But I'm far from perfect, too, and unfortunately, I have to throw something away every now and then. It's important to me to emphasize: Nobody is perfect, but it is important that we are aware of the issue and do our best.
"Nobody is perfect, but it's important that we are aware of the issue and do our best."
Do you think you live sustainably? What would you like to improve?
Hmm, good question. I think if you really wanted to live sustainably in our latitudes, you'd have to build a cabin in the woods and live off berries. Living sustainably is also a matter of definition. Whenever possible, I travel by train, I try to use resources like water and food respectfully, and I don't eat too much fish and meat. I'd like to improve my meat consumption, but I'm always struggling with it because I absolutely love meat. I always say that at heart, I'm a vegetarian.
What is your all-time favorite recipe?
I really can't answer that. I just published my second cookbook, "Stimmigschuchi," and it has so many delicious recipes—it depends on the season, my mood, and my desire. But I could always eat spaghetti with a delicious homemade sauce.
Do you have a freshness secret or tip to avoid food waste?
"The most important tip is to always check the fridge before shopping."
Plus, you can use almost anything that's not yet completely inedible in great recipes. For example, bread salad in summer is one of the best, salads are generally good for using up leftovers, or even tarts or cholera; you can put almost anything that's about to expire into them.
What food do you always have at home?
Lots! Rice, spaghetti, pelati, sugar, flour, butter, and nuts. I love nuts!
Hand on heart, what are the things you throw away most often?
Unfortunately, vegetables. Every now and then I find a rubbery carrot or something that's no longer edible. Sometimes you don't need all of the mushrooms, and then you get annoyed when the rest ends up in the compost.
Do you have any other tips for reducing food waste?
There are vegetable rescue boxes in many parts of Switzerland. For example, I have a subscription to goodmarket, which I think is fantastic. Once a month, you get organic vegetables directly from the farmer, which might be a bit crooked or too big or small for the supermarket and would otherwise end up in the trash. The vegetables are great, and you're doing something good at the same time.
You can find Zoe here:
Cookinesi.com
Instagram @cookinesi_by_zoe
Photos: Livia Bass, Diana Kottmann
