Acclaimed restaurant somehow operates without a trash can in sight: 'A model that shows it's possible'

Baldío, a cozy restaurant tucked away in Mexico City's Condesa neighborhood, offers a familiar lineup of Mexican favorites — tostadas, tacos, mole — but with one radical twist: There's no trash bin in sight.

"We want Baldío to be a model that shows it's possible to be both zero waste and to rely on farmers rather than supermarkets," said co-founder Lucio Usobiaga, the Guardian reported.

Usobiaga and his brother, Pablo, teamed up with chef and zero-waste pioneer Doug McMaster to reimagine what a restaurant could be — and how much waste it actually needs to produce. The answer? None.

From the start, the goal was to go beyond "eco-friendly" gestures and rethink the entire system. The chefs upcycle scraps into new dishes, designing every detail — from produce delivery to plating — with reuse in mind. As McMaster bluntly put it: "Bins are coffins for things that have been badly designed."

Baldío's no-bin model challenges traditional restaurant norms that view waste as unavoidable. But for the team behind it, waste is a design flaw — not a given.

At Baldío, the team configures every element of the kitchen to eliminate waste. Local producers supply the ingredients, and the chefs transform scraps into new menu items. They toss nothing — because they designed nothing to be disposable.

This approach benefits more than just the planet — it supports nearby farmers, builds stronger local economies, and creates a dining experience that feels both grounded and forward-thinking. It's food that honors the past while reimagining the future.

The Baldío team isn't keeping its model a secret. Its work recently earned a Michelin Green Star — and the trio hopes it inspires other chefs, business owners, and patrons to rethink what's possible.

Because if a busy restaurant in a major city can operate without a single bin, what small change could you make at home?

The message is simple: Rethink waste, support local, and design with care — even in your own kitchen.

McMaster sums it up in an Instagram video: "It's not about being perfect, it's not about getting everything right all the time, it's about … doing the best we can to support a bigger idea."

What's the most common reason you end up throwing away food? Bought more than I could eat 🛒 Went bad sooner than I expected 👎 Forgot it was in the fridge 😞 Didn't want leftovers 🥡 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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