Reducing Food Waste: Nirjary Desai of KIS (cubed) Events On How They Are Helping To Eliminate Food Waste
When our events end, we contact the local homeless shelter to come pick up the food so they can help feed the hungry. If that is not allowed, we pack the food up for the client to take home or for the late-night events that happen after receptions. We also give the food to line staff to take home to thank them for their help.
It has been estimated that each year, more than 100 billion pounds of food is wasted in the United States. That equates to more than $160 billion worth of food thrown away each year. At the same time, in many parts of the United States, there is a crisis caused by people having limited access to healthy & affordable food options. The waste of food is not only a waste of money and bad for the environment, but it is also making vulnerable populations even more vulnerable.
Authority Magazine started a new series called “How Restaurants, Grocery Stores, Supermarkets, Hospitality Companies and Food Companies Are Helping To Eliminate Food Waste.” In this interview series, we are talking to leaders and principals of Restaurants, Grocery Stores, Supermarkets, Hospitality Companies, Food Companies, and any business or nonprofit that is helping to eliminate food waste, about the initiatives they are taking to eliminate or reduce food waste.
As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Nirjary M. Desai.
Regarded as one of the top Southeast Asian event producers, Nirjary Desai is the Chief Experience Officer and Founder of KIS (cubed) Events, specializing in one-of-a-kind event experiences with serious wow factor for some of the top brands, celebrities and personalities across the US and globally. Born in Zambia, raised in South Carolina and educated in London, Nirjary’s polycultural upbringing instilled a passion for global travel, socially conscious businesses, and inclusive community building.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I was working in Marketing Brand & Sales Management for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, at the same time my friends started getting married and also being South Asian was getting recognized for using full-service venues, but they didn’t understand our culture so I was getting pulled into helping them gain the business. From there I started dabbling into helping my network with events and then their guest start contacting me, and it turned into this business I never expected to happen.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began at your company or organization?
I got to help produce an event for Hillary Clinton when she was running for President. For someone like me who was born to Indian immigrant parents and immigrated here from Africa it was a very empowering moment in my career and life.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I don’t know if this is funny but having business partners who didn’t have the same drive or work ethic as me probably was my biggest mistake. What I learned is I have to be on a team with people who all have the same hustle in life and genuinely think about uplifting each other and the community and not just themselves.
How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
Being a Leader means having a heart of a service, and in this industry, one must be passionate about people and love taking care of others. Leaders must also set an example and appreciate those who are looking to be lead, because you must be vulnerable in your guidance.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Be The Change You Wish to See in the World”- Mahatma Gandhi
We all get frustrated in life or feel stuck and the one thing this quote give me is hope, light, and most of all vision of the tomorrow I want to create not just for me but the people around me.
OK, thank you for all of that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. Let’s begin with a basic definition of terms so that all of us are on the same page. What exactly are we talking about when we refer to food waste?
Food waste is real, especially in America. As a society and culture, it is taught that bigger is better. That’s not the case and we need to really think about food waste from the perspective of the people in the world who go to sleep hungry. Even in the US 1 in 4 children don’t have enough to eat, so why waste food!
Can you help articulate a few of the main causes of food waste?
- Lack of education on how to prepare & follow recipes
- Instant Gratification Society
- Lack of Composting
What are a few of the obstacles that companies and organizations face when it comes to distributing extra or excess food? What can be done to overcome those barriers?
Some of the barriers are Covid, Food Safety & Handling, and Liability. If we as a society followed Health & Safety protocols and all chefs were required to be certified and not just “passion hired” then we would have those preparing food be more educated about these aspects.
Can you describe a few of the ways that you or your organization are helping to reduce food waste?
When our events end, we contact the local homeless shelter to come pick up the food so they can help feed the hungry. If that is not allowed, we pack the food up for the client to take home or for the late-night events that happen after receptions. We also give the food to line staff to take home to thank them for their help.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help address the root of this problem?
- We must all be on the same page about controlling waste.
- We must hold companies accountable to sustainable practices.
- We must not overindulge in things not necessary.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
- You will work so hard as an entrepreneur and be exhausted, but always remember to have fun.
- Your hustle and drive will never die and if it does you have lost your passion for your work.
- Work to make an Impact not just money. Money is here today and gone tomorrow.
- It’s ok to say “no” to maintain your sanity.
- You can’t do it all, and that is ok!
Are there other leaders or organizations who have done good work to address food waste? Can you tell us what they have done? What specifically impresses you about their work? Perhaps we can reach out to them to include them in this series.
I love Jasmine Crowe from Goodr. I love the programs they have in place to reduce food waste and help organizations be more sustainable. No Kid Hungry who help feed children.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I would love to throw a festival that is themed around Global Cuisine more where people of different communities, social status come together over Culture, Cuisines & Causes to help eradicate hunger, poverty, and most of all jealousy. A place where people come together to create solutions, not problems.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
I would love to cook a meal for Vice President Kamala Harris, because I am South Asian and she also has Indian roots. She is a powerful woman who beat the odds, and I want to thank her for giving a different vision to women globally and every little girl that is fighting to stand up for herself!
How can our readers further follow your work online?
IG: @kiscubedevents & @nirjarymdesai
Website: https://kiscubedevents.com/
This was very meaningful, thank you so much, and we wish you only continued success.
Reducing Food Waste: Nirjary Desai of KIS (cubed) Events On How They Are Helping To Eliminate Food… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.