On Stop Food Waste Day (30 April), millions around the globe reflect on one of the planet’s most solvable crises. Few moments captured the spirit of action quite like Chef Pinky Tshabalala of SA Harvest, who cooked live (click here to watch a short reel) on kykNET’s Die GROOT Ontbyt using ingredients that would otherwise have been discarded.
In a powerful segment aired, Chef Pinky demonstrated how surplus food (often labelled as waste) can be transformed into nourishing, delicious meals. The Chakalaka, prepared entirely from rescued produce, wasn’t just a recipe. It was a reminder that change begins in the kitchen.
“Respecting food means respecting people,” said Chef Pinky. “When we use everything, when we waste nothing, we are building dignity into every bite.”
Chef Pinky Tshabalala in conversation with a Su-an Müller-Marais during a live cooking demo on Die GROOT Ontbyt, surrounded rescued ingredients.
Mission: Ending Hunger, Reducing Waste
SA Harvest is a national food rescue organisation with a bold mission: to end hunger in South Africa by addressing food waste at its root. Leveraging a tech-enabled, reverse logistics network, the organisation rescues surplus food and redistributes it to a network of 217 vetted community-based organisations, reaching more than 100,000 people daily.
Since its founding in 2019, SA Harvest has delivered over 83.8 million meals and rescued nearly 21 million kilograms of food, preventing more than 53,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions and conserving nearly 20 billion litres of water.
“Stop Food Waste Day is not just a symbolic moment for us,” says Ozzy Nel, COO of SA Harvest. “It’s a reaffirmation of our mission to build a food-secure South Africa while protecting our environment.”
National Effort for Systemic Change
The Die GROOT Ontbyt segment also featured food science researchers and students from the University of Pretoria, who are innovating around product development, community food education, and sustainable consumer behaviour.
Together with SA Harvest, the message is clear: tackling food waste requires collaboration across the value chain: from farm, to retailer, to fridge.
“Whether you’re a consumer, chef, student, or policymaker. We all have a role to play,” added Nel. “Food waste is not inevitable. It’s a solvable crisis. And the solution starts with a shift in mindset.”
Watch, Share, Act
The full cooking segment with Chef Pinky is available on Die GROOT Ontbyt’s YouTube channel (click here). SA Harvest invites South Africans to follow their journey online, explore ways to get involved, and begin the food rescue revolution at home.