b'FULL PLATETyler PeoplesWaste Not, Want NotRecognizing the value in everythingand everyone A nyone who works in the restaurant industry knows that waste has a cost. Whether its food, time, or energy, restaurants cannot afford to waste anything. I remember one of my first restaurant jobs. I worked as a dishwasher for an Italian chef who one day asked me to portion out marinara sauce from one of the pots. When I was done, he came over and saw that there was still some red sauce left in the bottom of the pot. The chef became enraged and launched a rub-ber spatula at me while accusing me of trying to put him out of business. He claimed that there was at least $2.37 worth of sauce that I was aboutand was always in trouble. She ran away from to throw away. At the time I did not realize howhome and hid in a dumpster. She was there for that little bit of sauce would put his whole busi- several days before the dump truck came to col-ness in jeopardy. I now know that Chef was notlect the trash. As the container was being lifted in just talking about sauce. In his own way, he wasthe air she began to scream. The police came to teaching me to recognize the value in everything. bring her home, but the home she was living in About six years ago, Chef Chi joined our culi- would not accept her back. The impact of this nary team at Springs Rescue Mission. She is sotraumatic event shaped her for the rest of her life. full of life and love for the people she serves.She felt unwanted, thrown out, and discarded. Chef Chi defiantly understands the principalChef Chi has an incredible heart to serve. She behind waste not, want not. She has a hard timeknows firsthand how some of our guests and throwing anything out. In fact, she has a habit ofclients may feel. She works so hard to make sure collecting everything from cardboard packagingthat everyone is treated equally, feels included, to plastic bags. Nothing is trash in her eyes.and knows that they are wanted. She knows that Chef Chi told me once why it is so importantno one is trash, and no one should be treated as for her to save things from the trash. When shesuch. In her eyes, our guests are treasures made was a little girl in early 60s South Korea, herin the image of Godand that exactly how she auntie adopted her. She had a hard time fitting intreats them. \x03Tyler is senior director of work for Springs Rescue Mission. During his 10 years in the food services industry, he has been recognized as the Best Chef in Colorado Springs by the Colorado Springs Restaurant Association, and was awarded Chef of the Year in 2014 by the American Culinary Federation. Contact him at tylerp@springsrescuemission.org.JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.CITYGATENETWORK.ORG 51'