TV chef Julie Lin is taking to the road in a quirky pop-up restaurant with a twist – where everything on the menu is made from tinned food.
Inspired by the cost-of-living crisis and the fight against food waste, Julie’s Can-Teen aims to take a fresh look at tinned food for its budget-friendly and environmental benefits.
Responding to new research that shows 55% of people in Scotland have concerns about tinned food, Lin, who rose to fame on Masterchef and now runs GaGa restaurant in Glasgow, has teamed up with Zero Waste Scotland to serve up delicious dishes championing the affordability, versatility and choice that canned cuisine offers.
Touring to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen from March 28-31, the pop-up will serve dishes including Spam bao buns, Thai fish cakes and saag curry.
Shelf-stable – meaning households have much longer to use them up – and with options that are packed full of nutrients, tins are a hidden hero in the fight against waste and quickly becoming one of the safest bets for consumers’ cash.
At Julie’s Can-teen there really is such a thing as a free lunch, with diners invited to head along and pick up lunch on the house; running first come, first served from 12pm to 2pm in Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen and 12pm to 4pm in Edinburgh.
An exclusive dining experience will be available for up to four diners within the Can-teen itself, with lunch personally served by Lin, who will be spilling the beans on the joys of cooking with tinned food.
“Tins are an unsung ‘double whammy’ of a hero in any kitchen – helping us to keep our rising food bills lower and reducing the amount of food we buy that goes off and gets thrown away, which is a major driver of climate change,” explains Lin.
“Zero Waste Scotland’s research shows that nearly a quarter (21%) of people in Scotland think of tinned food as a ‘last resort’.
“That’s why my trusty Can-teen and I are taking to the road to encourage people to give tins a chance and taste for themselves how easy it is to make delicious meals that needn’t cost the earth, or the planet.
“What’s even more amazing is that tins are infinitely recyclable, meaning they can be made into other tins again and again, just by recycling them from the kerbside; which is a win-win (or rather tin-tin) for us and our environment.”
Julie’s Can-Teen will be touring Scotland over the following dates and times: Tuesday 28 March: Edinburgh – St James’ Quarter from 12pm – 4pm, Wednesday 29 March: Glasgow – Glasgow Science Centre from 12pm – 2pm, Thursday 30 March: Dundee – Discovery Point from 12pm – 2pm, Friday 31 March: Aberdeen – Union Square from 12pm – 2pm.
Find out more: How to Waste Less
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