Yukako Ichikawa, the chef and owner of Wafu in Sydney, shares with FoodWise her food philosophy.

What is the philosophy behind Wafu?

We cook with the heartfelt wish that those who eat with us will enjoy our food. This is part of our ethos of providing food that is in keeping with traditional values, environmental awareness and sustainability.

When we create Wafu's food we pay careful attention to providing balance and nourishment for all. We cater conscientiously for people with dietary restrictions; coeliacs, those with food allergies, vegans and vegetarians etc are especially welcome. Our food is organic, and chemical, gluten, sugar, dairy and egg free. It is important not just for the person with some limitation like an allergy, but for all the people around them, their family, to have good, clean food.

Please tell us a bit about your thinking on food waste

I am concerned about the amount of food people waste. That is why we ask customers to be mindful of the amount of food they order, and to finish their meal. We ask that customers share their food when eating in company, as they would at home. This is a good way to avoid food wastage. To encourage customers to be mindful of their food, and to not leave food on their plate, we offer a 30% discount to those who eat all the food they ordered.

My worry about food waste doesn't come from any religious belief. It is about being conscious of our food and food fairness - why should some people who are born somewhere where there is lack of food suffer, and yet we throw away food? Also there is a limit to our resources for production of food, we need to be mindful of that. I don't waste food, so for my customers it should be the same if they choose to eat here.

We are also mindful of other kinds of waste, like container waste. We ask customers to bring their own containers for takeaway.

How can we educate people to be mindful of their food waste?

For me food waste, container waste and education about all aspects of food are connected. It is important to educate children and to educate ourselves about food, not just in relation to waste but about food's properties to support health, so we value food. We know in the Chinese and Japanese traditions that good foods can support people having chemotherapy for cancer.  Even for people who don't have allergies, we are finding that many people may have food sensitivities which affect their overall health, and good, chemical free food can be beneficial for them.

To reduce food waste in the community the most important thing is to not buy processed food. If we cook our own fresh food at home, understand where it came from, see it being cooked, smell and hear food being prepared from the start, it is impossible to waste. Even if it tastes not so nice, it is impossible to waste. We also need to understand how to store food properly, at the correct temperate and in the correct conditions, so we don't throw it away unnecessarily. People need to understand 'food life' - where is came from and where it goes if we waste it - so they appreciate food and are less likely to waste it.

Yukako was featured on the front page of The Sydney Morning Herald. Click here to read the story.

Check out Wafu's website here.