George Bernard Shaw once said: “There is no sincerer love than the love of food.”

Unlike many countries, the history of food in our culture is not replete. Americans ate to live – they did not live to eat. But Americans’ love of food has evolved over the years and today’s passion for food has been sparked in large part by the restaurant industry.

We spoke with celebrity Chef Gale Gand about her take on the restaurant industry’s role in changing people’s relationship with food and how chefs continue to drive the sustainable food movement.

Gibbs-rbb:  Tell us about what inspired you to become a chef.

Chef Gand: My Hungarian grandmother and mother were both great bakers, so I was genetically predisposed to some of it. However, when I was 19 years old and attending the Cleveland Institute of Art, I was waitressing in a vegetarian restaurant called Light of Yoga, and one night a line cook didn’t show up for work. My manager asked me if I could cook, and I said: “Not really.” But she threw an apron at me and said, “You can cook now! Get in the kitchen!”

So I did. I was terrified for about six seconds. But by the seventh second, this strange sense of calm came over me, like I had found my home. It was a calling – I didn’t pick the restaurant business – it picked me.

Gibbs-rbb: How do you believe the restaurant industry has changed Americans’ relationship with food?

Chef Gand: I think it has changed people’s relationship with food by teaching them through outlets like the Food Network, food magazines, grocery stores and cooking classes, that enjoying food is a creative and social thing to do with friends. Plus, it’s a way to nurture, heal others and connect.

Over the past 20 years, people have learned to sit and savor, to dine, and to celebrate over food – not just a cake – and its myriad flavor and textural combinations.

Gibbs-rbb: What role have chefs played in the sustainable food movement?

Chef Gand: I think chefs have helped get the word out – literally on the plate – about the importance of sustainable food for moral reasons and for business survival as well. We can’t afford for the world to run out of a certain fish, for instance. I think as chefs we’ve also been supporters by purchasing sustainable products while the movement ramped up.

Gibbs-rbb: We define Conscious Consumers™ as the growing market of discerning consumers making buying decisions based on factors, such as health, sustainability and corporate social responsibility – what are some new ways restaurants are appealing to these consumers?

Chef Gand: In think restaurants today appeal to these consumers in many ways: by donating unused food to food banks and food distribution centers; by displaying ingredients for transparency Chipotle-style; by what charities they publicly support; and by the corporate culture they create and communicate.

Gibbs-rbb: How do chefs influence the food industry in general? For instance, what are some food products that made it to our grocery store shelves because of innovations in the restaurant industry?

Chef Gand: Some of the food products that made their way to the grocery store shelves are dried (crispy) fruit chips; artisanal everything – like cheeses, soda pop (I have Gale’s Root Beer sold nationally), jerky (I do recipes for Think Jerky, a new jerky line with chef-driven recipes), handmade-looking marshmallows, rustic breads, out-of-the box ice cream flavors, small-batch baked goods, and real stocks with a meaty flavor that aren’t just yeast extracts; as well as local farmers’ produce, a larger variety of mushrooms and interesting butters.

Gibbs-rbb: What do you see as the next trend or trends in food?

Chef Gand: I see several trends emerging. A few of them are the use of even more obscure grains, like Freekeh and Teff; more pulses; more plant-based foods (think seaweed, duckweed, etc.); more high-protein foods, such as jerky for women, and without the usual packaging displaying bulls and flames; clean label snack foods; and portable shelf-stable natural snacks.

Gibbs-rbb: I know living green is important to you. What are some tips for simple ways families can curb food waste at home? And, what are some innovative ways the restaurant industry is reducing food waste?

Chef Gand: At home and in restaurants, pickling things to preserve them is a great way to reduce food waste. Also, take a look at what food waste you’re generating. Can any of it be used to make vegetable or chicken stock? If so, I just stock pile it in a re-sealable bag and keep it in the freezer, adding to it when I have more carrot peelings, onion ends, celery leaves, etc. When the bag is full, it’s time to make stock! And, if it can’t be used for stock, then that’s for your compost pile. Also, more and more, restaurants are creating rooftop and indoor wall gardens to help create a sustainable business, along with a beautiful esthetic for their public spaces.

Chef Gale Gand is currently offering classes on making mouthwatering meringues and creamy custards at Craftsy.com. The combination of classes was inspired by her ongoing quest to reduce food waste. She asked herself: “What do we do with all of these egg yolks that were not used in the meringue?” Answer: “Creamy custards!” The classes are sure to get your week off to a decadent start.