Rethinking Innovation: A chef’s perspective on upcycled ingredients
During one of The Upcycling Community’s semiannual on-location gatherings, the Upcycled Foods Black Box Challenge brought a refreshing shift in perspective on upcycled food development. This unique event took place at shared kitchen Kico and was in collaboration with Low Food.
Usually, upcycled ingredients are developed for industrial applications, guided by specifications, functionality, and proven use cases. But this challenge flipped that logic: ten upcycled ingredients were handed to innovative chef Yacinth Pos, with no constraints, and full creative freedom. The focus? Taste, texture, and surprise – through the intuitive lens of a culinary expert.
The four resulting dishes became the subject of a blind tasting. Our partners evaluated the sensory qualities and attempted to guess the upcycled ingredients. But the true richness came from the shared reflections: on what worked and what didn’t, what surprised, and how handing over the whisk unlocked new ways of thinking.
Photography: Marnix Klooster
Key Insights from the Session
- Culinary experts bring fresh perspectives in the early stages of product development, helping to uncover new possibilities for upcycled ingredients.
- Black box tasting challenges build empathy and creativity – working with unknown upcycled ingredients from various partners of The Upcycling Community encouraged participants to think like their customers and break free from technical constraints.
- Testing new upcycled product alongside others fosters deeper understanding, learning, and shared ambition .
- Playful formats lower barriers to participation: the fun, informal nature of culinary co-creation helps participants engage more freely, encouraging experimentation and deeper collaboration.
As Chef Yacinth Pos shared: “When I’m free to explore, I discover things the specs might hide. Texture, taste, temperature, that’s where the magic of an ingredient lives. This challenge reminded us how important it is to create first and define second.”
Reflections from Our Partners
“It was exciting to see our ingredient used in ways we hadn’t imagined. Sometimes stepping outside of specs gives you a clearer sense of what the ingredient can do — and where it shines.”
Noa Bastiaans, Herbafood Ingredients
“Being in a room with other innovators, tasting and exchanging — that’s where the real learning happens. I left not only with ideas for my product, but with a whole new energy for collaboration.”
Marika van Santvoort, Pacha de Cacao
Photography: Marnix Klooster
The session ended with a relaxed outdoor community gathering, sharing food, inspiration, and next steps for collaboration.
The dishes featured ingredients from Royal Smilde, Rebread, and Greencovery — partners of The Upcycling Community — and from The Garden of Eva, a KiCo partner.
Together, we’re not just rethinking ingredients, we’re rethinking how innovation itself can happen.
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