A young chef starts a blog on sustainable meals

Writing a master's thesis, working at Windmill Hill City Farm and blogging about sustainable meals are just some of the topics on Alex Montgomery's mind when Bristol24/7 bumped into him over coffee and a donut Pinkman.

Alex, 24, completed Bristol24/7 and the Square Food Foundation's How to be a Chef course earlier this year. He's now busy sharing the tips and tricks he's learned on how to cook dinner and eat sustainably with his Instagram followers via his 50 Ways to Cook blog.

Alex Montgomery and Lilia Chedzey in the How to be a Chef program - photographed by Ellie Pipe

Alex, who also volunteers with the Square Food Foundation, said: “I am an avid cook turned cook and am currently pursuing a Masters in Sustainability. My passion for good food and the environment runs like a red thread in my life.

"During lockdown, I wanted an approach to documenting my culinary adventures and 50 Ways to Cook is the result."

Alex started off as fun with his roommate, 50 Ways to Cook Dinner, but after taking the How to Be a Chef course, he discovered a career alternative and started promoting his Instagram account.

Alex, who now works as a chef at Windmill Hill City Farm, describes the How to be a Chef course as an incredible approach to immersing yourself in Bristol's culinary scene.

Alex's ingenuity and foresight for 50 Ways to Cook extends far beyond Instagram.

"My vision for 50 Ways to Cook is to encourage lasting behavior change by providing tips and recipes that help individuals take small, concrete steps to become more conscious and sustainable in the kitchen."

Alex's three main ideas for helping people achieve this are:

1. Waste less food

2. Eat much less meat

3. Eat the highest quality meals you can reasonably afford

"I want to inspire people to step into the kitchen and connect more with the ways we eat. In the years to come, I plan to build a neighborhood of people who are passionate about more sustainable consumption. But I really have an imagination and a broader vision to start an organization that offers events that include sustainable golf equipment and academic workshops.

Follow Alex on Instagram for recipes, tips, tricks and ideas for every day and get his free fermentation guide here or contact him if you'd like to collaborate with him.

Bristol24/7 runs missions across Bristol to create opportunities for young people to champion environmental teams and amplify marginalized voices. We work hard to make Bristol a better place to live, work and grow. Be part of our journey and support us by becoming a member. find out more

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