Turnips with Tomas Lidakevicius relaunches the spring edition of Fight THE SYSTEM, following the overwhelming success of last year’s initiative. This is the restaurant’s sustainable and subversive response to the negative rhetoric consuming the news and our communities.
From the 16th of April to the 11th of May, Tomas and his team will offer tasting menus for almost half the usual price, making their elevated dining experience that champions world-class produce more accessible to more people. The focus and starting point will be the surplus ingredients from the kitchen, the market stand and even their trusted network of suppliers. The intention is to bring some joy and showcase how ingredients that are often sidelined and classified as ‘leftover’ or ‘surplus’ can actually be a source of pleasure and rediscovery.
Chef Tomas Lidakevicius says, “The idea of the initiative came from the discontent and apathy we all seem to be feeling. We want to set aside cost to celebrate seasonality and have some fun in our style. We were overwhelmed by the positive response we received last year so we are excited to run it again. The spring season means incredible fresh produce that is very different from what we did in February 2023. So, if you came last year come back to check what’s in season for April, and if you’re new come join our flavour-packed revolution”.
The wine pairing will mirror the food concept, thanks to the invaluable relationship with their market neighbour and B-Corp certified producer, Tasca d’Almerita. The list will favour natural and biodynamic producers who focus on minimal waste, no pesticides or chemical fertilisers and bottles that celebrate the quality and purity of the grape itself.
“Surplus isn’t poor quality food,” says Charlie Foster. “It is often just the result of over-ordering, or not meeting aesthetic standards with an imperfect appearance. By collecting whatever is surplus from our suppliers, we can still guarantee the best ingredients for our menus, carefully selected according to our criteria for the very best fruits and vegetables, but at a much lower price.”
