This video is pretty, but it really glosses over the problems and struggles he had in founding the restaurant in favor of this traditional story arc. There was a hint at specificity, but the concrete challenges he faced and the solutions he found were made out to be abstract and vague. It's cool to make cool inspirational videos to poignant music, but the zero waste movement in the restaurant industry doesn't need more feel-good inspirational videos. I think we really could've benefitted here from letting the story take a more organic form true to its setbacks, true to the nuances of the nature of the work, and without a manufactured ah-ha moment to drive it forward.

“Nature never gives you the same thing twice”

"Waste is just a failure of the imagination" Damn that quote hit deep. As someone who is studying fashion I see culinary arts as similar to the industry I am studying. They are both very wasteful with small pieces of fabric going to the trash; as well as the FF industry publicizing the buy and throw away idea. The amount of trash that these two industries go through has made me mindful of what i use. I feel this quote is powerful because it challenges the norms of both wasteful industry.

I can't imagine how hard it was to start this whole zero waste restaurant. He has done an amazing job!

"Waste is just failure of your imagination." That's the most important sentence in this whole video. Think about that one if you don't understand it.

You’re my new hero. I also grew up with undiagnosed dyslexia and a rare spinal condition that literally eats the vertebrae and causes cracks like osteoporosis. I too sadly had to drop out a month short of my junior year. I always had a higher than average IQ, and could apply more “brain” than others, and I had difficulties with tests. I also found my calling in the restaurant industry. I also worked my way up from the bottom up to management and attempted to open my own restaurant. I have no ego and only have ever based my self worth on my efforts or labor. Sadly I don’t have any left because I can’t work anymore. It’s just too depressing to work on anything for 25 years just to see it die. I still hold on to it like the dream of winning the lottery. My spine required a 20 screw and 2 rod implant from my collarbone to my bellybutton. I haven’t been able to work but refuse to give up my dream. I only could be an owner at this point, nobody would accept my physical limitations, needing to lay down for a time to stand up again. Im happy to see your restaurant, it’s similar to my dream. I’m also grateful that I got to see someone like me, living my dream, successfully without the handouts everyone else seems to get, but never us. I wish you the best, and if I’m ever in the UK, I’ll make it a point to see your place. Also if you ever happen to come to New London in New England, I’d like to meet you! (Notice the brainstorming session our settlers had in the naming process huh?!?)

I love it. What a beautiful story about a beautiful mind and his beautiful team. Here's to more failures, and the successes you find through them. Cheers, Silo.

"Ideal things aren't impossible"

For anyone interested: Lunch is between £6 and £10.50 + 12.5% service charge. A *6-course dinner* is £50 + 12.5% service charge = £56.25 It's not a cheap dinner by any means, but I'd say that it's extremely reasonable for what they're doing. *EDIT: figured I'd also add a few conversion rates for everyone. Dinner is: 73 USD 95 CAD 107 AUD 111 NZD 66 EUR 697 SEK 494 DDK 71 CHF

What a beautiful soul ... I'd love to support him. The way he speaks is amazing, he speaks with so much power and thoughtfulness. He should do a TED

That haircut means it's a good restaurant.

2 things: this guy is an absolutely amazing human, and the fact that the school system told him he's a failure shows exactly how messed up the school system is.

If I ever go to England I will definitely eat there! Such a great idea and great message!

Fantastic! we need more like this. but everyone let's not forget that we can also work on a zero-waste restaurant at home ;-) lets make it happen!

The fact that he closed the restaurant and moved it doesn't make much sense to me. Seems he'd want to increase the number of locations to really make an impactful change.

"Waste is just a failure of imagination"

Unfortunately I have seen too many ads like this and not used in practice at all but tactic to advertise and charge high price.

Film style reminds me of chefs table. I just wish this was a 45 min episode. in depth on some of the dishes they make.

Thank you Douglas for what you are doing. it is truly special. It seems that it is only after capturing a glimpse at what we could be doing to make things right, that others will follow and hopefully they will.

"Waste is a failure of the imagination." - Douglas McMaster

Wow. Just wow! Incredible what this young man has confronted and the success he has achieved! Silo is incredible. Also, the video, from the selection of music to the editing was pure magic and made for a wonderful viewing experience. Great job @The Atlantic!

This video is amazing. I don't know why but I ended up so moved and motivated to make a change. Thank you for this inspiration.

Very cool journey and incredibly well filmed

Give this man a chefs table episode already

Thank you for sharing your story!

excellent film. love it

What a beautiful thing! I want to go! Also we need more of these all over our country! Xxx

I cried. Very well done Douglas.

Make a follow-up, but be more specific about the struggles.

I hope this video goes viral, more people should see this. Amazing idea and commitment! Love this

This is amaaaaaaaaaaaaazing in any way possible and also inspirational!!!! Keep up the good work!

4 years later: their website is still accepting bookings! I'm glad to see their business is thriving.

The video is nice, I think thematically it resonance. But I would like to know about the restaurant itself and how they managed to do what they did. That's where I believed the article from "The Atlantic" should elaborate more since you have space to really write about his struggles and give more concrete details. However, the article was even shorter and less detailed. Being originally a magazine that's very disappointing the quality of the writing is not on par with the quality of the video.

Love love this concept, will definitely come check out your London restraunt

incredible cinematography and storytelling

This is truly inspiring. What you are doing is amazing. This concept must be popularised!

As I am growing older, I am getting more and more fascinated with our individual narratives and life stories. This one is spot on. Imagine if all of us, billions of humans, had the same opportunities - what we could achieve. Alas, not quite there yet.

Such an inspiring video love this! Shared as well!

This is really an encouraging video so much message it cascade.

Having gone to culinary school and currently working in the food industry I would love to see the logistics of his operations.

Very inspiring, thank you. Powerful message not to be afraid of failures as through them you learn and grow. And persist. Thank You. ♥

Great footage and great idea behind the restaurant. More people should have the courage to go this way. I am glad he did!

Whoever edited this, NEEDS A RAISE!

Inspiring story, thank you for pushing this hard ❤️

this man is totally in the right direction!!!! if i was living somewhere close i would go as often as possible! we need to support these kinds of innovative people

Good job!!! This is amazing to hear about. I am so inspired to be something special!

So beautiful! Thank you!

Thank you ❤️

0:45-2:00 Beautiful music indeed.

Such a lovely story, I am sure full of ups and downs, but so heart warming in these crazy 'waste' times.

That is a wonderful and special person. I’m impressed by this guy

Fabulous and simple. buy direct from the farmer eliminates the waste. Done. Easy. Better for everyone to eat what is grown locally and in season! Great Job Douglas and team.

This is awesome. More should follow

So fascinating.

Thanks for not giving up and make this restaurant possible

"Be grateful for our earth, don't produce unnecessary waste"

Oh man, God bless your hard work

All the very best. What a great iniative. Its difficult to think against the norms that have been shoved down our throats.

Man! I applaud you! I am celebrating the fact that I have another hero to add to my short list. You're persistance and vision will lead the world to a better future.

If he wanted to spread, why didn't he try franchising or branching out, instead of dropping an established location?

What a well done video. My initially thought was "Yeah, but how did they do it?" What were the small battles that had to be won? What are the daily struggles that threaten the business's ability to pay it's bills? By the end, however, I realized that the purpose of the video is not to share the secret recipe for a zero-waste restaurant. The point is actually that each of us has the creativity to solve the problems that we are most passionate about. This has really inspired me to act rather than sit around and think that my dreams are unachievable. Thanks Douglas for your hard work and inspiration!

Amazing !

Brilliant!!!

So inspiring

Brilliant idea, brilliant and caring soul

I love this...I want to be this..so inspired...

This video is extremely inspiring 😊

this is beautiful! wow

he is truly inspirational, keep up the good work 🥰

Brilliant and thought provoking. I think the intention of drawing the audience in and planting the seed of this philosophy has hit its mark.

Awesome!!!

This is awesome i love this

so inspiring

I Totally Wholeheartedly Agree and am on board with this, this is something we are doing also!

Such an inspiration

ilove this kind of passion

Nice short film.

An amazing man. Bravo 🙌

This is so amazing! I would love to see more restaurant around the United States practice things like this. It's the small steps that lead into big changes. In a dream world every place would be waste-free.

amazing story! i hope he writes a book about his process.

this is absolutely amazing

This is amazing ❤

Congratulations on this initiative. I cannot wait to eat at your place.

Absolutamente genial! La mente al servicio de la conciencia

Other than the fact the restaraunt is zero waste which is hella cool, I just loved the creativity aspect they must all have with their cooking. The menu must change often due to the harvest they get and clearly the chefs have a passion for cooking as an art.

Невероятное видео!!! Очень благодарна за такую работу🙏🏻🤍 Silo - вдохновляющий проект!

He's making great strides and is an amazing example. More people and companies should follow. It could create a chain reaction and make a positive change for our planet. "You can not do all of the good that the world needs but the world need all of the good that you can do". - Shelbizleee

Brilliance...

this is fucking amazing, this man is truly doing something. fuck anyone who doubted him, although he went and still goes through struggles, as we all do, at least he's with the environment instead of against anddd just simply doing something awesome. so great, the best things require the most effort

This video is so beautiful

Very inspiring video. Let's hope and pray the word spreads, and that other restaurants and businesses around the world will adopt some of this zero-waste concepts.

I just did a project on Silo for my environmental studies class! So cool to accidentally find this video after :)

Wow amazing 😊

"You're using coconuts!" ... "Where'd you get those coconuts!?"

Please list the location and also do a follow-up about the specific challenges he faced so that the rest of us can help to make a better world

He is a hero!!!

What an amazing human! Wish we had more cafe/restaurants like this. ✌

Love this!

Very inspiring. I have been working in the restaurant industry for some years now, and the amount of waste is usually extreme. Packaging, cling film, paper, prepp, produce and so on. Its very normal to produce like 2-3 full bin bags of garbage in 1 shift. People have finally started to throw compostables in the compost now finally, but many places still dont. I think the industry needs a lot of change, and i bet most other industrys work like this too. They rather waste trash than man hours. Plastic is cheap time is not. We need change.

Wooow how awesome