From Culinary Curiosity to Rethinking Food Waste: Reflections from Naila Varawalla

For Naila Varawalla, a chef by trade, the question of how we can use food in more meaningful ways first came up while she was in culinary school, working in a kitchen focused on repurposing surplus ingredients.  

“I think a lot about the social side [of avoidable food waste],” Naila shared, “we’re living in times when a lot of people are food insecure. If we can do something to reduce waste and also help people, that’s a very good solution.”

In January 2025, Naila joined Second Harvest’s inaugural National Youth Council, bringing together ten young leaders from across Canada to take action on food waste through research, advocacy and awareness.  

It can be difficult to take in the scale of food waste in Canada. Each year enough good food to feed 17 million people goes uneaten. But amid that reality, Naila found encouragement in her peers on the youth council.

“Meeting people who want to learn about it was really inspiring,” she said.

Together with two other youth council members, Naila co-created Spoiler Alert, a podcast that amplifies youth voices in the food waste reduction space, making complex issues more accessible and engaging for a wider audience.

In its inaugural year, the National Youth Council placed strong emphasis on hearing directly from youth members and giving them space to shape the experience.

“I feel grateful that we really had the opportunity to make it what we wanted to,” Naila said.

At the same time, she volunteered her time beyond the youth council, supporting Second Harvest in teaching others about food storage, organization, and best before dates.

“I’ve never been a teacher or educator before,” she shared. “It was fun to learn how to teach people and step outside my comfort zone.”

For Naila, it was a chance to grow while helping others, and it deepened her understanding of food waste.

“So much of [avoidable food waste] is due to regulations or grading standards, it’s a bigger systemic issue,” Naila explained. “That knowledge was really eye opening to me.”

And she passed that knowledge along.

“I talk to my friends and my family a lot about what I’m doing. They’re always interested to learn,” Naila continued. “Being able to share knowledge with people that you know is maybe a small seed of change, but still a seed of change.”

That sense of community and connection through sharing knowledge and time is what Naila values most about volunteering.  

“Another thing I’m taking from my time on the youth council is my passion for why I volunteer. It brings me purpose in what I do,” Naila reflected.

“I’m very lucky to have had very good parents, I feel that every day. They always told me that if you can help someone you should,” she continued. “As I’ve gotten older, sometimes you see the harsher side of the world … it can feel a little cold. I think it’s still important to find the softness and kindness in others and show kindness to people.”

This National Volunteer Week, Naila’s reflections are a reminder that volunteering can bring both a sense of hope and connection, while also creating meaningful impact.  

“Keep an open mind and just go for it,” shared Naila. “I encourage people to volunteer or get involved in community. I see the way the world is going, and sometimes that human touch or human connection is lost. But I still think there is good out there, and people wanting to help others.”

Whether it’s sharing knowledge, starting a conversation or volunteering your time with Second Harvest or other community organizations, every action helps build a more connected and food-secure future for everyone.

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