For Melissa, it’s about more than just quality WA produce as she continues to put the brakes on waste.

As Head Chef and co-owner of East Fremantle’s Young George, Melissa continues to garner plenty of praise for her inventive and flavoursome food as she fosters a growing army of satisfied customers.

And with good reason: her focus on sustainability and her nose-to-tail, root-to-shoot philosophy means every part of her ingredients is utilised to amplify flavour and invent deliciously quirky additions to the ever-changing restaurant menu. 

We’re talking leaves used as a tasty edible garnish, dried peelings morphed into seasonings, and fermented stalks as the perfect condiment.

Melissa’s ‘zero waste’ food philosophy is heavily influenced by her mother’s rustic, homestyle cooking – which always made best use of secondary cuts and offal to minimise waste – which fostered in her a keen understanding and appreciation of quality local produce.

Today, every ingredient that finds its way into the Young George kitchen has been sourced locally in WA – with Melissa continuing to build strong relationships with local farmers and suppliers who offer unique, top quality produce that’s close to home.

Additionally, Melissa’s sustainability focus led recent efforts to lighten Young George’s environmental footprint, with the kitchen moving away from single-use plastic containers in favour of hardy polycarbonate containers to help reduce waste.

Enjoy a taste of homegrown goodness from Melissa Palinkas’ co-owned restaurant Young George and keep supporting local businesses.

Want to try a new recipe inspired by Melissa Palinkas?

Try Melissa Palinkas’ hearty, wholesome and zesty saltbush pork tenderloin with mandarin glaze & multigrain fried rice.

The local name in gas and in your kitchen.

For more kitchen inspiration and tips and tricks on using gas, check out our Kleenheat Kitchen recipes.