THE country’s first zero waste restaurant will open next month.

Chef Douglas McMaster, 27, is the brainchild behind the groundbreaking new eatery Silo in Upper Gardener Street, Brighton.

Not only will the restaurant produce zero material waste but it will also not use chemicals or detergents or use food which requires packaging.

But most importantly of all, it aims to produce and serve delicious food from its North Laine premises.

Mr McMaster said: “It’s a really exciting time and I can’t wait to open properly.

“There was no single event out of which the concept was born, more a series of experiences.

“I worked at St John in London where the emphasis was very much on eating the entire animal. Not so much to do with environment but more out of respect to the animal.

“I then went on to work in Copenhagen where there was a focus on foraging and wild eating. And in Australia I met a dude who was an artist who used all material waste.

“So it kind of came from all that.”

At the heart of Silo is a £22,000 compost machine which compresses unwanted food scraps and is capable of reducing 640kg or organic waste to compost in just 24 hours.

Also central to its ethos is only using local suppliers and farmers with no packaging.

This means milk is transported in reusable esky coolers, vinegar and oil in jerry cans and dry goods in jam jars and tubs.

The restaurant has already opened for a couple of one-off services but will open properly for breakfast, lunch and dinner in October.

Also central to their vision, is their refusal to use chemicals – including handwash, bleach or washing up liquid.

Instead they use what Mr McMaster calls “Jesus Water”. He explains that the fancy titled liquid is simply water which has been electrolysed and oxidised using a £30,000 machine.

The result is a non-toxic anti-bacterial disinfectant more effective than soap and bleach.

Every part of the diner’s experience is shaped by the concept. The plates are made of compressed old shopping bags while wine is drunk from old coffee and jam jars.

The chefs also mill their own flour, churn their own butter and make their bread.

Mr McMaster said: “The hope is that others will follow our lead.

“We are hoping to show off the next wave of innovation in the hospitality industry and we hope others will follow.”

For more details visit silobrighton.com.