A MOMENT WITH CHRIS WHEELER

TEXT AND IMAGES: Julia Restoin Roitfeld

THE IRISH BORN EAST LONDONER SHARES HIS SUSTAINABLE LIVING RESOLUTIONS, ZERO WASTE COOKING HACKS AND SOME OF HIS FAVORITE LONDON SPOTS.

word to describe what Less is More means to you:

SUSTAINABILITY

Last item you purchased?

LOTS OF SOCKS AND UNDERWEAR TO PREPARE FOR A YEAR OF NO NEW CLOTHES!

Last thing you got rid of?

I DID A LARGE CHARITY SHOP DROP RECENTLY WHEN MOVING HOUSE ELIMINATING ALL CLOTHES I HADN’T WORN IN THE PAST YEAR.

Most important item to you?

A BEAUTIFUL PURPLE FUNGAI PATTERN SHIRT..

Favorite vintage spot?

THAILIA FURS, BRICK LANE (WHEN IT’S VINTAGE AND WELL LOVED I BELIEVE FUR TO BE PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE)

Favorite vintage piece of clothing?

A FAUX FUR PENGUIN COAT FROM THE 70’S

LAST THRIFTY FIND?

A VINTAGE TABLE AND WARDROBE, I’VE ALMOST FURNISHED MY ENTIRE HOUSE FROM FREECYLE (A PRE-LOVED UPCYCLING BASED WEBSITE)

ON LIVING IN LONDON?

I MOVED TO LONDON JUST OVER 4 YEARS AGO AND HAVE BEEN WORKING IN HOSPITALITY EVER SINCE. I FIRST LIVED IN THE NORTH, BUT I FOUND MY HOME IN EAST LONDONS HACKNEY! THE PEOPLE AND CULTURE OF IT ALL KEEPS ME FOREVER ENTERTAINED.

ON DECIDING NOT TO BUY ANYTHING NEW IN 2021?

I’VE DECIDED TO NOT BUY ANY NEW CLOTHES IN 2021 IN ORDER TO MAKE A SMALL BUT POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR ENVIRONMENT. WITH SO MANY GREAT ITEMS OF PRELOVED CLOTHING OUT THERE IN CHARITY SHOPS AND VINTAGE STORES THE CHALLENGE IS.JUST TO SEEK THEM OUT!

ON THE BEST LONDON ACTIVITIES THAT DON’T INVOLVE ANY CONSUMPTIONS?

THERES SO MANY GREAT WALKS, I LOVE LEE VALLEY, EPPING FORREST AND THE PARKLAND WALK ON THE OLD TRAIN LINE.

ON YOUR COLLECTION OF SHIRTS?

I COLLECT COLOURFUL PATTERNED SHIRTS, THIS HELPS TO BRIGHTEN MY MOOD. WHATEVER THE DAY I HAVE A SHIRT FOR IT!

“I’VE DECIDED TO NOT BUY ANY NEW CLOTHES IN 2021 IN ORDER TO MAKE A SMALL BUT POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR ENVIRONMENT. WITH SO MANY GREAT ITEMS OF PRELOVED CLOTHING OUT THERE IN CHARITY SHOPS AND VINTAGE STORES THE CHALLENGE IS.JUST TO SEEK THEM OUT!”

ON YOUR FAVORITE SUSTAINABLE RESTAURANTS?

THE WESTERN LAUNDRY GROUP & PIDGIN

ON YOUR FAVORITE CHARITY SHOPS AND BEST FINDS?

SOME OF MY BEST PATTERNED SHIRTS HAVE COMES FROM THE VARIOUS CHAZZAS OF CROUCH END. MY FAVOURITE CHARITY SHOPS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS OXFAM, I CAN’T PASS ONE WITHOUT POPPING IN FOR A GANDER!

ON YOUR LAST “RAID YOUR FRIDGE” ZERO WASTE BEST RECIPES?

ALMOST ANYTHING CAN BE MADE INTO A DELICOUS PASTA SAUCE WITH ENOUGH LOVE, MY FAVOURITE WOULD BE A PUTANESCA! I ALWAYS MAKE STOCKS TO MINIMALISE FOOD WASTE TOO.

ON YOUR FAVORITE RECIPe?

WOULD HAVE TO BE STEAMED CHINESE FISH.

YOUR MOST “ZERO WASTE” OR SUSTAINABLE HABIT?

A FRIEND OF MINE AND I MAKE A lot of OUR OWN CLEANING PRODUCTS, MOSTLY BASED ON A CONCENTRATED PLANT BASED CLEANER (DR BRONNER’S SAL SUDS)

ON YOUR LESS SUSTAINABLE HABIT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE?

REDUCING SINGLE USE PLASTICS

occupation?

I CURRENTLY WORK AS A MANAGER FOR A SMALL RESTAURANT IN HACKNEY. HOSPITALITY HAS HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT ON MY LIFE, THROUGH WORKING FOR STEVIE PARLE’S RESTAURANT GROUP I WAS INTRODUCED TO A MORE ETHICAL AND SUSTAINABLE WAY TO DINING OUT.

FROM THIS I HAVE TRIED TO IMPLEMENT A MORE CARBON NEUTRAL APPROACH TO WORK AND MY LIFESTYLE. ONE OF THE WAYS I DO THIS IS BY BUYING SEASONAL PRODUCE FROM FARMING THAT PROMOTES BIODIVERSITY, SOIL REGENERATION AND USES LESS CHEMICAL INTERVENTION.