Established food service manager Ramiz Bajwa oversaw operations for the Indian restaurant Chutney before starting his career as an owner/operator of a Poke Bar franchise. Over the course of his decade in the restaurant industry, Ramiz Bajwa has been active in the food recovery process of donating leftover food to homeless shelters.

Despite the passing of a federal law protecting food establishments from liability more than two decades ago, many restaurant managers and staff still cite potential legal problems as a reason not to donate leftover food. Restaurants produce more than 7 million tons of food waste every year. Meanwhile, more than 10 percent of Californians face food insecurity.

To ensure that all California restaurants have clear guidelines for food donation, former Governor Jerry Brown signed the 2017 Good Samaritan Food Donation Act into law. In addition to extending protection for good faith food donations, the act authorizes health and safety officers to advise restaurant owners on food recovery laws during routine inspections.