AbstractHigh carbon content and high‐level biodegradability are major constraints of the anaerobic digestion of food waste. In the present study, anaerobic digestion of model food waste was carried out in a fed batch digester. Nitrogen content in model food waste was adjusted by the addition of ammonium chloride at the desired C/N ratio. Biogas production at ammonium chloride percentages of 0, 0.8, 1.5, 2.14, and 3.2 % (weight basis) were carried out under mesophilic conditions in a pilot plant scale floating drum digester. At an ammonium chloride percentage of 1.5 % that balances C/N ratio 25, highest biogas production of 0.42 m3 kg−1 of VS was attained while biogas production from food waste without ammonium chloride of 0.06 m3 kg−1 of VS was obtained. The highest methane yield of 0.323 m3 kg−1 of VS was found at ammonium chloride of 1.5 % while methane yield of 0.042 m3 kg−1 of VS was achieved from food waste without ammonium chloride. The highest percent increase CH4 yield of 669 % was obtained at an ammonium chloride percentage of 1.5 %. Biogas productivity obtained at ammonium chloride percentage of 1.5 % was 0.6 L L−1 d−1. Hence, the optimum ammonium chloride percentage obtained was 1.5 % which balances the C/N ratio at 25.