1.Cook seasonally Make sure you choose ingredients for your dishes according to what’s in season, changing menus regularly to reflect what’s available. Of course, this means your kitchen staff will need to be creative and inventive, but they should enjoy the challenge and the quality of your food will reward you all for your efforts.
2. Start your own kitchen garden Reduce your food miles to zero by creating your own kitchen garden, growing vegetables and herbs for your restaurant kitchen. You could hire a gardener to look after the plot, or likewise, encourage your staff to get involved to learn and appreciate how the ingredients grow.
3. Buy locally If you haven’t got the space for a kitchen garden, at least think about food miles when sourcing ingredients and try to buy as locally as possible. Once local suppliers hear that you are committed to sourcing locally, they will actively seek you out to show you their own produce. Make it a goal to find a new local supplier every month. This will push you forwards with your sustainability goals and give you fresh new ingredients and menu ideas all year round.
4.Choose your producers carefully Look for local suppliers who are as committed to sustainable practices as you are. Choose family businesses where you can visit regularly and build up a long-term relationship, rather than faceless factories. By learning more about the food you serve and where it comes from, you’ll be able to pass on that knowledge to your customers.
5.Focus on community Staying with the theme of the local community, as part of your drive to be a more responsible business try sponsoring a local charity, putting on events with dedicated menus and passing the proceeds on to the charity.
6.Research Running a sustainable, ethical food business requires continuous learning and research. By constantly looking for better ways and trends to reduce and recycle waste, sourcing better materials and equipment and finding new local suppliers who share your values, you’ll reap real rewards over time. Always find out as much as possible about the produce or materials that you buy and the suppliers behind them.
7. Manage waste General waste – which goes straight to landfill – is a big issue for most restaurants. Work at reducing waste wherever possible, recycling glass and cardboard and returning packaging to suppliers to be reused. Food waste should be minimised and disposed of via a specialist processor, to be turned into compost and made good use of. Biodegradable products only should be used for takeaway items such as Pizza and Coffee.
8 Use eco-friendly equipment Energy efficient can often be a little more expensive than standard kit, but over the long term, the investment really is worth it. When purchasing catering equipment ask for the energy rating. It should be AAA RATED.Think carefully about the materials used in your restaurant and if you can’t afford eco-friendly equipment initially, make a road map of your future journey towards a more sustainable restaurant. For example, start by printing menus on recycled paper and using linen napkins rather than paper ones. As you progress, you will find you have a real story to tell your restaurant guests about your sustainability mission. Having a story is one of the most effective tools in marketing.
9.Get your staff on-board No matter how committed you are to your goals, if your staff don’t buy into your ideas, you will struggle to carry them through. It takes time and patience to convince staff of new ideas and ways of working, especially when they’ve been doing something ‘their way’ for years. Let your staff learn about the produce they use and then let them tell the story to your restaurant guests.
10 Prioritise customer satisfaction No matter what kind of restaurant you run, the focus should always be on providing an exceptional dining experience for your guests. Get the balance just right by providing the right level of information about your sourcing and sustainability goals without overwhelming your guests or pushing your message too hard.
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