Page 10 - foodservice news magazine Nov-Dec 2018

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INSIDER
NINE WAYS TO MAKE YOUR RESTAURANT MORE SUSTAINABLE
ACROSS AUSTRALIA, CHEFS, RESTAURATEURS, CATERERS AND CAFE OWNERS ARE OVERHAULING THEIR OPERATING SYSTEMS AND REVIEWING THEIR BUSINESS MODELS IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE THEMSELVES MORE SUSTAINABLE. JILL DUPLEIX LISTS NINE ACHIEVABLE WAYS YOU CAN DO THE RIGHT THING BY YOUR STAFF, YOUR DINERS, YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOUR ENVIRONMENT.
INSIDER
1. KEEP IT LOCAL. Sourcing local produce puts money into the local community, supports local farmers, reduces delivery miles and cold storage, and guarantees seasonality and a sense of place. At Fino Seppeltsfield (SA), 95 per cent of the menu is sourced from local growers and farmers, right down to the olive oils, vinegars, sea salt and pepper. Even the plates are made, knives forged, and tables are built
on site.
2. RE-USE, RECYCLE. Separate cardboard and paper, soft plastic and hard plastic, tin and glass. Cosy, Hobart cafe Pigeon Hole supports a ‘closed loop’ waste system with all cardboard, coffee grounds and egg shells composted down and returned to the earth, and green waste and bread offcuts fed to the owners’ pigs.
3. TREAT YOUR STAFF AS FAMILY.
Small, inner-urban bar Dead Ringer (NSW) provides secure lock-up space for staff bicycles, to encourage staff to ride to work. It’s a small gesture, but appreciated.
4. BE WATER-WISE. Review water usage and associated chemical usage for cleaning. New Normal Bar + Kitchen
in Subiaco (WA) has installed the salt-based eWater Solutions electrolysis system, which acts as hand sanitiser, grease-cutter and detergent. The restaurant also harvests rainwater to irrigate their kitchen gardens.
5. REDUCE SINGLE-USE PLASTIC.
Straws are the obvious starting point – stop adding them automatically to drinks, or replace with stainless steel
or bamboo. Ensure plastic
bags, coffee cups and lids
are compostable. Work with suppliers to reduce packaging. Young George (Perth, WA) changed to non-disposable, lidded food storage and reduced cling-film use from two boxes a week to two boxes a month.
6. BALANCE THE MEAT AND VEG ON YOUR MENU. Offer less meat of better quality, with plenty of plant-based alternatives
and grains. Meat from environmentally friendly native animals is the future – at Billy
Kwong (NSW) Kylie Kwong integrates wallaby into her menu to create a uniquely Aussie- Chinese cuisine.
7. PAY YOUR SUPPLIERS.
Consideration for the often- fragile economies of small-scale farmers, producers and suppliers forms a strong network of mutual respect. Ben Shewry
of Melbourne’s Attica, who pays his suppliers in full, every Wednesday.
8. WORK WITH OTHERS. It’s easier to achieve your aims, and builds a strong sense of community. Loop Growers in Samford Valley, Queensland, work with local cafes to turn their waste into biologically diverse compost that supports the soil in which they grow fruits and vegetables – that then go back to the cafes as nutrient-dense food. Full circle.
9. BE CREATIVE. Find new ways to tell your story. Margan Restaurant in the Hunter Valley has a ‘100 metre meal’ on the menu that might be Suffolk lamb, vegetables, and glass of barbera, all sourced on site.
Jill Dupleix is the editor of Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery: A guide to the truly good restaurants and food experiences of Australia (Blackwell & Ruth).
JILL
DUPLEIX
JILL
DUPLEIX