Dissecting the Foodservice Sustainability Trend

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foodservice

From organic, locally sourced and ethically produced food and beverages, to environmentally sound recycling practices, the idea of sustainability has gained mainstream traction in foodservice in the last 10 years.

Robert Clark, who helmed the kitchen at Vancouver’s sustainable-seafood maverick C Restaurant for 15 years, and is now opening the Ocean Wise-certified sustainable seafood concept, The Fish Counter, believes sustainability is more than a marketing tool. Part of it is the desire to access the very best ingredients to create beautiful dishes. “I want to preserve the sustainability of my profession, because the more restaurants that get pre-cooked, pre-cut, pre-portioned food, the more we lose our craft. There is no joy in opening a bag and having a Rational range ‘cook’ it for you,” he says.

At Vancouver’s Fish Counter, Clark will work directly with Pacific Northwest fishermen to cut out the middleman and offer the freshest, seasonal, sustainably caught hauls of the day to restaurants and retail customers. Patrons unsure of how to prepare sardines, for example, can watch Clark and his staff grill them and then choose to eat in or take out. Integrity in labelling species correctly will also be of utmost importance in boosting the customer/fishmonger relationship, says Clark.

In Toronto, at Brad Long’s Cafe Belong at the Evergreen Brickworks, the LEED-constructed and engineered building is just part of the chef’s sustainability plan at the restaurant. “I give the staff the opportunity to understand where the ingredients come from, why we use them, what we do with them and how each ingredient contributes,” he says. “People are simply encouraged to understand their food now, as opposed to ingesting and moving on.”

Long, one of the biggest advocates of sustainable food practices in Canada, has been cultivating relationships with farmers, artisanal food producers, Canadian wine and beverage makers and suppliers for decades. He aims to source “Best-in-Class ingredients” (98 per cent local and organic) that admittedly cost more but contribute to food he’s proud of and his customers enjoy.

Meanwhile, 12 minutes down the road from Front and Central restaurant in the university town of Wolfville, N.S., former engineer and project manager-turned-chef/owner Dave Smart sources most of his own produce from his local farm community. He’s built a relationship with an organic farmer to grow what he needs, how he needs it. His proteins come from another ethical, sustainable supplier, also a short drive away. In fact, Smart adopted the invaluable supplier contacts from his property’s predecessor Michael Howell, who was chef and owner of the much-lauded Tempest restaurant. Like Clark, Smart cut out the middleman. The result? “People are willing to pay a little more for good product prepared well, especially if they like your story and what you stand for,” says Smart.

Research by the Chicago-based research firm Technomic Inc. backs up this observation. And, the recent “Healthy Eating Consumer Trend Report” states: “More than a third of consumers are willing to spend more for locally sourced food and beverage at restaurants and grocery stores, likely because this attribute strongly enhances consumers’ taste perceptions.”

For all three chefs, the key is value, not cost. Clark advises food operators wanting to make responsible choices to start with one menu item and gauge customer demand. If that doesn’t work, try another. “The goal is to make sustainable choices, not to put people out of business. If we can put a man on the moon — we’re capable of anything. Don’t say you can’t, because you can. The question is do you want to?” challenges Clark.

 

 

 

 

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