British consumers are increasingly concerned about the ethics of the food that they buy – but in general, the catering industry has lagged behind the retail sector in responding to these concerns. With Britons now spending more on out-of-home meals than on grocery shopping, and eating more out-of-home meals than any other country including the US, the potential market for sustainable dining in London is huge.
Ethical Eats
London Food Link has brought together an informal network of London restaurants and catering businesses to share experiences, promote good practice and identify practical steps that restaurants can take to make their businesses more sustainable. The network meets several times a year to tackle slippery issues such as sustainable fish, local sourcing, food waste, and the feasibility of creating a mark or standard to identify ‘green’ catering businesses. We also organise regular visits to local producers. If you are a restaurant, café or caterer interested in joining the Ethical Eats network, contact charlotte@sustainweb.org.
Confused about sustainable fish?
Check out Good Catch, a joint initiative of Sustain and three marine conservation organisations, which aims to help chefs, caterers and restaurateurs find practical solutions to sourcing, serving and promoting sustainable seafood. Good Catch was launched at Billingsgate Market on 16th September 2008 – click here to read more.
Greener Food
As part of the Greener Food project, London Food Link advises businesses on using and promoting sustainable ingredients. Drawing on our extensive directory of local suppliers (http://www.localfoodfinder.org/), we suggest practical ways in which sustainable ingredients - such as local and seasonal fruit and vegetables, high welfare meat, sustainable fish, organic and Fairtrade produce - can be incorporated into menus.
As well as advising businesses on sourcing sustainable ingredients, Greener Food works with Carbon Descent and London Remade to offer support with efficient use of energy and water, sustainable management of waste, and recycling materials such as glass and used cooking oil. Participating businesses can receive an environmental audit of their operation with recommendations as to how they can adopt more sustainable practices.
Greener Food is being co-ordinated by London Sustainability Exchange and is funded by the London Development Agency. For more information on the Greener Food project contact charlotte@sustainweb.org.
One Planet Dining
London Food Link’s publication, One Planet Dining: London’s growing market for eating out sustainably, provides a snapshot of attitudes towards and practices relating to sustainability in these sectors. This report, the result of a year of research into London’s restaurant, hotel and catering trades, features many examples of good practice, showing how restaurants around the capital such as Leon, Acorn House and Konstam have incorporated sustainability into their purchasing. It also shows, however, that many of London’s restaurants are missing out on a booming market for local and ethical food, and suggests that those that are already using sustainable ingredients could do more to communicate this effectively to their customers.
