Ethical eateries showcased for discerning diners in 'Restaurant Ramble'

Ethical Eats, the London based network of sustainable restaurant and catering businesses, is giving punters a chance to sample four independent eateries serving up great (and sustainable) food. 

On 28th September 2010 the inaugural Ethical Eats Restaurant Ramble will bring together pubs and restaurants around the Borough of Islington to host a four course dinner.  Each course will feature locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, and a carefully matched British wine, beer or cider.  Chefs and front of house staff from the host restaurants will be on hand to talk about why they love using local and seasonal produce.

Twenty-four Restaurant Ramblers will enjoy an aperitif at The Duke of Cambridge, a starter at The Charles Lamb, a main course at The Clerkenwell Kitchen and dessert at Bistrot Bruno Loubet, travelling on foot or by bike taxi between courses.  People can buy tickets for the ramble at http://www.ethicaleats.org/ priced at £45 per head.  Places are limited so book fast.

The chefs have been tasked with designing dishes for the event that use ingredients in their prime in the early British autumn, and that they could source as locally as possible.  Winners of Time Out's Best Sustainable Restaurant 2008 Award, The Clerkenwell Kitchen's Emma Miles said of the task “Sourcing locally is what we do every day.  It keeps the menu interesting with fresh ingredients brought and delivered direct from British producers.  It's good for them and good for the customers which means it's good for business”.

The Restaurant Ramble, which takes place during British Food Fortnight (18th September to 3rd October), aims to raise public awareness of the importance of thinking about sustainable food issues when eating out, and to shine a light on some of the restaurants that are putting the key principles into practice.  It is part of a series of public events organised by Ethical Eats to encourage diners to make more sustainable choices when eating out.  Participating restaurants were selected from the Sustainable Restaurant Association's (SRA) members, and the Ethical Eats network of restaurants and caterers interested in green issues.

Ethical eats is funded by the Big Lottery Fund's Local Food programme. To find out more please visit http://www.localfoodgrants.org/

ENDS

For more information or images contact Kirsty Balmer on kirsty@sustainweb.org or 0203 5596 777.
31st August 2010

Notes for editors

• People who sign up as Friends of The SRA or start to follow @ethicaleats on twitter in the month of September will go in the draw to win two tickets for the Restaurant Ramble on the 28th September.
• Britons now spend more on out-of-home meals than on grocery shopping  .   People 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 .
• London Food Link's Ethical Eats team advises businesses on using and promoting sustainable ingredients.  It hosts a directory of local suppliers (http://www.localfoodfinder.org/), and suggests 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.  Ethical Eats also aims to raise consumer awareness of sustainable food issues, and encourage diners to hold restaurants accountable for the sustainability of their menus.  http://www.ethicaleats.org/
• The Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) offers independent accreditation to restaurants on the sustainability of their business practices and offers sustainability advice, training and support.  http://www.thesra.org/ 
• The Duke of Cambridge:  The UK's only certified organic pub, and winner of countless ethical and environmental awards, the Duke serves delicious organic food and drinks, carefully sourced from independent producers.  http://www.dukeorganic.co.uk/
• The Charles Lamb Pub:  A contemporary take on a traditional, friendly local pub, offering a daily changing menu of French and English dishes.  http://www.thecharleslambpub.com/ 
• Clerkenwell Kitchen:  Winner of Time Out's best sustainable restaurant category in 2008. With a background including the River Cottage and La Fromagerie, Emma Miles and Laura Hearn are passionate about sourcing locally, cooking seasonally and using organic and free range produce.  http://www.theclerkenwellkitchen.co.uk/ 
• Bistrot Bruno Loubet at The Zetter:  Bruno specialises in using classical techniques to produce hearty regional food, contemporary dishes and reinterpreted classics.  http://www.bistrotbrunoloubet.com/
• London Food Link's Ethical Eats project is funded by The Big Lottery Fund's Local Food scheme. The Local Food Fund has been developed by a consortium of 16 national environmental organisations, and is managed on their behalf by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT). Supported by the Big Lottery Fund's Changing Spaces programme, Local Food will distribute grants to a variety of food related projects to make locally grown food more accessible. http://www.localfood.org/ 
• The Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT) is a registered charity, incorporated by Royal Charter, to promote conservation and manage environmental programmes throughout the whole of the UK. It has established management systems for holding and distributing funds totalling more than £20 million annually to environmental projects across the UK. http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/ 
• The Big Lottery Fund, the largest of the National Lottery good cause distributors, has been rolling out £2 million in Lottery good cause money every 24 hours to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK. http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/