The Sustainable Dish - 16/05

Welcome to The Sustainable Dish, your biweekly update from The Sustainable Restaurant Association.?

This June will see the Great Big Green Week, London Climate Action Week and the Grow Urban Festival all take place, and we’re encouraging UK restaurants to make the most of this moment by hosting a sustainable supper! To help, we’ve pulled together a free downloadable guide on how you can do so – find more details below, and let us know if you’re getting involved so we can help you shout about it!?

In this letter, you’ll find plenty more sustainability and hospitality news and insights, including a last call to enter the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award at Asia’s The World's 50 Best Bars , the fantastic new Playbook from WRI Food and an exploration into what ‘community’ really means for a F&B business. Enjoy the read!?

?Have a great week,?

– The SRA Team.?

Host a sustainable supper this June!?

With Great Big Green Week and Grow Urban Festival running from 8th to 16th, and London Climate Week from 22nd to 30th, June will be a prime time to showcase to diners your dedication to practices that are good for both the planet and its people. We’re encouraging UK restaurants to host sustainable suppers in June. Download our free toolkit for essential tips: choose suppliers mindfully, make it a community-focused event, and ensure your menu has a minimal environmental impact. Get your copy now! ?

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Don’t forget to enter Asia’s 50 Best Bars?

Asia’s 50 Best Bars is back in Hong Kong for its ninth edition on 16th July at Rosewood Hong Kong, and we're gearing up to judge the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award! Last year's winner was the extremely cool Analogue Initiative in Singapore, led by Vijay Mudaliar. Analogue Initiative is all about setting the bar for the future, from using local, seasonal and heritage ingredients to crafting a 3D-printed bar from 1,600kg of recycled plastic bottles and using tabletops made from mycelium spores. All bars have until this Friday 17th to submit for the award, and we can't wait to find out who'll join Analogue Initiative as the next sustainability champion! Read more about Analogue Initiative. ?

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Dates for the diary?

Breakfast and networking event, Manchester, 21st May?

Calling all chefs, operations managers, supply chain managers, sustainability advocates and newcomers in Manchester! Join us for a free breakfast panel and networking event in Maray Restaurant Group Manchester from 9-11am on 21st May. This is a valuable chance to assess your practices, gain insights, share experiences and contribute to a more sustainable future for hospitality. Discover practical strategies, hear from industry peers and learn how to take those crucial first steps towards operating more sustainably. Our panel discussion will be followed by a Middle Eastern baklava-style breakfast courtesy of Maray, accompanied by teas and coffees. Book your free spot now! ??

Food Matters Live Tastes of Better, Manchester, 21st-22nd May?

We’re delighted to be participating in Food Matters Live Tastes of Better on 21st-22nd May at Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester! Join our MD Juliane Caillouette Noble as she hosts a Culinary Insights panel both days at 2:30pm, tapping into leading-edge thinking and emerging trends in food to help you solve your innovation challenges. Get ready to be inspired! You can apply to attend here .?

Stories worth sharing?

WRI’s new ‘Food Service Playbook for Promoting Sustainable Food Choices’ is out now!?

An increasing number of consumers say they want to eat healthier, more sustainable diets – but changing old habits is hard. Luckily, WRI’s fantastic new ‘Food Service Playbook for Promoting Sustainable Food Choices’ outlines 90 strategies to boost demand for plant-rich dishes. An easy first step is to start with WRI’s list of 18 ‘no regret’ strategies – these are feasible to implement, backed by industry and supported by research. Download the Playbook here to get started!?

Dishoom named among UK’s best places to work?

Congratulations to Food Made Good accredited business Dishoom , named by the Sunday Times as the best place to work for ethnic minorities in their list of the Best Places to Work 2024. The restaurant was commended for its commitment to diversity and inclusion as well as regular staff events and other smart ways to boost team engagement. Read more. ?

Stars of the FMG Standard?

Two stars: Yellow Door?

We are delighted to congratulate Yellow Door on their fantastic two-star result in the Food Made Good Standard, making them the only accredited restaurant in Northern Ireland! Yellow Door sets a great example through its focus on provenance, positive community work, tackling environmental impact (including reducing food waste), working with suppliers to source reusable containers and conducting a carbon footprint analysis. Congratulations to Jilly and Simon Dougan and the entire team at Yellow Door.?

Insights from The SRA? ?

What does a restaurant’s ‘community’ really look like??

In this article, we examine what the term ‘community’ really means for a hospitality business beyond its physical locality and explore how you can find new ways to support yours. Read now. ?

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MSC yearbook reveals a rising demand for sustainable tuna?

As 海洋管理委员会 launches their new annual Sustainable Tuna Yearbook for World Tuna Day, we look at some of the issues that make the sustainable sourcing of tuna so complex. Read more. ?

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Sustainable Bites?

Your bite-sized round-up of hospitality, food and sustainability news?

New analysis says alternative proteins could be the answer to food insecurity?

Analysis from Green Alliance says that – with the right policy support – alternative protein products created by precision fermentation or cultivated meat could displace two-thirds of the animal products currently consumed across Europe by 2050.?

Report reveals climate impact of healthier ready meals?

A new study has found that making ready-to-eat meals comply with WHO and EAT-Lancet dietary guidelines could cut EU emissions by 48 million tonnes annually, decrease the rates of diet-linked diseases and reduce ingredient costs, too.?

British farming sector in crisis after record run of wet weather?

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and the Soil Association have raised concerns over the future of the agricultural sector, with many farmers considering walking away for good?

Biodiversity loss is causing rise in disease outbreaks?

In a study published in Nature , researchers found that biodiversity loss is the biggest environmental driver of outbreaks of infectious diseases, making them more dangerous and more widespread. The climate crisis and introduction of non-native species were other major contributors.?

UK pubs recovering after years of closures?

The Financial Times reports that the British pub scene is undergoing a period of revitalisation and recovery, with a food offering more important than ever.?

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