The zero-waste movement is growing faster and faster.
When it comes to the hospitality industry, restaurants have long used buzzwords such as “farm-to-table,” “locally sourced,” or “nose-to-tail” to describe their missions.
And now, a new term has been gaining popularity: “zero-waste kitchens”. The name is fairly self-explanatory, but what goes into accomplishing wasting little to no food at a restaurant is more complex.
As restaurants try to not only become healthier businesses, many are also trying to become healthier for the planet. Every day, diners bring reusable containers to quick-serve restaurants, sign up for zero-waste food-delivery platforms, and choose “reusable containers” and “no utensils” when ordering.
What exactly does zero-waste mean?
The definition of zero waste according to Wikipedia is as follows: “Zero waste is a set of principles focused on waste prevention that encourages redesigning resource life cycles so that all products are repurposed and/or reused.
“The goal of the movement is to avoid sending trash to landfills, incinerators, oceans, or any other part of the environment.”
Beyond reducing waste, many restaurants also seek to source their ingredients locally, which in addition to the cultural support makes financial sense by cutting down on transportation costs.
In an interview with Independent Media Lifestyle, managing director of First Group Shaun Lamont said he believes the discussion over “going green” should be a priority for the hospitality industry.
Lamont said it should be viewed as a catalyst for introducing innovative ways to enhance the guest experience.
“Guests are becoming more aware of eco-friendly practices and even more so when it comes to the dining experience. Choosing restaurants that are going above and beyond to minimise their carbon footprint without compromising on flavour is becoming a deal breaker,” he said.
Chef Sam Stone said people love to consider themselves “foodies” and embrace clean eating and expect the same when visiting hotels and resorts.
“This means evolving our menus, continuously finding ways to reduce our food waste, and replacing plastic with biodegradable options when it comes to straws and other take-away packaging,” said Stone.
The hospitality industry is renowned for its waste, especially when it comes to food waste, packaging, and plastics.
Below we want to shine a light on three South African restaurants that are leading the way in zero-waste eating, pioneering a new way to eat out without the planetary harm that often comes with it.
Nourish'd
Nourish'd is a plant-based, zero-waste cafe and juicery. Founder, Natasha Napoli, put her passion for the planet into action and established Nourish'd in 2017.
Napoli transformed her dad’s old garage into a bite-sized juicery that is now one of Cape Town’s most popular cafés. They make delicious vegetarian and vegan juices, smoothies, sandwiches, and more. They also sell juice cleanses, tinctures, and zero-waste merchandise on their online store.
When it comes to sustainability, she said: “When we first started Nourish'd, we could not sleep soundly knowing our little tree was shedding its plastic leaves into the ocean.
“Fuelled by compassion, knowledge, and determination, we transformed our café into a tree of life. We are incredibly proud of the sustainable packaging initiatives we have in place and also put effort into sourcing local produce and reducing our carbon footprint whenever possible.”
Leafy Greens Café
This is a haven of delectable vegan and vegetarian cuisine nestled within the serene Casalinga farm. At the cafe, they pride themselves on offering a unique dining experience where every dish is crafted with care using fresh, organic ingredients sourced directly from their farm.
Their menu is a celebration of vibrant flavours and innovative plant-based creations, carefully prepared to showcase the natural beauty of each ingredient.
From vibrant salads bursting with colour to hearty bowls brimming with wholesome goodness, every dish tells a story of health, sustainability and ethical dining.
Plushi
An online, zero-waste, vegan sushi restaurant. The name “Plushi” stems from a love for sushi, culinary experimentation, and sustainability. Through creative experimentation with vegan and Asian cuisine, their aim is to uncover the very best plant-based sushi and deliver it to your doorstep.
They release one new mystery roll every month containing an ingredient or combination of flavours that have not yet been explored.
“Our food waste is first minimised through the creative use of whole vegetables before being made into compost and everything else is recycled. Our pre-order system ensures we never over-purchase certain ingredients and also means we are able to drop off all orders in the shortest route possible which minimises our carbon footprint.
“We try our best to apply a zero waste mindset across all spheres of our operation - for example we avoid fast fashion by upcycling old garments into uniforms and aprons and we have also designed our packaging to be reusable,” the team said.
You can read the latest L Food digimag here.