Sustainable Restaurant Association

Seen End of the Line or part of Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall’s Chicken Out campaign, interested in where your 12.5% service charge on your bill goes? Sustainability has never been such a powerful force in our decision making when deciding on how and where we would like to eat. Being a big fan of eating out and all things sustainable I was over the moon to start working on the Sustainable Restaurant Association a few months ago. Things have been moving fast and we are on our way to creating the UK’s first national association that aims to help restaurants take a holistic view of sustainability. Launching in February 2010 we have come across a host of positive and negative attitudes to trying to make UK hospitality global leaders in sustainability. Some seem to think it is too hard, too big, too many grey areas. Our response, if we have many restaurants doing the little things, getting involved and becoming knowledgeable about the impact they have on the environment and their community then all the better.

It is a confusing world of information out there, lots of groups, charities and associations trying to help in their own area. For your average restaurant owner or chef it is a minefield, what to go for, Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade or local and seasonal? Through expert advice, forums, events, outside organisations and our website we will bring together the latest information and research that can be practically adapted to restaurants.

Getting out there and meeting restaurants such as Leon, Alimentum, Moro and Barrafina we have seen a real passion for great food, great service and an amazing atmosphere, it is with this obsession to detail, that we hope sustainability becomes an important agenda for customers and operators alike.