Food and Restaurant Sustainability
As a chef in Eastern Washington I have always made it a personal goal to shop local whenever possible. This is part of a personal philosophy of sustainability that I plan to share with my readers and speak about publicly in the coming months.
What does it mean to be sustainable? Sustainability is the capacity to endure. It has also been defined as the ability to keep from giving way, to supply with food, drink or other necessities of life, and to keep up or keep going.
In the restaurant industry, sustainability starts with buying local m
eats and produce and doesn’t really have an end; but the middle is full of being energy efficient. With fall coming right around the corner, one way to go green and start the sustainable trend is to eat local seasonal food. Apples, corn, grapes (wine!), pears, raspberries, and tomatoes are just a few of the great fruits and veggies that are currently in season, or will be in the next few weeks. You can pick them up at local farmers markets, or find a local farmer who allows you pick your own produce.
You can also get fresh produce by joining a food co-op. These are groups of people that come together for each person’s mutual benefit. These co-ops are owned by the members who purchase shares and are always democratically structured. Fresh fruit and vegetables at lower prices than retail and often times delivered to your door, all while helping your local community. When you buy local, you keep farmers in business and then become part of a global movement towards complete sustainability.
I am sharing this passion with you with the hopes it will also become a personal choice, visit me at the restaurant and ask me about the food you eat and where it came from, let’s chat!
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