There are two key reasons for moving to more sustainable food & gastronomy: one is because climate change is threatening our very food supply, and the other is that how we are currently producing food is contributing to climate change. The proverbial chicken and egg.

A few years back, the United Nations declared June 18th Sustainable Gastronomy Day in an effort to promote and encourage sustainable dining across the globe.

Sustainable gastronomy is the process of cookery that focuses on the ingredients’ source, how food is grown, the means by which it gets to the market, and eventually, to the plates of consumers.

It is estimated that roughly 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted each year, a clear motivation for thinking about reducing food waste to protect the environment. And a backdrop to this is the estimation that demand for food is likely to rise by 50% by the year 2030, while demand for water is forecast to surge by 30% and land use by 50%.

Sustainable dining out, and eating at home of course, is one way to reduce wastefulness of natural resources, both contributing to the protection of the environment and encouraging healthier eating habits.

Many people are refocusing their approach to food and rethinking what they buy, hence contributing to more sustainable food production and consumption. 

Now let’s talk look at the steps you can take to reduce waste and create a more sustainable dining system in your restaurant.

1. Reduce food waste: Food waste is one of the key issues and reducing food waste comes with tones of benefits.
2. Keep it seasonal. This is one of the most powerful steps you can take toward sustainability.
3. Offer more vegan and vegetarian options.
4. Use less popular fish choices or those previously seen as ‘marine waste’.
5. Be adaptable: be willing to change your menu depending on what is available.
6. Design your menu to limit the number of ingredients and repurpose those usually thrown away.
7. Buy locally: Support local farms and producers.
8. Buy from farms that practice sustainability.
9. Buy sustainable seafood: The basic rule to follow is, if they won’t tell you how or where they caught it, don’t buy it.
10. Grow your own: Look around you for space you can use to grow things that you use a lot, such as herbs and salad greens

We try to  encourages social change. We don't just want to stock shelves with sustainable (and tasty) options. We want to change the way people think about food—consuming it, buying it, making it—we want everyone to question the whole food industry and how we got here. We want to encourage people to find everyday solutions that consider the planet, the people who live here, and what we're leaving for future generations.   

The food system is responsible for almost a third of greenhouse gas emissions, with connected challenges such as food waste, resource depletion and energy consumption. To reach net zero and mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis, we must scale a systems approach to change that enables the transition to sustainable and regenerative agriculture practices, creates new markets and opportunities for food waste and loss reduction, and empowers all stakeholders to play an active role in the circular food economy. . 

We Understand the environmental impact of our events. Our team is actively engaged in reducing our carbon footprint and improve circularity.

Events are a fantastic way to raise awareness about sustainability and foster positive change. They present a great opportunity to inspire attendees, including students, staff, suppliers, and the local community. A sustainable event takes measures to minimise its environmental impact by adopting best management practices.  

The "Sustainable Food Institute" works with Academic institutions, Government Agencies  and private companies to protect and regenerate natural resources by going beyond our circular economy model. Furtermore we would like to investigate how AI is setting new standards for sustainable agriculture, with huge implications for the future of food production !! 

 We want to enhance a comprehensive understanding of the importance of a robust environmental monitoring program. with proper sampling techniques,, target organisms and methods. Finally, our courses cover the responses to testing data, e.g., implementing corrective actions, documentation and data management. We partner with great companies like the Puglia Chef Academy, Green Italy Tours, Italy Experiences, Green Ukraine, Volare, Soul Food & Riverside.

www.sustainablefoodinstitute.com