Although the focus is often on fashion or consumer staples when it comes to ecological impact, the importance of restoration is often sidelined despite these establishments being major players in this area. . Whether for the transport of food, the selection of it or for the limitation surrounding the use of non-reusable materials, restaurateurs do not lack originality to innovate. Some restaurateurs are now able to combine culinary know-how and ecology to offer their customers an experience worthy of the name.

Food

In line with their desire for quality and eco-responsibility, many restaurateurs are now adopting a vision closer to their consumers and suppliers. Fresh, natural and organic products from local producers are now becoming more and more common. By leaving aside exotic and imported foods, they are able to reduce the use of polluting pesticides and fertilizers and the excessive transport of imported products while supporting local commerce. Moreover, some restaurants even take the experience to the extreme by offering products from their own vegetable garden, which allows them to attest without any doubt to the quality of their products. In addition, this new mentality seems to push restaurant owners towards reducing the use of disposable packaging with the aim of reducing the amount of waste produced. 

In recent years, we have seen a decrease in the use of red meats on the menu compared to poultry and pork. Indeed, meats such as beef and lamb emit respectively 27kg and 39kg of CO2 during the production of 1kg of their meat while chicken or pork emit 7kg and 12kg of CO2 per kilogram produced. With the growing vegetarian and vegan trends, many restaurants are reducing the amount of meat offered on their menu and replacing it with other foods with a lower ecological impact.

The commitment

By benefiting from a promiscuous supply chain, owners can benefit from optimized deliveries to reduce the recurrence of their suppliers' journeys as well as products specific to each season, allowing them to color their menu with new and original products. each new season. It is also possible to make changes in the kitchen of restaurateurs by using older and less energy-consuming cooking methods than the electric stove, for example. This is the case of Maison Boire in Granby, one of the most ecological restaurants in Canada, which uses charcoal instead of a conventional oven. Obviously, this requires training employees in this less common method of cooking, however this method makes it possible to drastically reduce the environmental impact of the restaurant's operations.

Waste management 

Food waste is probably THE biggest problem in the food industry. Fortunately, there are many solutions to counter the problem. To avoid losing food that is still of good quality, it is possible to reuse these foods close to their use-by date to concoct new recipes. Furthermore, one of the best tips is to keep strict control over merchandise deliveries to ensure that there are no orders that are too large, leading to waste. Several applications and organizations are now doing business with the restaurant world to collect unsold items from restaurants and give them to the most disadvantaged or to put them on sale at ridiculous prices for people with low incomes. We can also think of the applications Too Good To Go or Sauvegarde.app. 

In addition, the appearance of the “doggy bag”, allowing customers to take their food home, is an excellent solution to counter food waste. Simple solutions such as serving water in pitchers at tables, using washable cutlery or setting up a compost system are now an integral part of ecological restaurants.

"LEAF" certification

The Canadian “LEAF” certification (Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Foodservice) was created to promote sustainable development in everyday catering. Each certified establishment ensures that it reduces its ecological footprint in the quest to be eco-responsible. It is the only national food service certification program in Canada. The aim of this program is to equip and give restaurateurs confidence to reduce the quantity of waste and create sustainable standards in the field of food.