The Sustainable Restaurant Association

Struggling to figure out where to begin your sustainability journey? Start with people. From knowing your ingredient suppliers and creating culturally rooted dishes to valuing your team and integrating their needs into your daily operations, building a people-first business creates lasting impact. Nadeem Lalani Nanjuwany from Jikoni in Marylebone, London, shares how centering people shaped his restaurant’s approach. Read his insights on why putting people first can transform your business.

“I believe sustainability is about changing mindsets.” – Summer Le, Nén Danang Restaurant Nén Light Restaurant (Vietnam) For Summer, sustainability means working with what’s available locally, even when that’s unpredictable. At Nén, her team has built close relationships with farmers and grows native herbs and vegetables in Danang to stay connected to Vietnam’s land and traditions. It’s easy to rely on imported ingredients, but Summer believes real creativity comes from using what’s in season and nearby — not sourcing from across the world. Every dish at Nén is crafted to tell a deeper story about Vietnam’s people, culture and environment. For Summer, storytelling is essential to sustainability. When diners understand where their food comes from — the farmers who grew it and the land that nurtured it — they connect more deeply with what’s on their plate.

In this, our final newsletter of the year, we want to thank you for a busy and rewarding 2024. This has been an exciting year of global growth for us. Since launching the global update of our Food Made Good Standard in mid-2023, we’ve seen F&B businesses from all corners of the world sign up to assess, measure, and celebrate their sustainability journey. Food Made Good is now present in 34 countries — from Colombia to Cambodia — setting the gold Standard for what it means to be a sustainable hospitality business in the 21st century. We’re proud to share that 112 businesses completed the Food Made Good Standard this year, covering an incredible 3,157 outlets. We can’t wait to highlight more of the stories behind these amazing businesses in the new year.

Congratulations to One Harbour Road at Grand Hyatt Hong Kong for achieving a two-star score in the Food Made Good Standard! They’re setting a great example in Hong Kong’s hospitality scene with initiatives like sourcing from New Life Farm (a social enterprise that supports people recovering from mental illness) and working with Zero Footprint Asia to back regenerative farming and farmers minimising environmental harm. To reduce food waste, they offer flexible portion sizes — full, half and personal servings — so that guests can order exactly what they need. Beyond their restaurant, Hyatt has joined the Tent Partnership for Refugees, aiming to hire 500 refugees globally by 2025. With thoughtful changes like these and ambitious plans for the future, One Harbour Road is showing Hong Kong how hospitality can make a real difference for people and the planet.

One of the biggest challenges in the hospitality industry is helping diners understand where their food comes from and how ingredients are used. Chef Chetan Sharma from Food Made Good-certified restaurant Bibi explains why menus can’t always focus on prime cuts like sirloin or lamb chops. It’s not just about profit margins — it’s about considering what happens to the rest when only the most popular cuts are served. Why are we throwing away perfectly good ingredients? Chet believes the solution lies in creating menus that highlight lesser-used cuts (which are just as delicious!) and veg-forward dishes. Have a listen! Thanks, Chet.

Huge congrats to The Campus Kitchen at the University of Southampton for earning three stars in the Food Made Good Standard! Here's some highlight actions they’re taking to create change: They’ve set a high standard by working only with suppliers who follow their Environmental Policy, cutting out palm oil, and even removing beef from some campus menus to reduce environmental impact. Their HELO (Healthy Ethical Local Organic) brand brings more balanced, ethical meals to students and staff. They’re also tackling carbon emissions by 2030 with smart initiatives like upgrading to energy-efficient appliances, cutting food waste with Too Good To Go, and introducing reusable cups and containers in student halls. Well done to the entire team for setting an inspiring example for future generations to learn from and build a better world! Hannah Whatley Felice Foscheri

Well done to Lamdre (Beijing, China) for achieving a two-star score in their first Food Made Good evaluation! As the first Chinese restaurant to complete the Food Made Good Standard, Lamdre is setting a powerful example for others in China. Led by owner Zhao Jia and chef Dai Jun, their nature-focused vision is redefining plant-based cuisine with seasonal tasting menus that celebrate heritage ingredients from across the country. From handmade tofu using soybeans from Heilongjiang to pine nuts from Taizhou, gingko from Tengchong and their own Chinese yellow wine from Zhejiang, every dish highlights the true flavours of meticulously sourced ingredients. When not in the kitchen, the team embarks on research trips to uncover regional ingredients and traditions, bringing the essence of China to the table.

The twelve days of Heartwood, day three... Last year we were awarded a three star rating from The Sustainable Restaurant Association which reflected our longstanding commitment to sustainable practices and working with like-minded suppliers. This year, we were delighted to retain our three star rating and take our learnings into our first pubs with rooms. Small touches in our rooms make all the difference such as wooden blocks with QR codes to scan for all room information and working with suppliers like Bramley, The Secret Linen Store, The Fine Bedding Company and Silentnight Group mean that our guests have the most comfortable experience without costing the world. #sustainable #sustainability #pubs #pub #pubswithrooms #hospitality #hospitalityindustry

This December, we’re shining a spotlight on the real challenges the hospitality industry faces in reaching sustainability goals — straight from those working in the industry. Many of these challenges are shared, and as the saying goes, "a problem shared is a problem halved". Perhaps someone else has already found a solution to the issue you’re facing — or maybe by working together, we can drive meaningful change. To kick things off, we’re featuring our fantastic ambassador in Singapore, Oliver Truesdale-Jutras, founder of Regrowth: a regenerative hospitality company helping restaurants balance environmental responsibility with financial sustainability. Rather than focusing on external barriers that many chefs can’t change due to time constraints, Oliver wants to explore a deeper issue: the ‘monoculture of the mind.’ This mental blocker can limit how we approach sustainability in hospitality. Read what he has to say 👇

Winter Gift to Hospitality: Enjoy 20% off the Food Made Good Standard 🎁 This year’s been tough for hospitality - rising costs, staff shortages and relentless operational pressures have made it hard just to keep going, let alone think about sustainability goals. But hospitality has a vital role to play in tackling today’s environmental and social issues. We want to help you keep building something better, even when times are tough. That’s why we’re offering you a 20% discount on your first year with the Food Made Good Standard, the world’s leading sustainability certification for hospitality. Email Will Browning at [email protected] or WhatsApp +44 7822 014415 with the code WINTER20 by 31st Dec 2024.