New data from the UK’s best discovery and booking platform, TheFork reveals a staggering *345% increase in the number of bookings for organic and locally sourced restaurants as British diners look to make more sustainable social choices.
Changing attitudes towards ethical hospitality
This dramatic rise in eco-dining shines a light on how consumers are shifting lifestyle patterns to do their bit for the world.
With appetite and demand for green grazing dining options on the rise, TheFork is on a mission to continue inspiring diners across the capital with its wide range of organic and locally sourced produce restaurants. Restaurants that prioritise progressive sustainable practices – from minimising the use of single-use plastics, to cooking with organic, locally sourced produce and seasonal ingredients and even offering the leftovers to take home.
How are hospitality businesses becoming more green?
Trailblazing Chef, Marguerite Keogh, of Michelin-starred restaurant The Five Fields is embracing and leading the way in a truly green restaurant revolution. Bookable on TheFork, it’s a modern British restaurant serving the best of seasonal ingredients, while celebrating the abundance of produce from its very own kitchen garden.
Set in the idyllic Sussex countryside, the acre and a half Kitchen Garden is carefully designed, planted and maintained by David Love-Cameron, a ‘Raymond Blanc Heritage Garden’ Scholar. The restaurant is fully committed to seasonality, sustainability and minimising food waste and the Kitchen Garden is an integral part of that ethos. Dishes are designed around the best available produce that can be grown. What can’t be grown by the restaurant is sourced as locally and ethically as possible and any food waste that is produced in the kitchen is then returned to The Garden for composting in preparation for next season’s planting.
Marguerite Keogh, the Michelin-starred chef of The Five Fields added: “Eating and cooking sustainably is a topic very close to my heart. At The Five Fields, we take great pride in having a dedicated Kitchen Garden and apiary that shapes our menu. It plays a massive role in dictating our menus by providing a host of organic, seasonal produce exclusively for the restaurant, from the robust staple vegetables and fruits of all origins to carefully selected and rare herbs and flowers. This ensures we can offer the very best produce and ensure diners can eat as ethically as possible, without of course compromising on flavour.”
Patrick Hooykaas, Managing Director at TheFork said: “As a nation, we’re becoming more mindful and conscious about our decisions in our everyday lives and the impact they could have, in this case on climate change and environmental issues. Consumers care about how and where they spend their money and are increasingly conscious of supporting brands or outlets that are helping the environment. Whether a restaurant is sustainable is now a key consideration for many as shown by the dramatic rise in bookings for organic and locally sourced restaurants over the past year. TheFork’s mission is to continue to inspire diners and allow them to discover the right restaurant for all occasions and preferences including sustainable dining. We’re continuing to adapt to how diners are eating out and pride ourselves on being able to offer Londoners the best of the best.”
Famously known for bringing Argentinian steak to London, Gaucho is also committed to doing their bit and has addressed the sustainability of beef production by introducing the Sustainable Steak Movement.
Andrew Biggs, Reservation Manager at Gaucho said: “It’s not just steak on a plate, now we’re looking at sustainability, seasonality, these are the buzzwords and they are for a reason. Sustainability is huge for us in terms of our plans to become carbon-neutral by 2023. Having launched the Sustainable Steak Movement back in 2021 to align with COP26 in Glasgow, the Movement aims to accelerate the transition towards a carbon conscious beef offering in restaurants across the UK. We also started a plant a tree initiative that goes on the bottom of all menus and it’s a great way to show another side of Gaucho. By being bookable on TheFork, it’s a great way to get the word out to diners across the capital.”
Organic and locally-sourced hospitality businesses
For organic and locally-sourced produce, head to the hand-picked selection of restaurants bookable on TheFork:
3. The Restaurant at the Capital
4. Theo Randall at the InterContinental
7. La Mela
8. Seven Park Place by William Drabble
10. M Canary Wharf
12. Gaucho including Hampstead, Sloane Square, Tower Bridge, Charlotte Street, Chancery Lane, O2, Canary Wharf, City, Broadgate and Piccadilly
Book sustainable and organic restaurants on www.thefork.co.uk or download TheFork app from the Apple and Google app stores to discover something new today.