choose from, it can be hard for even the most conscious diners to feel confident they’re making the right choice, even in the most ethical restaurant. A One Planet Plate is effectively the chef’s sustainable special – his or her recommendation.
In summer 2017 chef Rob Howell upped sticks from
Pony & Trap to help launch Root in Bristol. What had been a high welfare fried chicken restaurant was transformed overnight into a new concept, Root. Acknowledging changing eating habits and a move towards more flexitarian diets the menu’s main dishes are all vegetable-based, but customers can choose a meat or fish side.
Rob explains how Root’s philosophy and the aims of One Planet Plate are perfectly aligned: “It’s hard to pick one plate because the One Planet Plate philosophy matches our whole ethos here at Root. We’re using less meat and fish and wasting the very bare minimum. In fact, we’re wasting less here than at any restaurant I’ve ever worked in – less than a bag day goes to recycling.
“Whether as a chef or just as a human being, you should want to do the right thing when it comes to food. So, we’re all about making it tasty, but ensuring we’re smart about it. That means it’s good for business, the planet and our customers. The meat we do use, there’s absolutely no wastage, we use every scrap of the aubergines, butternut squash and beetroot too. What’s really fantastic is that we’re getting such a mix of customers, many of them enjoying dishes they would never have imagined eating. Last week we had two hench blokes in sat at the bar and one said to the other that the aubergine dish was the best thing he’d ever eaten.
“One Planet Plate is a fantastic opportunity to showcase great ingredients that tell a good story of some kind.”
“We’ve chosen our Beetroot, Blackberry, Hazelnut recipe as it’s one of our most popular and one that champions an ingredient that can easily be sourced locally and stored for many months of the year. It also encourages a trip to your nearest bramble hedge for a spot of foraging!”
For restaurants keen to join the campaign, it’s not too late. While Earth Hour is the launch, the SRA is urging restaurants to feature these dishes on the menu for the long-term.
Any restaurant interested in getting involved in One Planet Plate can click here for more details and submit their recipe here. Meanwhile, diners are being urged to snap and share a #oneplanetplate.
The Sustainable Restaurant Association is a not-for-profit membership org that helps foodservice make smart, sustainable decisions through the Food Made Good campaign.
