An Organic Challenge

It seem as we are living in the year of ‘food’. Not that food was previously absent, but rather much of what the developed has been eating was questionably food in the natural sense (see Michael Polan for more on this). Recently, however, there is a great interest in where our food comes from, how it is produced, and its impact on the environment. Such developments are laudable, as our existing industrial-food complex was not indefinitely sustainable. When an issue, topic, or label becomes the next ‘it’ thing, however, it lends itself open to abuse and mediocrity. Such a dilemma is currently facing local/organic restaurants, as well as organic wines, yet it is not one of ‘greenwash’, but rather of dubious quality.

Restaurants specialising in local and organic food are nothing new. Alice Waters opened Berkeley’s Chez Panisse in the 1970s. The Duke of Cambridge pub in the London Borough of Islington has been in business since 1997. In the last few years it seems the numbers of such restaurants have rapidly multiplied. Such establishments can be broken down into two categories: those that proudly pronounce the provenance and organic status of their produce, and those that keep this information quiet while focusing on a reputation of a different sort. Generally speaking, there seems to be gulf in quality between the two approaches, with quality in the favour of the more discreet restaurants.

I recently dined at a local Shoreditch restaurant called Lena that proudly mentioned their use of seasonal and sustainably sourced ingredients from the UK and Italy at the bottom of the menu. Each menu item attempted to identify the source of the main ingredient where similar restaurants may have ignored this. Brimming with excitement when I placed my order, I was disappointed when I first tasted my main course, a classic seafood and pasta dish. The pasta was mediocre, the seafood overcooked, and the whole dish had enough salt to rival the Dead Sea. Tom Sietsema of the Washington Post similarly lamented that ‘Just because farmers own a restaurant doesn’t mean the food tastes great’ in his review for Founding Farmers in Washington, DC. Unlike Lena, sustainability at Founding Farmers is focused on restaurant design as well as ingredients (though this seems dubious – grass-fed beef from South Dakota, 1,500 miles away, is sustainable?). There are other disappointments on both sides of the pond to numerous to mention – perhaps your comments would be useful here – but let’s look at the good examples.

I realise I have waxed lyrically about Fergus Henderson’s St. John Restaurant numerous times, but I think it is only fair to give an excellent establishment its due praise. St. John’s focus is on precisely executed British classics, with a heavy focus on meat. Despite the unsustainable reputation of meat, Henderson respects the animals by using every bit of the beast and has been doing so long before offal became a hot item. For all its Britishness, St. John says nothing about provenance on their website or menu. It was only when I saw huge bag of Doves Farm organic flour in their bakery that I realised ‘Oh these people do use responsible and local ingredients’. Upon further questioning of the staff, I found out that St. John uses a fair bit of organic produce and a quite a lot of local ingredients. The focus, however, is on the food, not an ethical mission. Can the two be balanced?

Restaurants are about the quality of the food first and foremost. Yet with a large portion of people eating out at least half the week, they are stakeholders in the planet just as other businesses are. Unlike some other businesses, restaurants also depend on a healthy environment to provide their most important inputs - ingredients. Perhaps a sustainable restaurant association or auditor would be a better approach. There could be different grades on different criteria, or perhaps a basic aggregate carbon footprint as such methodologies become more refined. This way, chefs could focus on creating good food, and hopefully mediocre restaurants using sustainability to peddle fare they otherwise couldn’t get away with will pass away.

Wines are another matter all together, but the issue is still pronounced. What actually constitutes organic wine varies a bit. There are certified organic wines from organisations in France and Italy, but many producers do not want to sign up for such certification as organic wines have had such a rubbish reputation for a long while. Winemaking is a complex process – grapes, yeasts, technology, and wooden barrels are among the tools of the trade. Which aspects does organic certification cover – just the grapes? There are many organically/naturally produced wines that have declined certification for this very reason. This was highlighted to me at a biodynamic and organic wine tasting at Cellar Gascon in Clerkenwell about a year and half ago – delicious organic wines with no official certification. The quality of certified organic wines is slowly growing (the best examples are from France and Italy), but in the meantime the best way is to take your custom to an independent wine merchant who has in-depth knowledge of individual producers. In London I can particularly recommend the City Beverage Company.

It is a challenge for consumers seeking quality organic restaurants and wine. Some suggestions have been offered, but they are not a panacea for the dilemma out there. In the meantime, read reviews of restaurants, speak to fellow eco-warriors and patronise sustainable establishments that put customers first. Word of mouth and the pocket book are great powers we all posses. Sooner or later the pack will follow.