Sustainability
in the Kitchen
10
Objective
• Understand why adopting sustainable
practices is important in the foodservice
industry.
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Sustainability in Foodservice
• Sustainability includes practices that either
preserve or improve the condition of Earth
for future generations
• Sustainability
– makes good business sense
– can improve profitability, or the ability of a
business to make money and thrive
continued
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Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Sustainability in Foodservice
• To understand the different facets of
sustainability in foodservice, it can be
divided into the following
– purchasing
– energy
– water
– waste
– social considerations
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Objective
• Analyze purchasing decisions in
foodservice for sustainability.
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Purchasing
• Sustainability is becoming an increasingly
important factor in purchasing decisions
because foodservice operations
– purchase large amounts of food to cook and
serve daily
– buy such nonfood items as cleaning products,
disposables, serviceware, tables, chairs, and
equipment
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Food
• Practicing sustainability when purchasing
food is complex because
– there are many variables in the way food is
produced and transported
• Making sustainable buying decisions
requires
– constant research
– good relationships with suppliers
continued
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Food
• Sustainable foods often cost more because
they
– require more labor to produce
– have lower yields
• Chefs can maintain profitability by
– passing sustainable food costs on to the
customer
– sourcing produce in season
continued
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Food
• To make sustainable decisions, chefs must
know
– where food comes from and how it was raised or
grown
– how food and products are transported
• Moving food requires energy
– The more energy used to transport food, the less
sustainable it is
continued
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Food
• Food miles is a measure of the amount of
energy needed to move food from its point of
harvest to its final destination
• Food miles consider the
– distance food travels from one point to another
– energy used to get it there
continued
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Food
• Moving large
quantities of food
long distances by
train is often more
energy efficient
than moving small
quantities shorter
distances by truck
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continued
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Food
• Locally sourced foods can
– have inconsistent
availability or lower quality
– contribute to local
economies
– be fresher and offer a
greater degree of
biodiversity
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continued
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Food
• Food sources must be protected from
extinction
– Too much reliance on hybrids can diminish
diversity
• Heirloom varieties are plants grown from
seeds unchanged for many generations
– They have genetics that remain constant and
reflect a long heritage
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Cleaning Products
• Foodservice involves a great deal of daily
cleaning to ensure
– proper sanitation
– the visual look of the business
• While effective, some traditional cleaning
products are not ecofriendly
continued
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Cleaning Products
• Ecofriendly products and
practices do not damage
the environment and
– still perform well
– may require more time to
work
– may require different
concentrations
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Other Purchasing Decisions
• Other common foodservice purchasing
decisions to evaluate for sustainability
include
– laundering
– interior design elements
– pesticides
– chafing dish fuel
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Objective
• Recognize opportunities to conserve
energy usage in foodservice.
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Energy
• Energy is an essential part of running a
foodservice operation
– Restaurants use five to seven times more
energy than office buildings
– Quick-service establishments can reach 10
times the energy usage of other commercial
buildings
• Foodservice operations must be as energy
efficient as possible
continued
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Energy
• Energy efficiency makes good business
sense
– Spending less on energy helps increase overall
profits and is a good business practice
• Ways foodservice operations can save
money with energy include
– Lighting, hot water pipes, maintenance, and
equipment selection
continued
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Energy
• Lighting
– Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) have 10
times the life span and an energy savings of
75% over incandescent lamps
– LED lighting costs more
initially, but is 80% more
energy efficient than
incandescent
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continued
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Energy
• LED lighting is superior and dimmable
• Occupancy-sensor light switches help save
energy by
– turning lights on when someone is in the room
and turning them off when no motion is detected
• Choosing LED alternatives to neon lighting
also helps save energy
continued
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Energy
• Hot water pipes
– Foodservice operations use large quantities of
hot water daily
• Heated water travels in pipes to faucets
• As it moves through or is held in pipes, energy
escapes and the water cools, which then requires
reheating
– Wrapping water pipes with insulation improves
energy efficiency
continued
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Energy
• Maintenance
– Poor equipment maintenance contributes to
energy waste
– All foodservice operations should have a
preventive maintenance schedule to ensure
proper care of the facility
continued
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Energy
• Maintenance
– To improve energy efficiency, pay regular
attention to
• Refrigerator doors: check gaskets regularly for
damage and proper sealing
• Coils in cooling units: clean regularly to allow air
to circulate freely to efficiently transfer heat out of
the unit
continued
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Energy
• Equipment selection
– Before making a purchase, foodservice
professionals should learn the energy efficiency
of equipment
– The ENERGY STAR program qualifies
equipment that meets criteria for energy
efficiency
continued
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Energy
• Stovetops
– Receive heavy usage
in commercial kitchens
– Use energy to heat
pots and pans that
transfer heat to food
©Eric Futran/ChefShots.com
continued
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Energy
• Stovetops
– Gas stovetops are very inefficient
• About 30% of heat generated actually gets
transferred to food, while 70% is lost
– Induction ranges are an energy-efficient
alternative
• About 90% of the heat is transferred to food
• Heat can be generated on demand
continued
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Energy
• Dishmachines
– Advances are being made to improve the
energy-efficiency of dishmachines
• Like stovetops, they are used many hours daily
– Improvements include
• added insulation to prevent heat escape
• ability to capture steam and use it to maintain
water at safe sanitizing temperatures
continued
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Energy
• Ventilation
– Removing hot, grease-laden or smoke-filled air
is essential for any commercial kitchen
– Conventional systems are usually turned on in
the morning and remain on until the kitchen
closes
– “On demand” ventilation systems operate only
when there is a need to clear the air
continued
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Energy
• Changes to employee behavior can be
effective in reducing energy usage
• Changes include
– Turning off lights when leaving a room
– Turning on cooking equipment only when
needed
– Turning on kitchen ventilation only when needed
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Objective
• Identify ways to reduce water usage in the
kitchen.
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Water
• Foodservice operations use much water
• Water is
– served to customers
– used for cleaning and cooking
• Foodservice operations have a responsibility
to conserve water
– Conserving water makes good business sense
since water costs money
continued
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Water
• Steps to conserve water in foodservice
include
– Water service: Ask
customers if they want water
before serving it
– Equipment: When
purchasing new equipment,
look for models made to
decrease water usage
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continued
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Water
• Additional steps for
conserving water are
– Maintenance: Fix drips
promptly
– Reduce flow: Use such
water-efficient devices as
low-flow aerators
©Food Service Technology Center
continued
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Water
• Other steps for conserving water in
foodservice include
– Cleaning: Use minimal amounts of water without
sacrificing proper sanitation standards
– Thawing: Use the refrigerator to thaw food
instead of cold-running water for water efficiency
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Objective
• Outline a sustainable plan to reduce
foodservice waste and its negative impact
on the environment.
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Waste
• Food
– Restaurants produce large amounts food and
large amounts of waste
– When waste is hauled to landfills
• food decomposes slowly
• potentially harmful substances can leach into the
ground and ground water
• tons of nutrients are lost
continued
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Waste
• According to the National Restaurant
Association, about 90% of restaurant waste
could be diverted from landfills by sorting
food waste in containers for
– waste
– recycling
– refuse
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Food
• The EPA suggests the following strategy
for reducing food waste
US Environmental Protection Agency
What action occurs with each step of this strategy?
continued
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Food
• Composting is a way to sustainably address
food waste
• With composting, such biodegradable items
as food and other organic matter (leaves and
grass clippings) decay to form a highly fertile
growing substance
– Biodegradable items can be broken down into
harmless products by living things
continued
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Food
• Composting is an essential part of the life
cycle
• Three forms of composting include
– vermicomposting
– aerobic/windrow composting
– anaerobic composting
How does food waste and other organic matter
break down with each form of composting?
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Reuse
• Instead of disposal, another strategy
consider to reduce the overall amount of
waste is reuse
• Reusable items can be repurposed and kept
out of the waste stream
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Recycle
• Recycling not only conserves resources,
but also reduces the amount of waste that
goes into landfills. It is also energy
efficient.
plastic
glass
metal
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paper
continued
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Recycle
• Some of the most commonly recycled items
include
– plastic and paper
– aluminum
– glass
– oil
– ink cartridges from printers
– computers and other electronic devices
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Hazardous Waste
• Prevent hazardous waste from entering
landfills by taking it to specific locations that
dispose of substances in an eco-conscious
way
– Some communities sponsor hazardous waste
collections periodically to keep these materials
out of landfills
What are some examples of hazardous
materials to recycle?
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Objective
• Recognize the role of foodservice in social
sustainability.
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Social Considerations
• As the foodservice industry makes decisions
that affect all people, social sustainability
requires consideration of
– diversity
– social resources
– equal opportunity
– supply issues
– poverty
continued
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Social Considerations
• Social sustainability involves maintaining a
balance between economic development
and the welfare of society
• Corporate social
responsibility (CSR)
programs benefit society
and the business
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continued
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Social Considerations
• Areas in which the foodservice industry can
have meaningful social impact include
– Food waste: Foodservice in the US has taken a
leadership role in trying to alleviate hunger
– Obesity: The culinary community is ideally
positioned to help improve how people eat
– Purchasing: Businesses can evaluate
companies they purchase from and buy products
that are socially sustainable
continued
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Social Considerations
• Other areas in which the foodservice
industry can have social impact include
– Public policy: Staying informed about current
topics and voicing opinions
– Diversity: Considering all aspects of community
diversity when hiring, designing work spaces,
providing services, or writing menus
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Review
• What are reasons why adopting
sustainable practices is important in the
foodservice industry?
– such practices help preserve or improve the
condition of the Earth for future generations
– these practices make good business sense
and can improve profitability
– customers view sustainable restaurants
favorably
continued
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Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Review
• List three areas in which sustainability
impacts purchasing decisions in
foodservice.
– food
– cleaning products
– nonfood items such as laundering, interior
design elements, pesticides, and chafing dish
fuel
continued
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Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Review
• Name common ways to save energy in a
foodservice operation.
– choose energy-efficient lighting such as CFL
and LED
– insulate hot-water pipes
– create a preventive maintenance schedule
– select energy-efficient equipment
continued
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Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Review
• What actions can foodservice employees
take for energy efficiency?
– turn off lights when leaving a room
– turn on cooking equipment and kitchen
ventilation only when needed
continued
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Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Review
• How can foodservice operations conserve
water?
– ask customers if they want water
– consider water usage in buying equipment
– fix drips
– use low-flow aerators on faucets
– use minimal water when cleaning
– thaw foods in the refrigerator
continued
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Review
• Name six strategies for reducing food
waste from most to least preferred.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
source reduction
feed people
feed animals
industrial uses
composting
incineration or landfill
continued
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Review
• What are some ways the foodservice
industry can have meaningful social
impact?
– food waste
– obesity
– purchasing
– public policy
– diversity
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