Ecological and sustainable practices for responsible cooking

Have you ever thought about the amount of resources used in a restaurant? There are many! However, there is a way for cooking to be friendly to the planet and without negatively affecting the diner's experience, especially when we talk about industrial cuisine, restaurants and hospitality.

What we eat and how it is cooked has an effect on our health and the environment. At Barcelona Culinary Hub, the leading cooking and gastronomy school in the sector, you will find training programs that promote ecological and sustainable practices applicable both within a professional kitchen and in any company related to the gastronomic sector. Stay until the end to discover them!

What is responsible cooking?

Responsible cooking refers to the use of culinary techniques that take into account the origin of the food, the kitchen utensils and the environment in which it is cooked, considering everything from local electricity, water to cooking gas.

With all these factors defined, a scale is established that balances the least damage to personal health and the ecology of the planet. The general idea is to reduce the negative impact of cooking on the environment; The sustainability criterion is what will allow us to continue enjoying professional cooking in the future.

How to make responsible, ecological and sustainable cuisine?

Gastronomy, including fishing, agriculture, and livestock, has an enormous environmental impact, so the culinary sector must update towards more sustainable cuisine. To carry out this task, it is important that cooking schools take this reality into account in their study plans, and also that restaurants feel the commitment to training in sustainability matters.

Ingredient selection

A sustainable practice is to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables naturally, avoiding those that are packaged, pre-selected or vacuum sealed. It may seem insignificant, but it has a huge ecological impact, since a restaurant kitchen buys in large quantities. In this way the amount of plastic waste will be less.

Sustainable utensils

There is a huge variety of materials available that guarantee excellent performance and durability in the professional kitchen. One of them is bamboo, a fast-growing, biodegradable, resistant and chemical-free material in its manufacture. Another sustainable alternative is the use of recycled stainless steel utensils.

Green suppliers

To offer diners the best dishes and position your restaurant at the top, you must work with high-quality products. For this, it is essential to find committed suppliers that offer organic, local ingredients (to minimize the carbon footprint) and that are easy to produce according to the season.

The energy of the place

The area with the highest energy consumption in a restaurant is the kitchen. It is the brain and heart of any culinary establishment, so it is essential that energy efficiency practices are implemented through the use of low-consumption machinery (ovens, fryers and grills), solar panels and LED lights.

Sustainable menu

The current gastronomic trend in restaurants is to create sustainable menus, promoting the consumption of vegetables and to a lesser extent animal origin, offering more creative dishes to customers looking for different taste experiences.

There are many practices that can be implemented to make the kitchen responsible. One of the ways to achieve this transition begins with the education received in a cooking school that is capable of creating a culture of awareness in work teams. Remember that this will lead to your restaurant being more efficient.