Members of the Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery Collective share their inspiring initiatives and beliefs

Rising Sun Workshop on what community means to them

• WHO: Nick Smith, chef/co-owner
• WHAT: Sydney's first communal motorcycle workspace & ramen-inspired restaurant

• WHERE: 1c Whateley Street, Newtown, New South Wales 2042, Australia

“Our part restaurant/part communal workshop are two components of one machine. We share a building because our goals are common – to feed and nourish our guest’s hunger. Every coffee drunk, cookie dunked and noodle slurped helps towards keeping the workshop activity high and member rates low. Rising Sun Workshop does not support factory farming, and we buy local, from roasters, smokers, brewers, growers, winemakers and distillers who share our philosophies – they’re our mates. We are a social enterprise that wouldn’t exist if not for resources pooled and donated by the very community that demands it – our members and guests.”

To read more about Rising Sun Workshop visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

Honest Burgers on tackling waste and promoting sustainability

• WHO: Tom Barton, Phil Eeles, & Dorian Waite, founders
• WHAT: Great British burgers & rosemary salted chips
• WHERE: 31 Paddington Street, London W1U 4H, UK; plus other locations

“We are tackling waste by introducing BOSH, or Budget for Old School Hospitality. Instead of throwing away produce, we aim to surprise and delight customers with extra sides, sauces and other food items that would otherwise go to waste. Each of our restaurants has a budget that they must hit – and if they don't give away enough they'll be penalised! We have also recently abolished plastic straws completely from our restaurants, and we use only grass fed, well-bred British cattle. This farming technique has a much, much smaller environmental impact in comparison with industrial, grain fed cattle rearing.”

To read more about Honest Burgers, visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

Honest Burgers, London, UK

610 Magnolia on helping their local community

• WHO: Edward Lee, chef
• WHAT: A modern approach to the Southern table by Chef Edward Lee
• WHERE: 610 West Magnolia Avenue, Louisville, Kentucky 40208, USA

“We give back to our community in any way we can depending on the social issues that affect it. We established a non-profit called The LEE Initiative, whose mission is to promote diversity in the industry through mentorship scholarships for female chefs in Kentucky and by offering real life training to young adults who are needing jobs. This year we identified five young female chefs in Kentucky and sent them on mentorships to five well-known, successful female chefs across America. We are currently embarking on an initiative to bring awareness to The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients and the need for public policy to preserve the benefits of SNAP in our communities.”

To read more about 610 Magnolia visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

610 Magnolia, Kentucky, USA

De Tuinkamer on their connection to nature

• WHO: Gitta Luiten & Alwin Leemhuis, co-owners
• WHAT: Local produce served in a glasshouse in Schuinesloot’s Priona Gardens
• WHERE: Rondweg 1a, 7777 SM Schuinesloot, Netherlands

“For the past thirty years, the Priona Gardens have been designed and maintained with the utmost ecological care and respect. Nature has been an equal partner in this process. Because of that practice, the Gardens have evolved into a sanctuary for endangered plants and wildlife. Those values are still leading in everything we do in the restaurant. We harvest with respect and awareness of the future: we share the bounty with the resident wildlife and we leave plenty of seeds for next year (and as winterfeed for birds and insects). This means that we don’t use pesticides (ever), we always leave part of the harvest, we don’t water (except in the kitchen garden) and, in short, we care for the plants, animals and people that inhabit the Gardens. Co-owner Alwin Leemhuis uses all aspects of the weeds and plants for his dishes: from root to flower and crop to seed, both from the Gardens and from foraging in the region. The produce we buy is organic and seasonal.”

To read more about De Tuinkamer, visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery here.

De Tuinkamer, Schuinesloot, Netherlands

Cultivar on their seafood philosophy

• WHO: Mary Dumont & Emily French Dumont, co-owners
• WHAT: A hyper-seasonal restaurant inspired by the diverse New England landscape
• WHERE: 1 Court St, Boston, Massachusetts 02108, USA

“I choose only traceable seafood, oftentimes from fishermen that deliver their catch themselves. The Squid Ink Messinesi is our most popular seafood dish. It has all the abundance of New England seafood; house-made squid ink pasta, a little heat from Calabrian chilli and foraged sea beans. It's delectable and hasn't been off the menu yet"

To read more about Cultivar, visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

Cultivar

Cecconi’s on their biggest passion

• WHO: Olimpia & Maria Bortolotto & Anne Parolin
• WHAT: Contemporary & classic Italian European in Melbourne
• WHERE: 61 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia

“We are passionate about great produce that is carried through into a memorable and tasty dish. We are passionate about our people and their ability to deliver an experience that is synonymous with our Italian culture and love for entertaining. We are passionate about the trust given to us through our clientele in allowing us to share and host in many wonderful memories created within a restaurant setting. We are passionate about the ongoing development of hospitality and the sustainability elements that we can directly effect.”

To read more about Cecconi’s, visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

Cecconi's, Melbourne, Australia

Agern on the dishes that best represent them

• WHO: Claus Meyer, owner; Gunnar Gislason, chef
• WHAT: A restaurant & bar with Nordic roots tucked into the Grand Central Terminal
• WHERE: 89 East 42nd Street, New York City, New York 10017, USA

“We always have a beef tartare on the menu, but we change the set-up frequently. We have a deep friendship with our local beef supplier, and our local forager always keeps us top-of-mind as she seeks seasonal specialties like ramps and green strawberries to pair with our beef. We very rarely import things, so the whenever we do import, they have a special story. Our lighthouse keeper Danish cheese is a product unlike any other in that it is aged in a lighthouse by the sea that imparts a salty flavour that is entirely unique. For our Nordic chef, it tastes like home. It comes shaved over coffee honey, a honey pollinated by the same bees from the plantation we source our coffee from. And we added crispy rye, the toasted leftovers from unsold rye bread we make in-house. The dish is simple, yet incredibly complex and very true to what Agern is all about. These two plates at the end of the day represent the same philosophy. We believe in friendship with purveyors, sustainable practices whenever possible, and highlighting the best of what is in season.”

To read more about Agern, visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

Agern, New York, USA