Arimia Estate

• WHO: Evan Hayter, chef
• WHAT: Off-the-grid winery & restaurant in the Margaret River
• WHERE: 242 Quininup Road, Wilyabrup, Western Australia

“The fact that we are possibly the only restaurant and winery completely off the grid drives us to become more self-sufficient, to improve growing capability and also to focus on the regeneration of the property itself.

“Our kitchen uses only line-caught, local and in-season seafood and only grass-fed beef. Our saddleback x duroc pigs are raised on the property ethically, and sustainably and all of our vegetables are organically grown in soils that we put more into than we take out of.

“Our region is under threat from a toxic species of lily introduced from South Africa. The lily itself has a spectacular large white flower and is a favourite amongst brides for their weddings, however it is incredibly invasive! Although toxic to humans and most other animals the lily can be consumed by pigs which is much better than the alternative control method of chemicals. Our pigs eat the green part of the plant above the soil and dig up the tuber for us to simply go along and pick up.

“All water on the property is rain water and all power is from the sun. We use all of our green waste to feed the pigs and all of our other kitchen food waste is given to the chickens. We are also striving to use less meat protein and our current focus is on making the seasonal vegetables the main ingredient in addition to ensuring we use whole animals.”

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

French Meadow Café & Bluestem Bar

• WHO: Lynn Gordon, founder/owner
• WHAT: An organic farm-to-table café & bakery from one of the foremothers of organics
• WHERE: 2610 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnestoa, USA – plus other locations

"We were founded on macrobiotic principles of seasonal foods, so since our opening thirty-three years ago we have sourced our produce from truly organic, and mostly local, farms who practice biodynamics. All meats are local, hormone-free, humane, and grass-fed from farmers we know and trust. We are also committed to featuring and supporting other local producers, so most of our craft beers, organic cheeses, and products such as honey also come from regional suppliers.

"From our beginning three decades ago, we've made it our mission to engage in ethical practices that reflect our love for the earth and commitment to sustaining our planet's resources. Among our initiatives to reduce our environmental impact: French Meadow composts over seven thousand pounds of organic waste per year. All of our takeout food containers are compostable, we have never used harmful chemical cleaning products or pesticides, and our tabletops are made from recycled wood from pallets.

"Of course, our menu also reflects our environmental commitment, with an emphasis on plant-based foods. And, staying true to our beginnings as a traditional yeast-free bakery, all bread served at French Meadow is naturally leavened and made in-house with organic flour."

To read more about French Meadow Café & Bluestem Bar, visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

French Meadow Café & Bluestem Bar

Fhior

• WHO: Laura & Scott Smith, chef patrons
• WHAT: Fhior is a modern restaurant serving fresh, focused & clean cooking with vibrant wines
• WHERE: 36 Broughton Street, Edinburgh, Scotland

"Sustainability is at the source of what we do, from foraging sustainably to working with producers with strong ethical credentials to obtaining the best-tasting and freshest produce – regardless of the shape it has grown into.

"Fhior’s concept was designed with the reduction of food waste in mind. We serve a set menu to reduce food waste by limiting the amount of stock needed to support an à la carte menu. We utilize trimmings and scraps in stocks and sauces or preserving them for future use and only use ingredients as they become available when grown locally – not only reducing food miles, but also the pressure on local producers to source stock that is neither local or in season. We will happily use the less-fortunate-looking fruit or vegetables as taste and freshness are paramount.

"Being in Scotland, we have access to an abundant and greatly varied larder – both produced and wild. We have forged strong relationships with local producers and work in partnership with them to ensure we get the best produce at the best time. Our menu evolves to follow the seasonal changes in produce availability. For example, our asparagus comes from Essie Farm – when it runs out, we run out. We choose to put something different on the menu, rather than source it from southern England or import it. We work with our seafood supplier to use abundant but under-used species or by-catch, thereby driving creativity by using unusual ingredients and also helping to reduce waste."

Fhior News:

Fhior has announced a unique dining experience in collaboration with the author of The Beer Kitchen, Melissa Cole on Sunday 28th July. The one-off lunch event at Fhior will see Scott cooking his favourite recipes from the book with his own unique twist. Each of the dishes will be paired with a matching beer, specially chosen by Melissa. Click here for bookings. Find out more about Melissa Cole and The Beer Kitchen here.

Edinburgh Food Festival: Five of Edinburgh’s top chefs are gearing up to showcase their culinary flair at this year’s Edinburgh Food Festival, which is taking place in Assembly George Square Gardens over ten days, 19th - 28th July 2019. The exciting line-up of free, non-ticketed chef demonstrations will include our very own Chef Scott Smith. Click here for all you need to know.

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

Laura & Scott Smith, Fhior

A Tiny Place

• WHO: Philippe Leban, chef/owner
• WHAT: A bijou French-inspired bistro that makes local produce the star
• WHERE: 20 Francis Street, Battery Point, Tasmania, Australia

"We want people to walk in, relax and be looked after from the moment they enter. Our service is unpretentious and quietly confident – our food is much the same. The idea was to walk into the restaurant but feel as though you'd walked into someone’s home and not just another commercial venue.

"The food we cook at our restaurant is essentially French based with the odd Asian influence popping in now and again. I’ve personally always believed that food can heal. Not only physically but emotionally too. Our job is to cook not only delicious food but healthy food as well. My goal has been to lighten up what was always considered to be rich food. This has come about by using light broths and vegetables in our dishes in addition to reducing the use of butter and salt in our cooking.

"We source our dairy products from farms that I think not only produce great products but stand apart from the rest. The organic milk, cultured butter and cheese really showcase the quality found here and it is a privilege having access to it all. The meat we use comes from a range of boutique organic farms to those that are larger such as producers on Robbins Island. The cows on Robbins Island live in the most idyllic environment and having personally walked between these animals I can attest to them being the most stress-free and relaxed I have ever witnessed.

"Fishermen that I use here in Tasmania are advocates of smaller catches and protecting the environment, which is why I use them. These fishermen use smaller boats and the fish is supplied on the day it is caught. We also use produce that is a problem or pest such as the Japanese sea urchin, thereby assisting with eradicating the species introduced by bilge water from international boats.”

To read more about A Tiny Place, visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

Philippe Leban, chef/owner, A Tiny Place

Gemyse

• WHO: Mette Dahlgaard, head chef
• WHAT: Sustainability goes hand-in-hand with respect for produce
• WHERE: Bernstorffsgade 5, 1577 Copenhagen, Denmark

“Situated in the middle of the beautiful Tivoli gardens we do our best to create feeling and meaning in everything we do.

“You won’t find overcooked vegetables here because at Gemyse even the smallest shoot is treated with the same respect as the finest piece of meat. When you have fresh and local quality vegetables, you can make excellent food. That's why Gemyse works closely with organic grocer Aarstiderne, who source and supply most of our vegetables, ensuring high quality and sustainability at the same time.

“We also use greens from our own garden which features plants from an old seedbank and to reduce food waste, we ferment a lot of what is normally discarded during the prepping process.”

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

Gemyse

Holbox

• WHO: Gilberto Cetina, chef/owner
• WHAT: Casual Mexican mariscosrestaurant, using local & sustainable seafood
• WHERE: 3655 South Grand Avenue #C9, Los Angeles, California, USA

“I am passionate about sharing my Mexican heritage with our customers one dish at a time. We don't limit ourselves to traditional Yucatan recipes but take inspiration from them and other regional cuisines of Mexico to produce a dynamic menu featuring the vast and amazing seafood available to us.

“We utilize whatever fresh, local fish is available as long as it is high quality – building our daily menu on what is coming in. This keeps the menu fresh and interesting and also allows us to ride not just the produce seasons but the daily sea catch. We use the fish from head to tail – skin, carcass and head. We limit our finned fish to Baja, Southern California and central coast catch – no frozen fish ever enters our kitchen. No cross-state, country or world transportation means less carbon footprint.

“Bivalve aquaculture is one of the most eco-friendly methods of producing protein for consumption and we also utilize this type of product as much as we can.”

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

Holbox

Sixpenny

• WHO: Dan Puskas, chef/owner, George Papaioannou, manager
• WHAT: A little restaurant in Stanmore with big dreams
• WHERE: 83 Percival Road, Stanmore, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

“At Sixpenny, we are passionate about making guests feel as though they are walking into someone's home, ensuring that they feel most comfortable.

“We collaborate with small-scale farmers, fisherman and producers to create an ever-changing menu that celebrates contemporary Australian cuisine.

“We focus on sustainability through our two main channels of food and wine, using only line-caught fish from around Australia and New Zealand, mostly organic produce from local suppliers such as First Farm Organics, Sift Produce and Pocket City Farms and Mandagery Creek, just to name a few, and we source sustainable wines from around the world. We also have a small garden at Sixpenny and a large rainwater tank which provides water for our garden as well as our bathroom facilities."

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

Sixpenny