A much loved restaurant in Victoria has just set a national record for its sustainable cooking practices.
The Kitchen at the Pendray Inn and Tea House has become the first restaurant in Canada to receive a gold level certificate from The PLEDGE on Food Waste. The restaurant scored 93 out of 100 for its efforts to reduce food waste.
“I have immense pride in our team’s hard work and dedication as we celebrate becoming the first restaurant in Canada to achieve THE PLEDGE,” said general manager Erin Cassels in a news release.
“Our values align with the eco-friendly ethos of Destination Greater Victoria, who continue to set a high standard for a circular tourism economy within our community,” said Cassels.
The restaurant may have saved as much as $550 in its first month of trying to reach PLEDGE status, the news release states.
The Pledge on Food Waste is a third-party audited certification system that aims to reduce food waste, costs and build more robust solution providers in local ecosystems.
The certification’s methodology includes seven pillars and 95 criteria, and is designed to be cooperative with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2, 12, 13 and 17, as well as the EPA’s Wasted Food Scale.
The reduction of food waste contributes to environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and economic efficiency, writes the restaurant in the release.
The team at Pendray Tea house adopted several practices throughout their certification process to achieve their food waste goals, including categorizing food waste measurements, maintaining meticulous tracking systems and providing comprehensive team training. The team noted that chef Onille Pitogo’s creativity played a crucial role in repurposing food waste into new dishes, as seen in innovative dishes like the restaurant’s sustainable chocolate cashew delight.
Though this journey came with challenges, the rewards made it well worth the effort says the team—in January, the average food waste per cover at Pendray was 83 grams (well below the national average of 388) and by May, that number had been reduced even more to 60.5 grams per cover.
In an era of climate change, it’s becoming increasingly important for restaurants to follow sustainable practices that set new standards for the food service industry—Pendray Tea House’s certification is an important step in the right direction that hopefully, with a bit of effort all around, will inspire others to follow suit.
