CARE's Ethical Chefs Days looks to the future of gastronomy

  4 min

INTERVIEW

© Andrea Bianchi

Top chefs from all over the world talk about sustainability

The event launched six years ago in the Süd Tyrol region of Italy. The area is known for their local traditions around food production and cooking. One of the current initiators is local chef Norbert Niederkofler, from restaurant St. Hubertus*** . The aim is to bring together chefs, winemakers and food producers who are concerned about the ethical side of food.

The event, which was organized during two weekends, consisted of four dinners hosted at the amazing AlpiNN Food Space restaurant - which lays atop one of the many mountains of the Dolomites. Each course was prepared by a different chef. Among others were Christophe Hardiquest from Bon Bon** in Brussel, Paulo Casagrande from Lasarte*** in Barcelona, Kyle Connaughton from Single Thread Farms*** in California, Davide Caranchini from Ristorante Materia* in Cernobbio and Jeremy Chan from Ikoyi* in London.

In addition to the dinners, various talks were also organised. Topics like how to promote environmental care, preservation of local communities, how to listen to the rhythm of nature, and topics on an ethical and sustainable approach to cooking, were discussed. Chefs present spoke about sustainability within top gastronomy.

Offline: This content can only be displayed when online.

© Andrea Bianchi

© Luca Dal Gesso

Single Thread restaurant and farm***, Northern California

Katina: “As a farmer, I dedicate my life to producing food for the chefs I work with and for my community. My work as a farmer ensures that I am humble towards nature and our earth. There’s a growing interest and awareness about the origin of our food. As a farmer, it is my responsibility to inspire people to connect more deeply with nature and show them how hard we work to produce food.”

Kyle: “Before we started Single Thread Farm, we lived in different places around the world. We chose to open our restaurant and farm in Northern California so we can grow food year-round and be in control of our own food system. People often refer to our company as: Single Thread restaurant and farm - in that order. For me it's the other way around, the farm comes first. As a chef I have realized that it is not my responsibility to promote my own creativity in the kitchen. I want to give farmers the respect they deserve and make their hard work visible to our guests. Katina and her team spend months producing something that I only have in my kitchen for a few hours.”

Kyle & Katina Connaughton
Himanshu Saini

“I am from India but have been working in Dubai for the last eight years. Over the past two years Covid-19 has made us realize how dependent we are on other people's food systems. Due to the coronavirus crisis, basic ingredients were suddenly no longer available. Dubai is a city in the middle of the desert where everything is imported. The products that are naturally used in European and American gastronomy never arrive 100% fresh. We therefore have to look for other beautiful products that radiate luxury and exclusivity, but that we can grow locally. For example dates or hibiscus. For the past two years more and more small farms in Dubai are popping up in Dubai, which - despite the extreme heat - still manage to produce beautiful products. Chefs in Dubai have to look for ingredients that can be exclusive for our region.”

Trèsind Studio, Dubai

© Andrea Bianchi

Ikoyi*, London

“I didn't start cooking because sustainability is important to me. I started as a cook because I love good taste and good food is my passion. I fell in love with the romance of working in a kitchen and in top restaurants. As I started to become a better chef, I began to understand that taste is related to the quality of produce, soil health and agriculture. Taste and sustainability are coherent; it's one thing. Now sustainability is important to me, but that is not the main message of my restaurant. I don't want the message to take away from the restaurant experience. If guests want to know more, I'll explain - but I overload them with information. If you give too much information, people won't take in anything anymore. I let the message be told through the dining experience. The biggest responsibility for the future is to share my story with other chefs so that they fall in love with produce. Because if you start to love good products, you will automatically fall for the right food system.”

Jeremy Chan

© Andrea Bianchi

© Andrea Bianchi

© Andrea Bianchi

Himanshu Saini

“I am from India but have been working in Dubai for the last eight years. Over the past two years Covid-19 has made us realize how dependent we are on other people's food systems. Due to the coronavirus crisis, basic ingredients were suddenly no longer available. Dubai is a city in the middle of the desert where everything is imported. The products that are naturally used in European and American gastronomy never arrive 100% fresh. We therefore have to look for other beautiful products that radiate luxury and exclusivity, but that we can grow locally. For example dates or hibiscus. For the past two years more and more small farms in Dubai are popping up in Dubai, which - despite the extreme heat - still manage to produce beautiful products. Chefs in Dubai have to look for ingredients that can be exclusive for our region.”

Trèsind Studio, Dubai

© Andrea Bianchi

Ikoyi*, London

“I didn't start cooking because sustainability is important to me. I started as a cook because I love good taste and good food is my passion. I fell in love with the romance of working in a kitchen and in top restaurants. As I started to become a better chef, I began to understand that taste is related to the quality of produce, soil health and agriculture. Taste and sustainability are coherent; it's one thing. Now sustainability is important to me, but that is not the main message of my restaurant. I don't want the message to take away from the restaurant experience. If guests want to know more, I'll explain - but I overload them with information. If you give too much information, people won't take in anything anymore. I let the message be told through the dining experience. The biggest responsibility for the future is to share my story with other chefs so that they fall in love with produce. Because if you start to love good products, you will automatically fall for the right food system.”

Jeremy Chan

© Andrea Bianchi

Single Thread restaurant and farm***, Northern California

Katina: “As a farmer, I dedicate my life to producing food for the chefs I work with and for my community. My work as a farmer ensures that I am humble towards nature and our earth. There’s a growing interest and awareness about the origin of our food. As a farmer, it is my responsibility to inspire people to connect more deeply with nature and show them how hard we work to produce food.”

Kyle: “Before we started Single Thread Farm, we lived in different places around the world. We chose to open our restaurant and farm in Northern California so we can grow food year-round and be in control of our own food system. People often refer to our company as: Single Thread restaurant and farm - in that order. For me it's the other way around, the farm comes first. As a chef I have realized that it is not my responsibility to promote my own creativity in the kitchen. I want to give farmers the respect they deserve and make their hard work visible to our guests. Katina and her team spend months producing something that I only have in my kitchen for a few hours.”

Kyle & Katina Connaughton

© Andrea Bianchi

During the CARE's Ethical Chefs Days in Italy, every year Michelin star chefs from all over the world come together to discuss the ethical side of cooking and to inspire guests on future proof gastronomy. This year's edition, in October 2021, Food Inspiration was invited. 

Lisa Appels    CARE’s Ethical Chefs Days  Xiao Er Kong

CARE's Ethical Chefs Days looks to the future of gastronomy

The event, which was organized during two weekends, consisted of four dinners hosted at the amazing AlpiNN Food Space restaurant - which lays atop one of the many mountains of the Dolomites. Each course was prepared by a different chef. Among others were Christophe Hardiquest from Bon Bon** in Brussel, Paulo Casagrande from Lasarte*** in Barcelona, Kyle Connaughton from Single Thread Farms*** in California, Davide Caranchini from Ristorante Materia* in Cernobbio and Jeremy Chan from Ikoyi* in London.

In addition to the dinners, various talks were also organised. Topics like how to promote environmental care, preservation of local communities, how to listen to the rhythm of nature, and topics on an ethical and sustainable approach to cooking, were discussed. Chefs present spoke about sustainability within top gastronomy.

The event launched six years ago in the Süd Tyrol region of Italy. The area is known for their local traditions around food production and cooking. One of the current initiators is local chef Norbert Niederkofler, from restaurant St. Hubertus*** . The aim is to bring together chefs, winemakers and food producers who are concerned about the ethical side of food.

Top chefs from all over the world talk about sustainability
Offline: This content can only be displayed when online.

  4 min

Overview magazines

Food Inspiration Magazine is the online magazine for foodservice professionals in search of inspiration and innovation. With the magazine we collect, enrich and spread inspiration. The free subscription magazine is published eight times per year and is an abundant source of inspiration for food and hospitality professionals. Our readers can be found in the U.S., Northern Europe, Latin America and Asia.
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