BiBi
Chet Sharma’s Indian restaurant in Mayfair proves that you don’t need to be based in the rolling hills of the countryside to have strong sustainability credentials. The restaurant serves progressive Indian food and this approach is carried through into its business practices with a focus on its staff wellbeing that includes operating a 45-hour, four-day week, and excellent traceability and supply chain systems in place.
Timberyard
This family-run restaurant in Edinburgh has been serving ingredient-led cooking, guided by nature since 2012. Its ethos is to tread as lightly as possible on the land that sustains it and the restaurant works closely with local growers, foragers, and artisan producers. This includes serving only wild meat such as deer, game birds, wild boar, hare and rabbit – stepping away from farmed animals to reduce its environmental impact. It also offers ethically sourced fish and shellfish, and a vegetarian and vegan menu shaped by what is seasonal.
The Refectory at Fowlescombe Farm
Located close to Dartmoor in Devon, The Refectory at Fowlescombe Farm sits within a 450-acre regenerative farm and is led by executive chef Elly Wentworth. The restaurant delivers a true farm-to-fork experience, with guests encouraged to join in where they can, whether that be gathering eggs from the coop for breakfast or picking botanicals for their evening gin. Produce comes from the farm, which has native and rare British breeds of sheep and cattle, as well as the kitchen garden where British heritage vegetables are grown.
The Long Table
What if everyone in our community had access to great food and people to eat it with? That is the founding principle behind The Long Table, a communal dining space where every meal served is pay-as-you-can. Founded in 2018 and now operating out of two locations in Cirencester and Stroud, the business serves food from its local communities whenever it can to support farmers and suppliers and help create a resilient food economy based on sustainable farming practices.
Catch at The Old Fishmarket
Based on the quayside in Weymouth harbour, Catch at the Old Fish Market offers a sea-to-plate dining experience using freshly caught fish and shellfish from the waters of the Dorset coast. Led by chef patron Ben Champkin, the kitchen team is focused on showcasing Dorset’s produce with regularly changing menus that reflect the diversity of the seasons, the weather and the tides.
The winner of The Estrella Damm Sustainability Award will be announced at the National Restaurant Awards on 8 June.