Tuna, which is familiar to Japanese people through sushi and sashimi, has recently become a popular food in the United States and other Asian countries. The consumption of fresh tuna
On November 20, 2023, “the Sustainable Restaurant Association of Japan (SRA-J) ” held its third annual restaurant sustainability awards, “Food Made Good Japan Awards 2023“, at The Capitol Hotel Tokyu.
Among SRA-Japan member restaurants, the Grand Prize and Category Awards were given to restaurants that have promoted particularly sustainable practices and received high ratings in the three guiding principles of “Procurement, Society, and Environment”. In addition, special awards (recycling and fair trade) were given by SRA-J partners, for a total of six awards.
SRA-Japan is the Japanese branch of the “Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA)”, an organization established in the UK in 2010 with the aim of realizing a sustainable food cycle. It contributes to the creation of a sustainable food system by supporting the realization of a sustainable food system and measuring the sustainability of “food” with comprehensive indicators. SRA-Japan rating index is also used as an evaluation indicator for “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants,” known as the food academy awards, and is highly recognized worldwide.
In this column, we will report on the award-winning restaurants, their reasons for receiving the awards, their comments, and the scene at the event.
［Grand Prize] PIZZERIA GTALIA DA FlLIPPO
Sponsored by The Capitol Hotel Tokyu
The grand prize was awarded to PIZZERIA GTALIA DA FlLIPPO, a pizzeria in Nerima-ku, Tokyo. The pizzeria received high scores in each of the categories of “procurement,” “society,” and “environment,” and was especially praised for its advanced initiatives regarding employee work styles and systems for growth, which were described as “a model for other pizzerias to follow”.
The restaurant has been facing the essence of food by actively visiting farms that use natural farming methods and practicing farming themselves. It has also actively contributed to the revitalization of the local community by using its propagation power to involve others, such as by collaborating with welfare facilities and training future generations.
PIZZERIA GTALIA DA FlLIPPO Mr. Masakazu Iwasawa: “I would like to thank all the staff who could not attend today. We have all worked together on numerous initiatives that I cannot recall right now. Although we are in an industry where we have to chase numbers, we have focused on invisible assets rather than visible ones. First of all, each of our younger members has been thinking and struggling with the idea of “starting small and working hard. We believe that the concept of sustainability is essential to increase the value of Japanese restaurants and establish their social position. I would like to continue to work on spreading these ideas throughout the entire food and beverage industry, while gradually gathering more and more friends.”
Procurement Category [BEST Procurement Award] Wild Pizzeria SELVAGGIO
Wild Pizzeria SELVAGGIO focuses on communication with producers and fishermen in Ehime Prefecture, working closely with them to build a relationship of trust and procurement. At the company’s own farm, the staff grows vegetables naturally and without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. The restaurant was highly evaluated for its commitment to sustainability that goes beyond the framework of a restaurant, including its understanding of the difficulties of natural cultivation and its cooperation with the local community. The restaurant’s attitude of promoting “self-production for self-consumption” after local production for local consumption, and its provision of better meat that takes animal welfare into consideration were also points of evaluation.
Mr. Yudai Kitaku, Wild Pizzeria SELAVAGGIO “We were disappointed that we could not win an award last year and the year before, so we have been working on it every day for the past year with the thought, ‘This is the year! ‘ In running a restaurant in a community with a population of 270, we procure food directly from producers almost every day. I feel that this award was won together with the producers, rather than by the restaurant.”
Society Category [BEST Society Award] The Capitol Hotel Tokyu All-Day Dining “ORIGAMI”
“ORIGAMI” is an all-day dining restaurant located in “The Capitol Hotel Tokyu”. The working environment is well maintained and the training system is well developed in terms of “happy working conditions for employees,” which is a highly important evaluation point in the social sector. The chef and staff visit farms and fishing grounds, and other efforts are made to actively nurture the employees.
The company was also recognized for its strong leadership in strengthening the sustainability of its entire supply chain, including its efforts to educate customers about sustainability and its collaboration with other companies in the industry, taking advantage of the unique characteristics of its restaurant in a hotel.
The Capitol Hotel Tokyu All-Day Dining ORIGAMI Mr. Yoshihiro Sakuma “I really feel that I am working in a good place. Since joining the SRA last year, we have been looking for ways to address this issue not only in our restaurants but also in the hotel as a whole. We have continued to inform everyone in the company through in-house training, courses, and postings, and our activities have gradually spread. In particular, I think the ‘Sustainable Table,’ which we have held four times since last year, has been a guidepost for our efforts.”
[Related article] Final chapter of “Sustainable Table,” pioneering the future of the earth through food [Event Report].
[Related article] “Sustainable Table” Chapter 1: Pioneering the Future of the Earth through Food [Event Report].
Environmental Category [BEST Environmental Award] Trattoria qenaru
“Trattoria qenaru” is operated by “Saint Marc Innovations” which promotes the SDGs as a company of the Saint Marc Group, which operates more than 750 directly managed and franchised restaurants in Japan and abroad under numerous brands.This is the second consecutive year that Trattoria qenaru has received the BEST Environmental Award.
Located in Hiruzen, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, the restaurant also works with local farmers, agricultural cooperatives, and livestock farmers to boost local industry. In particular, its environmentally friendly initiatives, such as the conversion of food residues into fertilizer and animal feed, which it has been steadily building up over a long period of time, were highly evaluated, along with its highly complete report. The company has also proactively embarked on initiatives for which there are few examples worldwide, such as the calculation and analysis of carbon footprints, with a “let’s try it first” attitude.
Kenichi Eshita, St. Mark’s Innovations “I think the fact that everyone on the front line has a firm understanding of the company’s philosophy and the commitment that the restaurant should have, and operates it on a daily basis, is what led to this award. I am truly grateful. Since receiving the award last year, we have seen an increase in the number of visitors from SDGs tours. It has also led to new opportunities, such as co-creation with local hotels and Maniwa City.”
Special Prize [BEST Recycling Award] Atsugi Area
Fico Dindia / Italian Bar Dari
The BEST Recycle Award honors restaurants that have achieved particular success in the “Food Made Good Paper Carton 50 Action,” a project to expand paper carton recycling from restaurants that took place from July 31 to August 30, 2023, on an area-by-area basis.
In the “Atsugi area”, which received this year’s award, in addition to restaurants, commercial facilities and children’s associations, the community was involved in educational activities that will lead to the future.
Takuhiro Yokoi, Ficordindia, Atsugi Area “We started by putting the importance of this action to ourselves. In the future, we would like to address the issue of how to involve restaurants in the area.”
Special Prize [BEST Fair Trade Award] haishop cafe Shibuya Scramble Square
The BEST Fair Trade Award recognizes the member restaurants that participated in “the Fair Trade Million Action Campaign” during Fair Trade Month in May 2023 and made particularly outstanding efforts among those that offered menus featuring Fair Trade products.
In cooperation with the Fair Trade Month campaign, “haishop cafe Shibuya Scramble Square”, a sustainable cafe operated by “innovation design Inc.” The shop was highly evaluated for its efforts to go beyond the boundaries of a restaurant and help consumers think about issues through an enjoyable experience.
Hideaki Omote of inovation design Inc. said, “I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the members who promoted the campaign and to everyone who cooperated with us. I believe this is the result of everyone’s efforts to communicate to each and every customer ‘the social issues that lie behind the coffee and tea we usually enjoy as a moment of relaxation.'”
Fine bone china award plate
Also presented to each winner was an award plate by “Nikko Company”, a long-established manufacturer of tableware established in 1908. The original plates, carefully made one by one at the company’s factory in Ishikawa Prefecture for the FOOD MADE GOOD Japan Awards, are made of fine bone china, a high-grade porcelain. The company is promoting various initiatives in line with the principles of the circular economy, including the development and production of “BONEARTH,” a sustainable fertilizer, by recycling fine bone china out-of-spec products that are generated in the production process at the factory.
“Sustainability” is also the theme of the food at the venue.
The theme of this year’s awards was “Sustainability,” and the venue, The Capitol Hotel Tokyu, provided a buffet of light hors d’oeuvres-centered meals and sweets.
The menu featured environmentally and socially conscious ingredients, including “Veggie Soboro and Micro Leaf Vegetable Garden Style with BONEARTH Vegetables” by Executive Chef Sogabe of The Capitol Hotel Tokyu, “Veggie Meat and Ayame Turnip Mini Burger” using plant-based foods, and “Sustainable Certified The sustainable items included “Smoked Salmon and Red Cabbage Bamboo Charcoal Sandwich” made with seafood.
Participants were “amazed at the diversity of flavors and ingredients used in each dish, which were both sustainable and truly delicious.” Each menu item had its own story, and conversations naturally started even with people I had never met before, such as, “This ingredient is very unusual,” or “Have you tried this dessert yet? The conversation was very natural. It seemed that each participant was able to experience sustainability while having fun.
The winners of this year’s awards were impressive not only for their own efforts, but also for their ingenuity in expanding their activities by involving others, and as role models in passing on their know-how and fostering their successors. We can look forward to more activities by SRA-Japan member restaurants as leaders in food sustainability in the future.
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