Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, sustainability and the reduction of food waste were burning issues at the top of many agendas in the foodservice and hospitality sector. A new podcast series, FCSI’s Sustainability Lowdown, will explore whether this position has changed, if at all, since the pandemic and how much sustainability and food waste programmes have been impacted.
In episode one, Paul Montegut FCSI, associate consultant of Restauration Conseil, chair of FCSI France and vice-chair of FCSI EAME, speaks to Michael Jones about how he views sustainability from a design perspective and how he believes the global crisis will affect operators’ desires to reduce food waste.
You can hear the episode, below:
https://soundcloud.com/sustainability-lowdown/ep1-paul-montegut-fcsi
Accelerating sustainability
“Sustainability is very important for everybody these days,” says Montegut. “Kitchens use a lot of power: electricity, gas, air exhaust and energy. But it matters in our business because it matters everywhere. No industry today can avoid being involved in sustainability issues.”
Montegut believes that, despite the debilitating effects of Covid-19 on the foodservice sector, conversely it has actually helped sustainability initiatives. “The pandemic is very good for sustainability. People are having to change their ways of life. The new life we have to lead is completely linked to sustainability. The pandemic will accelerate the sustainability issue.”
On the subject of food waste, Montegut believes much is still to be done, even in France where strict laws already mandate how food waste is managed and treated. “‘Only 30% of food grown in the fields ends up on the plate of the consumer. The rest is thrown away at various stages. It’s an important issue.”
For Montegut, food waste and indeed sustainability solutions in general, must both “reduce costs for the operator and be good for the planet. You have to have the two arguments: money and the planet.”
Further details:
The FCSI EAME Conference is in Chantilly, France, on 15-18 April 2021. For more information, please contact Elonique Dalhuisen.
This podcast series is supported by Meiko. Next month, Meiko will publish its Designed With Waste in Mind report. Any responsible business will have waste high on the list of issues that need addressing for three reasons. It is the right thing to do to minimise resource use for future generations, customers demand it and it makes good business sense. The actions, tips and best practice outlined in this report should dramatically reduce your waste output whilst adding a healthy boost to your bottom line. It is time to take another look at the catering environment to ensure your kitchen is designed with waste in mind.
For more information please visit the Meiko website at meiko-global.com.
More podcasts:
Two seasons of FCSI’s Dynamic Design audio podcast series and season one of FCSI’s Future Customer series are available to listen on Podbean.
