In a world full of trends and fads, restaurant sustainability has emerged as the latest buzzword when it comes to hospitality. What makes it different from other prevalent practices is the purpose that it serves. It aims at promoting environmental conservation through the one thing people love the most – food.
However, adopting sustainable practices at restaurants can become quite baffling if you don’t know where to start. We sought guidance from Delhi-based restaurateur Navneet Kalra, owner of Khan Chacha restaurants. Here are the top 5 tips through which any restaurant can adopt sustainability without disturbing its existing operations.
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Reduce your energy consumption
One of the quickest and most hassle-free way to adopt sustainability at your restaurant is by being mindful of your energy consumptions. A great way to do this is installing LED lighting which is brighter and more energy efficient than others. You can also make a switch to appliances having a better Energy Star rating.
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Develop a recycling program
According to Navneet Kalra, developing and implementing a recycling plan for your restaurant is another easy way in which your restaurant can take a step towards sustainability. The Khan Chacha owner suggests a five-point plan which can be adopted for ensuring better recycling practices at your restaurant:
- Using proper signage to demarcate recyclable items and help customers and employees identify them
- Ensuring that your recycling signage comes in languages that your employees and customers understand
- Placing the recycling signage at eye level at places where they are easily visible, such as near the recycling bins
- Following colour code to separate recyclable and non-recyclable items to make the message loud and clear
- Using packaging made of materials which can be recycled by your local recycler
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Conserving water
Water is an important component of restaurant operations. From cooking to cleaning and more, the importance of water cannot be overemphasized. Therefore, it becomes essential to pay attention towards your water usage and start investing in measures that help your restaurant conserve water.
According to Navneet Kalra, installing high-efficiency pre-rinse spray valves is a great way to do this. The newer models of pre-rinse sprays use reduced amounts of water, which can help your restaurant save several litres of water every single day. In the longer run, the installation also helps you save money on your water bills.