The prospect of turning a high-volume, professional kitchen in to a “green” environment can seem daunting – it must function just as seamlessly and efficiently as would a traditional environment but in reality, there are few tips we would like to share that can help. It really doesn’t take tons of drastic changes to make a kitchen more eco-efficient.

Cleaning Products:
Use high concentrates to eliminate up to 70% of packaging waste. Convert to Hands Free Towel Systems. You'll save on paper and reduce usage and waste by 35%. Utilize Foam Soaps vs. Liquid Soaps and decrease usage up to 30%.

Waste Disposal: Heightened awareness of how you use your resources and dispose of your waste is this first step towards a greener kitchen. You don’t have to invest lots of time, money, and energy to make your kitchen more sustainable – just a few minor adjustments can help to improve your restaurant or cafeteria’s s relationship with the environment.


Recycle cooking oil to use for biofuel: It used to be somewhat difficult to find companies specializing in cooking oil removal services, but as the bio-fuel movement has picked up steam in the past few years, cooking oil recycling has become much easier and more efficient. It’s a really easy process. We pay them to pick it up and they recycle it for you. Make sure to research your biofuel company before you decide to engage their services.


Source local, organic ingredients: A most important step in maintaining a sustainable kitchen means ordering close to home which means your food travels a minimal distance. Many chefs don’t consider the fact that exporting food long distances via plane or cars uses a great deal of fossil fuels and requires more elaborate, excessive packaging. Be wary of the term ‘organic,’ especially in the context of large, multi-product farms. “A lot of attention has been brought to the fact that organic and sustainable products don’t necessarily go hand in hand. Just because a farm claims to be organic doesn’t mean they’re not engaged in environmentally harmful practices.” Sticking exclusively to local ingredients is, at times, conceptually limiting, but  the benefits of unparalleled freshness and knowledge of the product’s source far outweigh the creative costs.


Cut down on non-recyclable shipping materials: Even the most perishable products tend to have superfluous packing materials. Use the absolute bare minimum shipping materials when sending products Styrofoam popcorn and packaging be used under no circumstances.


Don't throw away anything you don't have to: Slightly damaged utensils and furniture are most often left for dead in the restaurant industry. A lot of the time, those things are completely repairable if you just put in a little time and energy. “You end up saving money, and avoid dumping spatulas and blenders that will sit in a landfill for the next 100 years.” The restaurant business often puts a premium of having the newest, best products. Not everything has to be the newest of the new. With a little extra effort, furnishings and decoration can be used and with a facelift, can look great.


Use nontoxic cleaning products and pesticides whenever possible: The market for non-toxic cleaning products and pesticides is constantly growing, and products are becoming more available and affordable to fit consumer demands. It just takes a little research to see which products best suit your restaurant’s needs.

Compost garbage: Even in  a high-volume establishment,  you can operate with one garbage can for all food based, non-recyclable trash, and then deposit it all in a compost heap. “Having one garbage can is a constant reminder that metal and plastic should be kept separate. It raises recycling awareness and composting is a great way to utilize waste.


Choose your paper and plastic products carefully: Make a real effort to use biodegradable plastic and paper products that are untreated by bleach and harsh chemicals. You can integrate  to-go containers made from biodegradable brown plastic,  straws that are compostable, and also print  menus on high-quality recycled paper. When the menus are worn out, use them  for coasters or underlining. Eliminate the use of plastic water bottles by serving  filtered water in glass carafes.


Be aware of your cooking materials: Wood burning stoves are a much cleaner and more energy-efficient alternative to gas. Try almond wood instead of the more traditional mesquite because it grows faster and burns cleaner.


Cut down on linens: Linen tablecloths and napkins require a great deal of harmful chemical cleaners, bleaches, starches and presses. Tabletops can be covered in recycled paper or left bare and soft towels that require no starch are used for napkins.

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