FISH AND CHIP SHOPS NAMED SCOTTISH AND WELSH SUSTAINABLE RESTAURANTS OF THE YEAR

Two fish and chip shops have won the awards for Scottish and Welsh Sustainable Restaurants of the Year, helping fast food outlets make a strong showing at the Sustainable Restaurant Awards.

The Bay Fish and Chips, in Stonehaven, won the Scottish award, sponsored by W Denis Insurance Brokers, two weeks after being named National Fish and Chip Shop of the Year. Enochs, in Llandudno, won the Welsh award, sponsored by EcoPure Water. Both were presented with their awards by Raymond Blanc OBE, President of the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA), which organised the event, in association with Unilever Food Solutions. 

Mark Linehan, Managing Director of the SRA, said: “The Bay and Enochs both exemplify the SRA’s firm belief that restaurants of all types can and should operate responsibly, because it’s the right thing to do for business, for customer and for the planet. These awards are recognition of the wholehearted commitment both restaurants have demonstrated to do just that.”

The SRA judges were particularly impressed with The Bay’s sourcing policy, which saw it become the first UK chippy to be granted MSC chain of custody for its North Sea haddock and ensures all its beef, poultry and pork comes from local ethical suppliers. The Bay was equally impressive in its attention to the environment – recycling almost everything and initiating a full audit of its carbon footprint. The restaurant is also heavily involved in supporting local and national charities.

Enochs has led the way in terms of serving responsibly sourced and sustainable fish in Wales and the UK, recently attaining MSC certification for its cod and the owners and staff actively promote the importance of sustainably sourced fish. Half of Enochs’ energy comes from renewable sources.  

The SRA presented 15 awards in total at the event at OXO2 in London, where guests enjoyed lunch prepared by Raymond Blanc and two of his former pupils Bruno Loubet and Agnar Sverrisson.

The Sustainable Restaurant of the Year award was won by cafe-ODE, a beachside restaurant in Devon, that opened nine months ago with the express intention of being the UK’s most sustainable restaurant. 

Sheila Dillon, presenter of the BBC’s Food Programme was recognised for her unstinting efforts to champion responsible food production and sourcing. She was presented with the Raymond Blanc Sustainability Hero Award. 

Other winners includes an international hotel chain, a fashionable rooftop London restaurant, a south coast pub and a Mexican and a Japanese restaurant group, demonstrating that restaurateurs and chefs across the spectrum are responding to consumers’ preference for sustainable dining.

The Bay and Enochs won their awards by performing best in the SRA’s Sustainability Rating which assesses a restaurant’s credentials in three main areas – Sourcing, Environment and Society.

Marriott Hotels International, with 58 sites across the UK, have been named as Sustainable Large Restaurant Group of the Year.

Most Sustainable Small Restaurant Group of the Year, Wahaca, co-owned by former Masterchef winner Thomasina Miers, repeated its success of 2012.

The other regional award went to Friends House, on Euston Road, which was named London Sustainable Restaurant of the Year.

The award for the Most Improved Restaurant was won by Babylon in London. Over the last 12 it transformed itself from a One Star to a Three Star SRA rated restaurant. 

Dixcart Bay Hotel, on the island of Sark, received the award for Sustainable Hotel Restaurant of the Year and Preston Park Tavern in Brighton was named Sustainable Pub of the Year.

Awards representing the SRA’s three main pillars of sustainability, Sourcing, Society and Environment were won by River Cottage, Devon, Cafe St Honoré, Edinburgh and Poco, in Bristol which also won the award for the Best Food Waste Strategy.

Feng Sushi, the small group of Japanese restaurants in London, picked up the Innovation award. The judges applauded the group’s commitment to work with UK producers to grow vegetables traditionally sourced from overseas as well as effectively ensuring a reliable supply of sustainable, seasonal fish.

This is the second year of the awards and to reflect the SRA’s growth there are eight new categories in 2013. 

The awards in full:Sustainable Restaurant of the Year:  Cafe-ODE, Devon
Sponsor: Southbank Fresh Fish Sustainable Small Restaurant Group of the Year: Wahaca, nine sites in London
Sponsor: Specialist Waste Recycling (SWR) Sustainable Large Restaurant Group of the Year:  Marriott Hotels International
Sponsor: Chapman Ventilation Sustainable Pub of the Year NEW:  Preston Park Tavern, Brighton
Sponsor: Element 29 Sustainable Hotel Restaurant of the Year NEW:  Dixcart Bay Hotel, Sark
Sponsor: Foodspeed Scottish Sustainable Restaurant of the Year NEW:  The Bay Fish and Chips, Stonehaven
Sponsor: W Denis Insurance Brokers Welsh Sustainable Restaurant of the Year NEW:  Enochs, Llandudno
Sponsor: EcoPure Water London Sustainable Restaurant of the Year NEW: Friends House, Euston Road
Sponsor: Paper Round SRA Award for Sourcing: River Cottage, Devon
Sponsor: Reynolds  SRA Award for Society: Cafe St Honoré, Edinburgh
Sponsor: Steelite International SRA Award for Environment: Poco, Bristol
Sponsor: London Linen Group SRA Award for Most Improved Restaurant NEW: Babylon, London
Sponsor: Raimat Best Food Waste Strategy: Poco, Bristol
Sponsor: Unilever Food Solutions                                                            Sustainable Innovation Award: Feng Sushi, Eight sites across London
Sponsor: Eureka Executive Raymond Blanc Sustainability Hero: Sheila Dillon