The S Word

Sustainability is not just an industry trend or a buzzword, and the owners of four establishments share how they reach that urgent balance between economic growth, environmental care and social well-being 

- Angelo Comsti

Named after an ecosystem teeming with biodiversity and endemism, Fyn Restaurant in Cape Town, South Africa, is very organised when sourcing its ingredients. Their wagyu comes from a local supplier named Cape Wagyu, where cattle are pasture-reared and roam freely. Likewise, their pork is sourced from pigs allowed to wander across vast areas and are hormone- and medicine-free. Yellow-fin tuna is culled seasonally from reputable South African flagged vessels using viable, green methods with no bycatch. And their vegetables come from a farm that practises ecological conservation and regeneration. This is a very conscious effort to provide beyond just good food.

But their commitment to sustainability doesn’t end there. They also work with youth with disadvantaged backgrounds by providing them with the necessary skills to become chefs and exhaust efforts to conserve and manage water, especially since they’re located in an area where the commodity is scarce. 

The restaurant has raised the stakes on its noble ethos—and many players, thanks to their noble examples, are following suit.

CALL TO ARMS

It’s not that easy, though, especially for a country like Singapore, where natural resources are limited and the agricultural landscape is sparse. Nevertheless, as Labyrinth Restaurant and Native Bar have proven, it’s not impossible.