In just a week’s time, the Michelin Guide will unveil the new list of Michelin starred restaurants in France. It will also recognize restauranteurs who actively work to reduce their environmental impact with a Michelin Green Star. Here’s a closer look at some of the eco-friendly initiatives implemented by chefs in France.
Low-energy LEDs in the kitchen and night cooking
At La Botte d’Asperges, in France’s Loir-et-Cher region, chef Stéphane Bureau has redesigned the kitchens to further his commitment to the environment. The chef installed LED lighting at the stove tops to reduce unnecessary packaging and travel. Chef Bureau also has a nighttime cooking system that reduces energy consumption during the day. This less-energy-intensive solution is great for slow-cooked dishes.
Raw and low-temperature cooking
At Château Malromé in the Bordeaux region — where painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was once a frequent visitor — chef Sébastien Piniello, who helms two new restaurants, has decided to cook raw, or at least to cook vegetables at a lower temperature, not exceeding 83°C. This preserves nutrients and does not consume too much energy.
Chickenkeeping
At Les Flocons de Sel in Megève, triple-starred chef Emmanuel Renaut has set up a hen house where nearly 50 hens are grain-fed. The birds are able to roam freely and enjoy the whole field. The hotel-restaurant has its own egg production, which is used for breakfast and in pastries, cakes, etc.
Dehydrating and composting organic material
If he draws on Japanese flavours for his dishes, chef Julien Lemarié works with ingredients produced less than a hundred kilometres from his two Rennes restaurants, Ima and Imayoko. The chef — holder of a Michelin Green Star since last year — buys animals whole and shares the carcasses with other chefs in the Brittany region, and he doesn’t throw anything away, since he prepares sauces and broths with the trimmings and scraps. Other waste is dried and made into compost before being given to farmers for fertilisation. In Chambéry, at the Château de Candie, compost is also prepared with organic waste resulting from the preparation of dishes. This is then used by the chef to plant a vegetable garden on the castle grounds.
More eco-friendly tableware
Back in Rennes, chef Julien Lemarié of the restaurant Ima, is serving up environmental commitment in the eatery’s choice of tableware. Cyril Dennery’s enamels, which are made from oyster powder and shells, were his choices. Further south, in Les Baux-de-Provence, the famous three-starred restaurant L’Oustau de Baumanière draws on the expertise of local craftspeople. The glasses are made by glass blowers from Cristallerie d’Art in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, while the ceramist Cécile Cayrol makes the crockery. Some of her creations can be found in the hotel’s boutique.
Use beeswax wrap to preserve food
In Isère, chef Christophe Aribert — who lends his name to his eponymous two-starred gastronomic restaurant — has totally banned the presence of plastic from his establishment. The restaurateur uses beeswax wrap or glass jars to preserve food. Michelin has awarded him the Green Star in recognition of his commitment to environmental preservation.
This story is published by AFP Relaxnews.