Some goings on!
Posted: February 20, 2012 Filed under: The Project Team Leave a comment »We are well into the winter semester here at the University of Guelph. Once again we are measuring plate waste at PJ’s as well as running some other exciting projects. Professor Bahram Gharabagi has a group from his 3rd year engineering class studying what it would cost to overhaul PJ’s kitchen equipment to ‘state of the art’ Energy Star products. They are also studying ways to maximize cooking efficiency and researching more advanced HVAC options for the restaurant. Stay tuned to read the results of their efforts!
We also have a fourth year student, Nicole Greer replicating a study conducted by the MIT Sloan School of Business. Their research entitled ”First look: The second annual sustainability and innovation survey” is considered benchmark work in measuring organizational efforts in regards to sustainable practices. Unfortunately, the research that MIT Sloan has conducted does not take into account the multi-billion dollar industry that is food-service? Nicole is going to measure and compare a response to the questions posed by the MIT/Sloan study in a Canadian Food-service context. The data she gathers should provide some insight into how our industry in responding to a rapidly changing business landscape! Stay tuned to find out the results of that research as well!
The word Sustainable…..
Posted: January 30, 2012 Filed under: The Project Team Leave a comment »
http://xkcd.com/1007/
Pj’s 2.0
Posted: January 30, 2012 Filed under: The Project Team Leave a comment »When this project started back in May 2011, I sat down and read a stack of cases from Bruce’s 4190 Operations Planning course. The cases were all focused on pj’s restaurant and the restaurant operations course. The cases provided analysis of the operation and gave recommendations of future ideas and changes that could be implemented to the establishment, the course, and the operation as a whole. When reading the cases I made and created quite the list of ideas that the 4th year students came up with. I also added my own ideas and thoughts to this list and it turned out there were at least 3 pages long of ideas about pj’s for the future!
Since May there has been a ton of new changes to the course and the establishment. If you knew pj’s before this 2011/2012 school year you would see that small and large effective changes have been made! I took the restaurant operations course in the fall of 2010, as well as the advanced restaurant operations course in winter 2011 and I am happy that I have been involved and surrounded by change and was given the opportunity to see them play out first hand.
Let’s start at the beginning with one of the major curriculum changes that was organized through out the summer, the incorporation of nutritional software to calculate good/bad fats, sodium and calories. In the fall the students were responsible for calculating their special menu items nutritional content. They had the choice to incorporate it on their menu alongside the rest of pj’standard menu items nutritional content printed on the menu for the guests to read. This new curriculum will be reoccurring this semester and will remain a staple now within the course. This major change has been so important for the course and for our students to understand the importance of nutritional content in menu engineering.
Next we have the new washer and dryer at pj’s. Faculty members at the University of Guelph, did their research and saw the return that a washer and dryer would give the school instead of renting linens every week. The cost of renting linens is very expensive to maintain each week and washing pj’s own linens would reduce the cost of renting and achieve the goal of not having to rent linens at all. Not renting linens also means a delivery truck does not have to make its way to pi’s every week which is a big green house gas savings! Pj’s has now purchased linens for both restaurant operations and advanced restaurant operations classes. Also purchased for the restaurant is 100% recycled paper, a very green option, to put on the tops of the tables during lunch service to reduce the amount of tablecloths that have to go through the wash. Before linen napkins were purchased for the restaurant, paper napkins were used that were made of biodegradable materials but were bleached to achieve the white colour, information that was researched. Purchasing the linens was the new green option, providing no waste to landfill and an environmentally friendly and cost-effective route.
Now served at pj’s is fair-trade shade grown coffee supplied by a local roasting company, Planet Bean who are known for their commitment to both environmental and social sustainability, http://www.planetbeancoffee.com/. After the coffee is brewed the grounds are collected from the coffee and composted after service. More local products have been purchased at pj’s like local beer and wine, and some local produce that is incorporated into the student’s menus when possible, like in the advanced restaurant operations class. Last year it started where us students needed to use a local item and incorporate it into one of our dishes. My partner and I choose local mushrooms from Guelph, which we exposed to our guests and provided awareness of local products that they may not have known before. Not only are local products used but also there is now a permanent menu with daily specials that the students create. A standard menu was created and is re-used each service with the addition of the specials on each table. This has reduced waste from when there was a different menu everyday. New changes to the menu this semester is that the standard menu items have gone down in cost due to a new combo option. Pj’s has created 4 sides available to accompany any of the entrees for a combo price and reduced the prices of the individual entrees on their own. This new menu helps reduce waste that goes from uneaten food, controls and reduces food costs and helps with the control of portion sizes. If there is food to be taken home though, there is the option of recyclable take-out containers instead of Styrofoam that were purchased this summer and given out by request. Just from my own personal knowledge, as a student who eats on campus frequently, pj’s is now one of the most cost friendly places to eat on campus serving up high quality and delicious food!
On top of these major changes from this past semester pj’s acquired a new dishwasher, took part in a water audit, eliminated bottled water for 4 semesters now, stopped providing straws with beverages, is inquiring into more energy-efficient equipment, uses natural day-light during lunch service instead of the lights when possible and is continuously used as multi-use space on the regular!
Pj’s new look is worn well and with pride! It’s not going to stop here though, be prepared to see more change and growth this semester. For instance the students will be working on a life cycle analysis (LCA) this semester for components in their standard menu items. The students will have to pick a protein, vegetable, grain or dairy product that is incorporated in their menu item and complete a LCA for 2 of the items by looking at production, processing, distribution, retail, cooking, consumption, and post consumption. Look here to learn more about it in the near future.
Weighing in on Wine… Is your bottle too heavy?
Posted: January 26, 2012 Filed under: A Day in the LIfe..., What We Find Interesting... Leave a comment »Part 2 to “Is that a ‘Green’ Grape”, HTM Student Katherine Peloso talks about another way wineries can move towards a more sustainable future.
For centuries wine has been viewed as a prestigious drink for the “hoity toity” aristocrats–the good stuff any way–and high quality wineries have insisted on bottling their wines in heavier, more substantial bottles. Why? For better potential storing, ageing and overall quality of the wine? Perhaps, but times are changing. Studies now show that the weight of the wine bottle has nothing to do with these factors, but is merely an added feature designed to attribute some form of false value to the wine itself. Nowadays, it’s more difficult to find someone who doesn’t enjoy drinking wine, and to be honest, the vast majority of these consumers will tell you that it’s what’s inside the bottle that really counts!
Heavy wine bottles are guilty for many reasons: they contribute to increased transportation costs, more waste to be recycled, higher manufacturing costs, and increased carbon dioxide emissions. In New Zealand, just the glass of the wine bottle makes up over 40% of its “life cycle carbon footprint”, which includes manufacturing, production, bottling, shipping and consuming. The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) in the UK, states that the average wine bottle weighs approximately 500g, with a total range between 300g and 900g. According to a bottle manufacturer in the UK, for each gram of glass bottle produced, about 0.6g of CO2 is emitted. This means that if an empty wine bottle weighs about 550g, 330g of CO2 will be generated for each glass wine bottle manufactured. http://www.thirtyfifty.co.uk/spotlight-environment-and-wine.asp
However there are small but significant changes being made. For instance, this past summer in Ontario, the Liquor Control Board (LCBO) stated that by January 1st 2013, they will no longer stock wine bottles over 420g for wines that are $15 and under. Although the weight alteration is quite minimal per bottle, going any lighter could easily increase damage and breakage costs for wineries. This 16% difference will not only influence the Ontario wineries that distribute to the LCBO, but all the international wineries that ship to Ontario that will now need to alter their bottle weights! Don’t you just love it when the government makes a stand on sustainable issues! Come 2013, we might actually see some noticeable progress!
For more information check out:
http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/528474/ontario-sets-maximum-bottle-weight-limit
http://ethicalwine.com/packaging
“Is that a ‘Green’ Grape?
Posted: January 19, 2012 Filed under: A Day in the LIfe..., Recent Posts 2 Comments »Katherine Peloso, a 5th Year Hospitality and Tourism Co-op Student at the University of Guelph, talks about her introduction to sustainable wine making.
“Is that a ‘Green’ Grape?
Yes it is, and it’s no secret! “Green” initiatives such as organic and biodynamic farming, waste management, and pollution reduction, are recently becoming more and more popular in the wine-making industry. Just like any farm that produces food, vineyards rely on the earth and it’s nutrients to grow the best possible crop. When potentially harmful chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers get in the way, the vines no longer have the ability to produce the best possible grapes representative of that terroir. According to those that practise organic and biodynamic farming, the soil becomes less nutritious over time, depleting the living source for the next generation. Food farmers have the ability to rotate their crops (grow different foods in different areas to preserve certain nutrients in the soil), however vines are not replanted each year; they grow in the same soil and rock bed over their entire life. The introductions of Organic and Biodynamic farming practises have made certain aspects of the food industry more environmentally sustainable. They have improved soil conditions, reduced carbon emissions, and increased water and energy conservation, while also changing how consumers think about and purchase food. The wine industry has recently begun to promote a more environmentally sustainable business, and as the initiatives continue to develop, the industry hopes that these adjustments will become more widely accepted by consumers. Monty Waldin is a European wine journalist and consultant who supports biodynamic winemaking around the world. He explains that biodynamic growing practices have been around since the very beginning of wine making: “It’s easier done than most people think” he says, and it’s truly the only way the industry can be sustained for generations to come. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=forejgHXqD4
As sustainable wine making becomes more prevalent in the industry, wineries are beginning to convert their operations into more sustainable establishments by introducing new environmentally friendly practices.
WHO IS SUPPRTING SUSTAINABLE VITICULTRE?
Check out these Wineries and support the sustainability movement by trying some of their wines!
- Stratus Winery in Niagara, Ontario is the first LEED certified winery in all of North America http://www.stratuswines.com/index/page/name/sustainability
LEED: http://www.greenbuildingawards.ca/sustainability-commitments/
- Tawse Winery, Niagara, Ontario http://www.tawsewinery.ca/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.display&page_id=52
- Parducci wines by Mendocino Wine Co. in California is 100% carbon neutral http://www.mendocinowineco.com
- Frog’s Leap Winery, Napa Valley, California http://www.frogsleap.com/flash/intro.html
- Sokol Blosser, Oregon http://sokolblosser.com/about/sustainability.html
HOW ARE THEY DOING IT?
Through initiatives such as:
- The Ontario Wine industry- “Sustainable Winemaking Ontario: An Environmental Charter for the Wine Industry” was launched in 2007 and is the industries proactive plan to promote sustainable winemaking practices. The document is a reference tool with links to provincial, regional, and municipal governments and organizations regarding permits, legal requirements and other environmental guidelines for wine-producing operations. http://wine.uab.cat/Ponencies%20i%20comunicacions/25%20P%20Giesbrecht.pdf
- “LIVE”- Low Input Viticulture and Enology Inc. http://liveinc.org/about “A non-profit organization providing education and independent 3rd-party certification for vineyards and wineries using international standards of sustainable viticulture and enology practices in wine-grape and wine production.”
- “LEED”- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1988 Created by the U.S. Green building Code, the program consists of a number of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of “green” buildings, homes, and neighbourhoods.
G2T & UGSRP Team Up for Food Bank Dinner
Posted: January 18, 2012 Filed under: The Project Team Leave a comment »
This past Sunday night, Garden2Table and UGSRP (University of Guelph Sustainable Restaurant Project) played host to the OAFB (Ontario Association of Food Banks) for their AGM dinner. The Food Banks of Ontario are undergoing some strategic planning which includes introducing more fresh food and providing marginalized families with real food choices. With this in mind, G2T and UGSRP members Sam Prentice, Lisa Hanlon, Hannah Douglas and Bruce McAdams prepared dishes from GCUOF produce, repurposed and non-perishable foods. The dinner, consisted of a turnip and leek soup, chick pea and roasted beet salad, Rowe Farm’s pork tenderloin and an apple flan, was a hit. The OAFB members, many of them Guelph grads, were further impressed with the Garden2Table and UGSRP projects. Thanks to all who made the dinner a success, and thank you OAFB for the important work you do!
–
Hannah McClenaghan
Communications Manager, G2T
b-school to d-school…
Posted: December 3, 2011 Filed under: A Day in the LIfe..., Recent Posts 1 Comment »Jordan Evans, a recent graduate from the Hospitality and Tourism Management Program at the University of Guelph, talks about his experience graduating from a ‘business school’ then moving on to study at ‘design school’. Moving from studying hospitality and tourism to interior design may sound quite opposite but Jordan proves there are many links and similarities you may have not previously considered.
By Jordan Evans
I think it was in third year when I realized that my career post-‘HAFA’ (Guelph’s slang for a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Hotel and Food Administration) would be a little skewed from the norm. This was a hard pill to swallow, as I always knew I wanted to be a businessman. It was then I identified what my new path would be: interior design (I was the guy constantly changing his furniture in his room as a child), and there was only one place I wanted to go. Ryerson’s School of Interior Design is among the best interior design programs globally, and it was my dream to study there. I spent forth year juggling my U of G classes, while attending art school in Toronto trying to develop some semblance of a portfolio. One interview, a portfolio review, an essay and drawing test later, I was accepted! I still don’t know how…
When I saw the UGSRP blog, I thought it was a really exciting project, and thought I could share some of my learning’s with regards to sustainability. I don’t think a day goes by where my classes don’t touch on the subject, as it is one of, if not the most, important topic in the design of built environments today. The sad reality is that the design/construction industry produces 50% of the waste in the world. That’s a terrifying statistic. Gone are the days of simply having a space demolished to build a new restaurant and sending the former structure to the landfill. It really is about responsibly disposing of things no longer in use. Our first project this semester was to dismantle and responsibly dispose of a previous years detail model. It involved researching where each material component would go, and the most sustainable method of disposal/reuse. Thankfully we have organizations such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) who champion green design and green performance within the built environment. Foodservice design needs not to simply adhere to a desired aesthetic, but needs to improve water efficiency, lower energy usage, decrease emissions and incorporate environmental sensibilities.
Jordan with one of his first design projects at Ryerson University's School of Interior Design
I have gone to a number of lectures regarding the built environment, and it is great to hear the buy-in from businesses with regards to sustainable design. I recently went to a talk by Gregg Pasquarelli of SHoP Architects in New York, who said that when working on a headquarters for a large organization, the management explained to him that unless his design adhered to LEED Platinum (the highest ranking), he would have failed. The organization wanted their space to be far more advanced with regards to environmental stewardship. This is a really powerful message by an organization, and hopefully this is the attitude moving forward. Like systems thinking taught us, if we believe in sustainability, we need to imbed it into every aspect of our businesses and spaces.
It is has been quite the journey from b school to d school, but I couldn’t be happier. You really have to do what you believe in, and what you think will give your life the most meaning and value, whatever that may be for you. I think this is a great forum for sustainability dialogue, and if anyone has any questions about design school or anything really, send me an email: jordan.evans@ryerson.ca
Jordan's way of incorporating his love for food & drink with design - designing his own kitchen utensil, a citrus juicer!
Low hanging fruit…..and plastic?
Posted: November 14, 2011 Filed under: The Project Team Leave a comment »Perhaps it is my increased sensitivity to restaurant waste but I have noticed a worrisome trend happening. Restaurant servers seem to feel they are providing better service to me by placing straws and lemons in my glass when I ask for tap water. In fact a recent trip to one of my favorite cafe’s found the server bringing water with a straw and lemon wedge without me even asking for it.
Once produced and shipped to us, plastic straws are with us for 600 years and even though many restaurants have started using recyclable offerings, these in fact have to find their way back to recycling facilities to have any benefit over non-recyclable and this is not often the case. Consuming lemons on the other hand is a more obvious hit on our environment, especially when they are shipped 2000 km from the citrus belt to southwestern Ontario. As well as the environmental outcomes there is also a business case for stopping this practice of ‘over accerizing”of tap water. Although a straw only costs a penny and an eighth of a lemon roughly a nickel, six cents per guest at a time when operators are being squeezed by increasing food, labour and utility prices is a considerable amount. Some quick math shows that if you can stop this from happening at your operation 500 times a week you can incur a cost savings of over $1500 a year. The question of whether or not to use straws at all has been an increasingly discussed question amongst food-service operators . There is in fact a movement called ‘Be Straw Free” that has been gaining some serious momentum the past year from restaurateurs who have joined their ranks. http://bestrawfree.org/Home.html One operator who owned three restaurants calculated his straw usage at 180,000 in a year. Listen to his case for change in the following clip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA4-8rxztXc&feature=player_embedded
Straws and lemons are only a symptom of a bigger issue. Waste in general has become an acceptable consequence of doing business, as long as we build the cost of such waste into the price of our product. The answer, we not only have to stop serving straws and lemons with our glasses of tap water, we have to re-engineer the behaviour of our staff and management to be looking at areas of waste in our operations. Eliminating waste can help us provide more value to our customers in the form of lower pricing. For a more positive example of the use of plastic straws check out this website. http://www.strawbags.org/
Be sure to mention ‘no straw’ next time you order a soft drink or water at your local restaurant!
Bruce
Plate Waste Update
Posted: November 3, 2011 Filed under: New Findings Leave a comment »We’re about 3 weeks into the plate waste project. I thought I would give a bit of an update from my perspective.
First I’d like to thank Simon, Emma and the classes who have tolerated and helped us as we collect the waste and weigh specials before they go out.
The high level result is that we are seeing an average of about 12% of the food coming back. That’s right about what the average is according to other work so not a big surprise. It is interesting that we’ve gone from a low of about 6% to a high of 19% so there is considerable variability. I think that variability comes from a couple of sources.
1 – Every day is different and customers are different. You expect some variability.
2 – The specials vary by day and that can contribute to differences. I think this was a factor on a couple of days but is probably smaller than we think.
3 – Waste isn’t consistent by menu item or by customer. Its clear we would expect some items to generate more waste than others. I think it happens for a couple of reasons. a – Size matters but probably less than I expected. The size of the portion will affect waste. That said, I’ve seen some huge servings on specials from which absolutely nothing came back. b- it varies by customer. Some items generate a bit of waste from everyone (garnishes for example) and some vary dramatically. There’s something to be learned there and its a focus of the detailed analysis we will do later.
Understanding the source of waste and doing some detective work as to what is causing that is part of the real value of this project. We are looking at the what contributes and why so that a strategic response can be developed. Its about improving the experience and reducing waste. PJ’s does a great job and we’re hoping to find some tweaks, implement them and measure the improvement.
I should add how cool it is to interact with the students during the process. We get a chance to talk to them about what we’re doing and why. They look at waste and add comments and perspective. Not just collecting data but generating discussion too.
Stay tuned!
Sustainability in Canadian Foodservice Panel Discussion is finally here!
Posted: October 24, 2011 Filed under: Recent Posts Leave a comment »UGSRP is proud to host it’s first National Panel Discussion on Sustainability in Canadian Foodservice this Wednesday, October 26th from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm in room 1714 of the Lifetime Learning Centre OVC Building.
Here is are some bios of the panelists speaking:
Chris Roberts, Director of Corporate Citizenship, Sodexo Canada
Chris Roberts
With a lifetime of experience in the restaurant and food service business, Chris Roberts joined Sodexo in 2007 and became Sodexo Canada’s Director of Corporate Citizenship in June 2010. In his role he is tasked with the responsibility of developing, implementing and communicating corporate citizenship and sustainability initiatives for more than 240 sites across Canada. Driving Sodexo’s socially responsible Better Tomorrow Plan in Canada has gained the recognitions of one of Canada’s Top 50 Greenest Employers and with Food Service & Hospitality magazines Green Leadership award. Mr. Roberts was the driving force in Sodexo Canada’s Sustainable Seafood policy. He has spoken before the Canadian Government on Sodexo’s initiatives around fighting hunger and obesity in children and before the World Health Organization on strategies for reducing sodium in Canadian diets.
Brad Long, Chef and Restaurateur, Cafe Belong at Evergreen Brickworks
Brad Long
Chef Long has prepared meals for some of the world’s most discriminating diners, Canada’s corporate elite, political heavyweights, international celebrities and professional athletes. His culinary talent has been recognized by some of Canada’s toughest food critics and his big personality brought to bear as co-host of the Food Network & HGTV smash Restaurant Makeover.
Opening Toronto’s Air Canada Centre & BMO Field, Long worked 10 years for Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. The launch of 360 The Restaurant at the CN Tower followed five years at Toronto’s seminal Pronto Ristorante.
Currently, Long is opening Café Belong at Evergreen Brick Works and renovating King East’s Veritas. When he isn’t providing culinary leadership, creating menus, tasting sauces, speaking with farmers and foragers or checking the freshness of new produce, he relishes family time with his wife Sheryl (also an experienced chef) and his five young children.
Doug Feltmate, President of Designed Food Systems
Doug Feltmate
Doug is the founder of Designed Food Systems and is a graduate of the Algonquin’s School of Hospitality and Hotel Management. He carries the highest Professional designation of the Food Service Consultants Society International. He currently Chairs the Board of The FCSI Canadian Chapter and represents Canadian interests at FCSI Americas.
Doug’s areas of specialization include food service planning and design for sports and entertainment complexes, employee/student dining facilities and fine dining. He is also particularly skilled in working with the project team to help achieve LEED compliance through innovative solutions related to food service facility design and operations. DFS takes sustainable design to all their projects and treats it as the norm and not a trend or a fad and understand that sustainable design is necessity to our survival. This expertise formed a critical component in the groundbreaking design of the House of Commons Production Kitchen and the Ottawa Convention Centre Redevelopment Project.
Clients include major universities across Canada and the USA and companies such as RIM, Dell, Ericsson, Cisco, Hyatt Hotels, Sun Hotels, Kerzner Hotels, Canada Post, CAE, Humana Lifesync, to name a few as well as several NCAA and professional sporting facilities. He is experienced with both design build construction as well as architect led projects and is renowned for his collaborative approach leading to an on-time, on-budget project through innovative technologies and knowledge based solutions.
Bob Desautels, Restaurateur and President of Neighbourhood Group of Companies
Bob Desautels
A local Guelphite, Bob is a graduate of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management and has obtained a Masters of Arts both from the University of Guelph. Bob’s professional career has included six years in club management, playing golf professionally during the late 70′s, teaching at the University of Guelph in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, and also began his involvement with environmental initiatives in the early 1980′s as one of the founding members of Canada’s Green Party. He also has years of experience working with his own restaurant company, the Neighbourhood Group of Restaurants (NGC).
The company currently has a pub and restaurant located in Guelph ON, the Woolwich Arms Pub and Borealis Grillhouse and Pub. A second Borealis has opened in Kitchener, ON. The groups focus with each location has always been on supporting the local community and businesses by buying local product as well as environmental initiatives such as solar panels for water heating. NGC actually became the first chain to fully endorse and buy beers from Ontario’s burgeoning microbrewers and they expanded it’s emphasis on locally-crafted food and beverages to include it’s own ‘Taste of Ontario’ signature line.
Janine Bolton, President of Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Foodservice (LEAF)
Janine Bolton
Janine Bolton is President and Founder of LEAF, Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Foodservice, a nation-wide organization that is dedicated to helping the foodservice industry reduce its environmental impact, and make it easy for diners to identify truly “green” restaurants with third-party certification. Janine is originally from Vancouver Island, BC, and currently resides in Calgary, Alberta, where she is involved in various sustainability initiatives. Janine holds a bachelors degree in nutritional sciences and is a Registered Dietitian with the College of Dietitians of Alberta.
With the diverse group of panelists, Wednesday’s event will be both educational and exciting to watch. There will be an opportunity for questions from the audience as well and a reception at PJ’s Restaurant afterwards for a meet and greet with the panelists. We hope to see you all there! No RSVP required.
