MAKING A DIFFERENCE
For chefs Tetsuya Wakuda and Mike McEnearney, sustainability is a journey taken one small step at a time.
PASSION POINTS
When you’ve been in the business for more than 30 years, there’s a thing or two you know about food. For Tetsuya Wakuda, it is meticulously sourced ingredients that keep him busy and passionate about what he does.
With restaurants in both Sydney and Singapore, he readily admits he goes to great lengths to maintain and uncover new ingredients from farmers and producers both here and in Japan. “Quality is always first. When you have good produce you can use it well, no waste. You use all of it. I teach our young chefs this. It’s something we all can practise both at home and in restaurants. I say use whatever you want, use everything out of it but don’t waste it. Keep it small, use it up. This is one of the reasons I like working with Nespresso.
Their consistency is admirable. Not only in the quality of their coffee which I have loved for many years but also in their no-waste approach to recycling in that both the coffee grounds and aluminium go on to a second life. I have much respect for their farming too. Producers are fundamental to quality food – we need to keep them happy. Having visited some of the farms that produce their coffee in Brazil, I’ve seen for myself that their farmers are looked after and incentivised. I know maintaining relationships with producers is essential to ensure a quality, sustainable supply.” For Wakuda, Australia’s sustainability performance gets top marks on a global scale. “Everyone is so aware and we are doing more and more every year to change what we can, particularly in recycling. I think we have been very good at learning from other countries’ mistakes. We can all help to make a difference. Little by little can become a lot.”
“When you have good produce you can use it well, no waste. You use all of it. I teach our young chefs this.” TETSUYA WAKUDA
LOCAL STORY
Mike McEnearney has built a legacy out of his commitment to using local produce with the highest integrity
– an approach that underpins his culinary philosophy. “Buying direct from producers means I can go and visit their farm and hear their stories. Quite often, our diners want to know the story. For me, it’s really important to operate with the smallest carbon footprint possible. It’s also important that we look to support these local growers because their produce is of the highest quality. This is why I was impressed to hear the ways that Nespresso invests into coffee-growing communities around the world, and throws their support behind the farmers to develop the best coffee. I also like the Nespresso recycling approach. At No.1 Bent Street, we use their system where we box the capsules and send them to the recycling plant. It really fits with our business model. But for me, sustainability means more than just recycling. It’s about whether the farmer can sustain his livelihood. The Nespresso
AAA Sustainable Quality ™ Program empowers farmers not only to grow a better quality product, which they are paid more than market price for and to drive environmental sustainability in coffee farming and consumption. This type of approach helps lift industry standards, which is great. At the end of the day, y, it’s about ensuring g the farmers armers are there tomorrow.”
“Sustainability is more than just recycling. It’s about out whether the farmer can sustain his livelihood.” MIKE MCENEARNEY