The restaurant and hospitality industry notoriously creates a lot of waste: from food waste to takeout waste like double-bagged plastic containers and plastic utensils and straws, it can be hard to run a restaurant in a sustainable way. But Sustainable Westport wants to change that. The nonprofit, which helps encourage citizens and businesses in Westport to live more sustainably, has pioneered the Restaurant Champions program to reward local eateries that follow their sustainable food business guidelines. There are four key areas: complying with Westport’s single-use plastic ordinance, sourcing ingredients sustainably, engaging in responsible waste management, and prioritizing energy efficiency.
The program is led by Samantha Schwab, a local food photographer with tons of culinary and kitchen experience, who supports owners and staffers as they work to become Restaurant Champions. That support could mean explaining what the single-use plastic ordinance requires and suggesting best practices for implementation , or connecting restaurants with local farms and vendors for ingredients, or offering access to a waste-reduction consultant to help minimize food scraps and trash, or an energy expert to conduct a money-saving energy assessment. “We come up with a customized sustainability plan,” Samantha tells Westport Lifestyle. “A lot of the restaurants in Westport are already doing a good job, but there is room for improvement in communication and staff training,” she says. Things like improved signage for what can be recycled and what can be composted make a big difference.
The first group of Restaurant Champions includes some of Westport’s most beloved spots: Kneads, Momu, The Whelk, and Massi Co. (Chef Michelle Greenfield’s Allium Eatery, which, as of press time, was temporarily closed for relocation, was also on the inaugural list.) For owners like Brittany Moreno of Kneads and Momu, joining the program was a no-brainer. They were already milling their grains on-site and donating leftover baked goods to US Food Rescue. “For us at Kneads, sustainable practices have always been important. Especially as parents, we feel a responsibility to the next generation. Sustainability isn't just about reducing waste; it's about respecting the people and places that make great food possible. Supporting local farmers, sourcing thoughtfully, and creating food with intention allows us to care for our community today and preserve it for tomorrow,” says Brittany. For Massimo Tullio, owner of The Whelk and Massi Co, sustainability matters from top to bottom. To join the program, they swapped out their plastic to-go lids for paper ones, partnered with CORR (Collective Oyster Recycling & Restoration) to recycle oyster shells for a habitat restoration project, and regularly donate excess food to the Gillespie Center. “We’ve always paid attention to our footprint on this earth,” Massimo explains. “This program was a great way to get the rest of our staff to bring the same principles I have at home into the restaurants. Less waste and more attention to every move we make just makes us better.”
“I really appreciate this program, because we can focus on creating change locally,” says Samantha. “Our goal is that Westport can set the stage for other towns to follow, and we can make big changes in this way.”
To learn more about Restaurant Champions, visit sustainablewestport.org