Sustainable Sourcing Strategies for Restaurants and Food Companies

Sustainable sourcing for restaurants

Why Sustainable Sourcing is No Longer Optional


There was a time when “farm-to-table” or “farm-to-fork” were trendy buzzwords some restaurants advertised, presumably to impress diners. Sure, there were chefs, farmers, restauranteurs and entrepreneurs who were the pioneers of farm to table, and in my mind, heroes, preparing food sustainably. They should be celebrated for introducing sustainability to the hospitality industry. 


I think most people understand the compelling recommendation of consuming less red meat, pork, chicken, etc. for health and sustainability. Most similarly understand the benefits of avoiding highly-processed foods and consuming more seafood, seaweed, vegetables, pulses, and seeds. 


But today, sustainable sourcing is no longer just a marketing tool or counterculture rallying cry—it’s becoming a business necessity and presents an incredible business opportunity for those willing to embrace it. 


With food production responsible for 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions, restaurants are under pressure to rethink how they source ingredients. At the same time, consumer preferences are shifting rapidly. A 2024 survey found that 62% of diners prioritize restaurants that embrace sustainability, and a growing number are willing to pay more for ethically sourced meals. Many consumers use their purchasing power to support businesses that have a strong sustainability story


But it’s not just about consumer demand. Sustainable sourcing can also improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and even safeguard your restaurant against supply chain disruptions. By partnering with local farms, adopting waste-reducing technology, and leveraging new procurement strategies, restaurants can create a more resilient business model while reducing their environmental impact.


So, how can restaurant owners transition to sustainable sourcing in a way that makes sense for their bottom line? Let’s break it down.


Emerging Strategies for Sustainable Ingredient Sourcing

1. Local Sourcing: Beyond the Farmers’ Market


Buying local is one of the most effective ways to cut down on carbon emissions from transportation while ensuring peak ingredient freshness. But today, local sourcing goes beyond just farmer partnerships. Many Chefs are embracing hyperlocal production systems like popular rooftop gardens, hydroponic towers, and even urban beekeeping to bring ingredients even closer to the plate. Locally grown, seasonal foods are simply fresher and, to me, taste better. I especially support purchasing delicious, ‘very’ ripe fruits and vegetables which are less expensive as these foods are not ‘beautiful’! And as a former beekeeper, I understand eating local honey, propolis and other hive products are great for allergies, healing wounds, fighting infections … and I love seeing a small, square of the honeycomb served on restaurant plates-delicious!


Great Chefs such as Thomas Keller, Dan Barber, Melissa Kelly have some of the finest restaurants in America with amazing gardens. They grow herbs, lettuces, vegetables, fruit and produce honey for their menu.


Case Study:  Gather in Omaha grows 400 pounds of produce per month using 61 aeroponic towers inside their restaurant, dramatically reducing their reliance on external suppliers.


Actionable Tip: Explore partnerships with community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs or form a collective with other restaurants to support a local regenerative farm.


2. Vertical Farming and Controlled Environment Agriculture


The future of local sourcing may not be in traditional soil farming at all. Vertical farming and aquaponics systems allow restaurants to grow fresh produce indoors, regardless of climate or season. I’ve visited several vertical farms and evaluated many herbs, lettuces, and greens grown ‘vertically’and find this to be very impressive. Although I do not believe the flavors are as good as produce grown in soil, I am a big fan of vertical farming, especially since there are so many people in areas (food deserts) who need fresh produce. I think the cost needs to be figured out so more of this innovation can happen and more people can enjoy fresh produce.


These systems:

  • Use 95% less water than traditional farming.
  • Yield 390 times more produce per square foot than soil-based farms.
  • Ensure year-round availability of high-demand herbs, leafy greens, and microgreens.


Example: Dubai’s Teible restaurant sources 40% of its produce from on-site vertical farming towers, reducing spoilage losses by 60%.


Actionable Tip: Restaurants with limited space can invest in modular hydroponic units that integrate directly into kitchen operations.


3. Regenerative Agriculture Partnerships


Throughout my career I’ve enjoyed visiting large and small farms and speaking with farming experts who are growing food for our country. For years these experts have been sharing their concerns that our vegetables may be lacking healthy nutrients due to poor soil.


Organic has long been positive signal to consumers, but regenerative farming or agriculture is a newer term gaining popularity with many saying it is better. This approach actively restores soil health, increases biodiversity, and sequesters carbon, making it one of the most impactful sustainability investments a restaurant can make. In many instances, improving the soil practices are based upon the practices of farmers from hundreds of years ago.


Example: Stissing House, a fine-dining restaurant in Pine Plains, New York, has built regenerative practices into their operations. According to an article from Restaurant Business magazine, the restaurant buys pork from a local farm that uses pigs to till and regenerate the soil. The farm also grows grain as a cover crop and has a mill that stone grinds the grain, and Stissing House uses it in baked goods.


Actionable Tip:  Restaurants can speak to their distributors to ask about products from regenerative agriculture farms. The Regenerative Organic Alliance also has a directory on their website of certified farms and products.


I’ve worked with many large companies where vegetables were literally ordered/purchased a year in advance. The farmers then plant and grow the vegetables requested to satisfy preorders.


4. Circular Economy Strategies: Waste as a Resource


Restaurants generate 11 million tons of food waste annually in the U.S. alone. Upcycling waste into valuable ingredients can reduce disposal costs and boost sustainability efforts. This innovative approach transforms potential food waste into valuable ingredients and products, aligning with growing consumer demand for eco-conscious dining experiences. 


As I did my research for this article I happened across an excellent podcast I would recommend everyone listen to. The show is called Six Inches of Soil and the episode called “Uncultivated: Veggie Vibes” discussed many of the topics I explore in this blog. 

Beyond Sweet Basil: An Herb with History, Health, and Global Range

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Dessert; Italian Wheat Pie

By Tom Griffiths • April 11, 2026
Our Easter and Christmas meals were feasts... my mother's family all met at Aunt Flora's home in Jersey City to enjoy and celebrate the holidays. Dinner began with platters of fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, olives, Italian bread, then a pasta course (manicotti or lasagna for the religious holidays), a roast or sausages with plenty of vegetables and traditional Italian desserts with dark coffee.We ate Italian Easter Wheat Pie one day each year—and it was never store-bought. My Aunts brought Easter cookies and baked goods-the wheat pie was my favorite. I loved the slight 'bite' of the wheat and flavors of cinnamon, vanilla and citrus. My father sometimes let me have a sip of his espresso with the dessert. I'm not sure if my mother used lard for the pie crust-she was a fan of butter and Crisco but the crust was always flaky.

Roast Leg of Lamb

By Tom Griffiths • April 8, 2026
There are certain dishes that stay with you—not just for their flavor, but for what they represent. For me, roasting a leg of lamb over Pommes boulangère is one of those meals. I don't recall having lamb at any occasions growing up so this was a dish that I proudly introduced to our family. As a young cook, it was something I could prepare with limited experience, and it provided deeply satisfying results. The lamb roasts in the oven over a bed of potatoes, onions, and garlic, allowing its natural juices and fat to baste the vegetables below. It's actually a simple preparation but becomes a complete, delicious meal—the potatoes absorbing flavor and becoming just as important as the roast itself. These days I'm developing delicious recipes using spice blends such as Ras el hanout, Baharat, Za'atar, Togarashi and even Harissa. I also love roasting leg of lamb outdoors on a grill or rotisserie. I like the subtle smokiness from applewood or dried herbs when I'm roasting lamb outdoors.

Potatoes Boulangère

By Tom Griffiths • April 8, 2026
There are certain dishes that stay with you—not just for their flavor, but for what they represent. For me, Pommes boulangère is one of those dishes. As a young cook, it was a delicious meal I could prepare for my family with my limited culinary experience. I often return to this preparation when roasting whole chicken, pork, or lamb—letting the potatoes, onions, and garlic absorb the natural juices from the protein as it cooks. The potatoes becomes more than a side dish; it’s the foundation of the meal.

Holiday Au Graten Potatoes

By Tom Griffiths • April 7, 2026
There are countless versions of Potatoes au gratin , many of them heavy with cheese. I prefer a more restrained approach—using little or no cheese—so the flavor of the potatoes remains the focus rather than being masked. Milk produces a lighter, more delicate gratin, while light or heavy cream creates a richer, more structured dish. Both are valid—it simply depends on the desired outcome. One constant, however, is nutmeg. Used sparingly, it acts as a quiet “secret weapon,” adding depth without calling attention to itself. This recipe is inspired by Xavier LeRoux, one of the finest chefs I’ve had the privilege to work with. His method includes an extra step—gently simmering the potatoes in cream before baking—which yields a noticeably superior result. The potatoes begin to release their starch into the cream early, ensuring a more uniform texture and a fully integrated dish from the first bite to the last.

My favorite Brownies

By Tom Griffiths • March 19, 2026
There are plenty of brownie recipes—and then there is the one that lives in memory. This is the only brownie recipe I bake, from Julia Child, whose influence reached far beyond French cuisine and into the home kitchens of passionate bakers like my mother. A devoted admirer, she baked these brownies often—usually for the dessert trolley at my restaurant. We featured a brownie freeze... brownie cubes with homemade vanilla ice cream, warm melted chocolate and freshly whipped cream-amazing! For me, this recipe is more than a classic—it’s a reflection of how great cooking is passed down: through admiration, repetition, and a deep love of craft.

Curing Salmon fillet

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I taught garde manager for many years at the CIA and this is one of my favorite recipes from class. I actually developed this recipe with one of my students, inspired by a recipe he had learned on his externship.

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We ate Irish soda bread one day each year—and it was never store-bought. Soda bread wasn’t part of our cultural lineage, but it earned its place through something more universal: respect for tradition. My mother was not an occasional baker— growing up, her baking centered on Italian traditions: special Christmas cookies, the Vigna family birthday cake, and beautifully braided Easter breads that reflected heritage. Later, like many serious home bakers of her generation, she was influenced by Julia Child . That influence expanded her repertoire into classic European pastry—Paris-Brest, pound cakes, even German chocolate cake. The iconic cross cut into the top of the loaf is often said to “let the fairies out,” though in professional kitchens we recognize its functional role: allowing heat to penetrate and the loaf to expand evenly during baking.

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Beginners recipe: Vegetable Stock

By Tom Griffiths • January 16, 2026
I recently volunteered to prepare vegetable paella for a church Bible group potluck. I was very excited to develop a delicious, new paella recipe and spent time preparing fresh vegetable stock with flavors of the Mediterranean. I always prepare vegetable and fish stocks fresh, as I intend to use them. I’m not a fan of bases or frozen stocks but I sometimes add a small amount of quality base to my stocks.  A vegetable stock with mirepoix, cabbage, mushrooms makes sense in certain applications, for certain recipes—but why would we use a mushroom or cabbage-forward stock in a paella? It doesn’t make culinary sense. Paella is a Mediterranean dish originating in the Valencia region of Spain as a humble meal cooked on an open fire. I’ve enjoyed wonderful paella meals in Valencia prepared with water-not stock, prepared with rabbit, snails and local beans. While traveling through Spain this spring I researched and sampled many styles of paella… no mushrooms, no carrots, no celery and no cabbage.