Luxury Restaurant Guide and The Sustainable Restaurant Association unite for a greener future

Epicurus, the founder of Epicureanism, emphasised pursuing modest, sustainable pleasures. However, over time, gastronomy’s hedonistic trends emerged, sometimes neglecting sustainability. Epicureans have grown accustomed to all-consuming demand, free of moral distraction. Their view on sustainability: Meh.

Fast forward 2300 years and two of the UK’s hospitality leaders, Luxury Restaurant Guide and The Sustainable Restaurant Association (The SRA), have joined forces to reshape perceptions of excess, aligning with broader principles of good living.

In 2024, The Sustainable Restaurant Association’s Food Made Good Standard accreditation will be featured prominently on the Luxury Restaurant Guide platform. This holistic and practical accreditation, designed for hospitality businesses, highlights a commitment to sustainability. By offering a transparent and comprehensive approach, The SRA provides a trustworthy third party certification, and also empowers diners to make their own informed and conscientious choices for a sustainable culinary future.

“This alliance extends beyond the dining table. It is a statement—a proclamation that luxury can coexist harmoniously with sustainability. By supporting restaurants that align with these values, patrons become active participants in a movement that transcends the confines of gastronomy. It’s a lifestyle choice—a conscious decision to savour life’s pleasures while nurturing the planet. Teaming up with The Sustainable Restaurant Association aligns perfectly with our mission to counter environmental challenges wherever we can.”

Tessa Shreeve, Managing Director at Luxury Restaurant Guide

Adding his endorsement:

“This partnership signifies a crucial step forward in our collective efforts to promote sustainable dining practices. By joining forces with Luxury Restaurant Guide, we aim to create a significant impact and inspire positive change across the industry.”

Raymond Blanc OBE, Renowned Chef Patron at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and President of The Sustainable Restaurant Association

Pointing to the 250 rigorous questions and practices required by the Standard, Blanc, a key figure in the sustainability movement, says,

“It is absolutely true that luxury and sustainability can go hand in hand, and – since prestige venues hold considerable sway in our industry – it’s important for business like ours to rise to this challenge. I look forward to seeing this new relationship inspire more luxury businesses to take action on sustainability, using their influence to set a positive example for others.”

Raymond Blanc

Achieving the Food Made Good Standard from The SRA doesn’t only provide transparency through measurable criteria but also encourages the kind of quality that one would expect in high-end restaurants, as more restaurant leaders make sustainability a top priority.

The three main focus areas of the Standard are Sourcing, Society and Environment, representing a 360-degree view of what sustainability should mean for modern restaurants. Every restaurant that completes the Food Made Good Standard receives a bespoke report to better inform their practices and guide them in a process of continuous improvement.

These days, consumers, staff, and other stakeholders are increasingly demanding more from the food industry. But that’s not to say this all falls on deaf ears. The ever-imaginative food sector sees that doing the most you can is the new metric to getting the best results. In the view of old Epicurus, the good stuff comes in safeguarding the future which, ideologically, is where the real luxury lies in 2024.

Learn more about The Sustainable Restaurant Association’s Food Made Good Standard

Customers interested in making sustainable dining choices can find a full, up-to-date list of Food Made Good accredited business here, as well as displayed on Luxury Restaurant Guide.

Restaurants wishing to learn more about The Sustainable Restaurant Association’s Food Made Good Standard should contact Will Browning via email: will@thesra.org. Quote Luxury Restaurant Guide to enjoy an exclusive rate.