a restaurant
becoming sustainable...
We are often asked: why did we commit to sustainability?
Fortunately, we don’t have an answer to that.
Sustainability is, in most cases, a conscious decision. The fact that we try to do everything we can to be sustainable in our restaurant was also a conscious decision.
However, this decision was preceded by less conscious life situations.
It wasn’t deliberate that we encountered the negative impacts of food waste in many places, it wasn’t intentional that we started to learn the basics of home farming during the pandemic, and we didn’t start our farmers market with the aim of opening a restaurant based on producers two years later. Nor did we begin composting, buying seasonally, and preserving food just to be able to claim we are sustainable.
We feel pretty lucky that these things became part of our lives naturally, without forcing them. We committed to share with our guests the joy that can be found in this way of life.
A story about a market...
Our Heritage the Garden
Our way to become a sustainable restaurant
Market in the Garden
our COVID story
In 2020, we envisioned and established a farmers market in Nagykanizsa. At that time, we didn’t know it would later define our entire lives. “Piac a Kertben” (Market in the Garden) became our favorite community, and we cannot be grateful enough to our farmers for their support.
After COVID, the customers’ interest in farmers markets declined, but we wanted to ensure that our producers’ income did not decrease along with it. This is when we started outlining a restaurant based exclusively on farmers products.
We eventually found the place for it 47 km away! 😉
The market is still operating every Friday afternoon from 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM. If you visit, you will find not only fresh vegetables, fruits, preserves, cheeses, smoked goods, and a constantly changing wide range of farmers products but also a good chance of meeting Janka and our dog Dödölle. Once a month, Ricsi also cooks at the market.
The market takes place in the garden of our sister restaurant, Vineyard Inn Restaurant in Nagykanizsa. Even if we’re not cooking at the market, we recommend trying the real Zala dödölle from the menu!
For current producer offerings and events, you can find information on the “Piac a Kertben” Facebook page.
Chef in the Garden
A ChatGPT ezt mondta:
Local Farmers
local is the best...
Our farmers market was already given, but we couldn’t source everything from there. Naturally, we also wanted to collaborate with closer producers. We put out a call, asked around the locals, and of course, scouted the farmers markets.
We’d be lying if we said it went quickly and farmers were lining up at our door, but now we can source almost everything locally. For example, we couldn’t find any duck or goose producers nearby, so you won’t find those on our menu. However, currently, about 95% of our ingredients come from within 80 km. Many producers bring their goods to the market, some deliver directly to the restaurant, and sometimes we pick them up ourselves. It’s a much more refreshing form of shopping than going to the supermarket! 🙂
For items we can’t source locally, we prefer organic. For example, our bread is made from the stone-ground flour of the BIOM mill in Pécs.
Kristinus Wine Estate has even set up a biodynamic garden for us next to their winery. From here, we get the freshest, zero-kilometer ingredients straight to our plates. If you’re in the area, you can also check out the garden on your way to Parapli vineyard, but don’t be surprised if you’re greeted by a few sheep or chickens.
We’re happy to direct you to our producers as well, as almost everyone sells directly from their homes.
Circulation
During the first lockdown, Ricsi built our first garden compost.
Then during the second lockdown, he built the next one, but the third one didn’t happen… because we opened the restaurant and luckily, we didn’t need to build one at Kristinus, as they already compost.
So, what goes into the compost?
- Coffee grounds, tea leaves + restaurant napkins
- Unused peels, vegetable ends
- Wilted flowers
- Eggshells
What should not go into the compost?
- Food scraps
- Cooked items
- Oranges and lemons (except untreated ones)
- Anything that has come into contact with chemicals
How long until it can be used in the vegetable garden?
Everything has a different decomposition time, but it’s best to use compost when it’s at least a year old. It should also be watered occasionally if it’s in a very sunny spot and turned over from time to time.
Local tip: Keep the compost in a place that’s not too sunny but not too damp for the best results! The soil produced from compost is excellent not only for vegetable gardens but also as potting soil for flowers.
Zero waste?
Absolutely!
While the local garbage company certainly won’t get rich off of us, as we can barely fill our smallest bins, this is an area where there is always room for improvement.
We try to use the ingredients in their entirety and take those items from producers that others would leave behind. A twisted carrot makes just as delicious a broth, and our pork nail stew can become a real favorite! What others consider waste, we turn into tasty chips or fruit powder for desserts. Bought too much milk? Everyone loves milk pie for breakfast! Baked too much bread or? No wonder our bread pudding is your favorite!
It’s much easier to shop „package-free” from producers – we just swap the boxes with them, and at the market, we always see their eyes light up when customers come with their own canvas bags. 🙂
As for cleaning products, it was surprisingly easy for us. Well, not at first.
When we opened the restaurant, we tried a few, but couldn’t find the right fit. Then a few months later, we won the Responsible Gastro Hero sustainability special award, and that’s how we discovered Cleaneco.
Since then, we’ve visited their factory and wouldn’t change them for the world. Not only are the contents eco-friendly, but the packaging is also recycled, biodegradable, or refillable. This could even be a paid advertisement, but it isn’t – we genuinely love using all their products and happily encourage others to do the same! 🙂
