Sustainability has perhaps never been a more topical conversation. Not only in the foodservice industry but around the world, operators and consumers alike are captured by what is and isn’t good for the planet.
This year’s Ōra King Salmon Awards were based on the theme of ‘Sustain’. Chefs were invited to represent their ideas of sustainability on a plate, and submit it towards the coveted awards. At the awards ceremony, Phil Clark, of Phil’s Kitchen, took out the New Zealand title of ‘Best Ōra King Dish’ with his dish titled ‘Ocean, Seabed, Land and Rivers’. Clark’s dish consisted of an edible ‘plastic bag washed up on the seashore’ from fish stock jelly filled with Ōra King caviar to demonstrate the importance of taking care of our oceans, seabed, land and rivers by reducing plastic.
“I’ve drawn inspiration from my own sustainability stories and experience living on a small island surrounded by water,” said Clark. “Every individual and industry has a responsibility to implement sustainable practices, so I welcomed the challenge to think critically about how to tell my sustainability journey through this dish.”
In addition to Clark, finalists from around the globe joined Ōra King in Marlborough for the ceremony. Joachim Lim from MPD Steak Kitchen in Victoria, Australia won the Australian title, with Vincenzo Loseto, from Eleven Madison Park, New York taking out the North American title, and Yasuhiro Tsuji, from Arc-en-ciel Luxe Mariage Nagoya, taking out the Japanese title.
New Zealand King Salmon Co. Ltd., the parent company of Ōra King, are firm believers in the idea that sustainability is only going to become more critical, and that chefs across the world need to encourage conversations around this topic as often as possible.
“We all have a responsibility to live more sustainably,” said Grant Rosewarne, New Zealand King Salmon CEO. “Our annual Ōra King Awards provide a platform to engage our global community of chefs, who are running restaurants at the highest level, and who have a real ability to make an impact on our food system. The sustainability stories we received from this year’s record-breaking number of entrants was truly inspiring and affirmation that our chef-partners are motivated to be an agent of change with us.”
