Restaurant menu design and the place of environmental sustainability: head chefs’ perspectives

There are calls for restaurants to support the global sustainable development goals and improve their environmental performance. The ongoing challenges of labour shortages and operating costs also underline the need for sustainable practices to fulfil the financial objectives of businesses. This study aimed to gain a better understanding of chefs’ knowledge, awareness and practices related to menu design and the extent to which environmental sustainability is considered and influences the menu design process. Individual interviews were conducted face-to-face with fifteen chefs of small-and-medium sized restaurants in Northern England. Discussions were recorded, transcribed, imported into NVivo 14, where an inductive thematic approach was employed and provided three themes: 1) Underpinning principles influencing what chefs put on the menu, 2) Changing the menu, and 3) Communicating the menu to the customer. In this study, chefs prioritised seasonal produce, cooking from scratch using fresh ingredients, and buying local food which supports local economies. This study also revealed how chefs preferred to design small and agile menus with clear and concise dish descriptors, and recognised the importance of minimising food waste by monitoring the popularity of dishes, as well as repurposing, preserving or utilising all parts of an ingredient. Findings emphasise how chef decisions about what food to put on the menu are influenced by produce cost and availability, operating costs, and business resources. Therefore, any changes to improve the environmental credentials of the menu must be financially sustainable and protect the bottom line.