Food for Thought: Sustainable Practices in Michelin Star Restaurants

Across the PoB Hotels collection, some of the UK’s finest sustainable Michelin star restaurants are redefining luxury, integrating eco-conscious practices into every aspect of their operations. From zero-waste cooking to hyper-local sourcing, these chefs are setting new standards for eco-friendly dining UK travellers will appreciate.

Here’s an inside look at how culinary leaders are merging ethics and excellence, creating dining experiences that are as responsible as they are refined…

For many Michelin-starred chefs, sustainability starts with knowing their suppliers. At The Dining Room at Hambleton Hall, Chef Director Aaron Paterson takes a hands-on approach, personally visiting farms to see where ingredients are grown and how they reach the kitchen. “Understanding the entire process—from farm to fork—is crucial,” Paterson explains. This ethos extends to their commitment to local suppliers, including lamb from nearby farms and game from local shoots. “Sustainable produce doesn’t require extra thought; it’s about respecting what we have locally,” he adds. Their use of local rapeseed oil is just one example of this thoughtful sourcing, adding a unique regional touch to their dishes. At SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel and Lake House, Executive Chef Ollie Bridgewater champions transparency and responsibility. “Our food style centres around key ingredients sourced responsibly,” he says. The restaurant’s fish comes from Cornish day boats, minimising impact on marine ecosystems. Their Net Zero beef, reared by Jim Beary at Gaythorne Farm, exemplifies their commitment to ethical sourcing. “It’s world-class beef with low food miles,” Bridgewater notes. This meticulous attention to provenance ensures that every dish tells a story of sustainability, a narrative discerning diners deeply appreciate.

Zero-waste cooking is a hallmark of many sustainable restaurants, requiring creativity and resourcefulness. At The Cedar Tree at Farlam Hall, Chef Patron Hrishikesh Desai ensures that every part of a vegetable or protein is utilised. “Guests are often surprised by the care we take to minimise waste,” he says. From fermenting and dehydrating produce to controlling utilities like heating, every detail is considered. “Sustainability is about cultivating good procedures and following them sincerely,” Desai explains.

At Whatley Manor, one of the first in the UK to be awarded a Green Michelin Star, Executive Chef Ricki Weston takes a similarly rigorous approach. “Our no-dig kitchen garden eliminated pesticides in 2021, and we separate all food waste for anaerobic digestion,” he shares. Waste oil is converted into biodiesel, reducing emissions by 88%. Weston’s commitment to zero waste even extends to bread, transforming leftovers into crackers served as ‘Yesterday’s Bread.’ “It’s about continuous improvement and rethinking everything we do,” he notes.

SOURCE’s Bridgewater highlights the importance of reducing waste creatively. “We challenged ourselves to use scraps and peelings in new ways,” he explains. A standout example is their beetroot pulp XO sauce—an inventive, zero-waste condiment that exemplifies their sustainable dining practices.

Michelin star sustainability is at the heart of these chefs' approaches, with seasonality as a guiding principle as they revel in the changing bounty of their local areas. At Hambleton Hall, Paterson eagerly anticipates the arrival of local game, while at Gravetye Manor, the focus turns to forced rhubarb, grown under Victorian pots. This uniquely delicious ingredient is particularly celebrated in dishes like soufflé.

Weston at Whatley Manor highlights the versatility of root vegetables, turning them into hearty, sustainable winter dishes. Meanwhile, Desai at Farlam Hall pairs them with local venison, celebrating the robust flavours of the season. “These ingredients are not only sustainable but also rich in flavour,” he notes.

Rankin at Grantley Hall has a special fondness for kohlrabi, a versatile vegetable that epitomises zero-waste cooking. “We steam, pickle, compress, and purée it,” he says. As winter approaches, he also looks forward to working with forced rhubarb from Yorkshire’s renowned Tomlinson Family.