Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/136981
FooD MILEs Energy savings are on the menu thanks to a facelift at Forage CommUNItY INVoLVemeNt: Chris whittaker with sheena sargeant from Friends for Life and Lisa martella from a Loving spoonful. ExTREME MAKEOVER: resTAurANT eDITIoN whEN EXECUtIVE ChEF Chris Whittaker and his team closed the doors of o'Doul's restaurant in downtown Vancouver's Listel Hotel, in June 2012, they had an ambitious goal: to reopen as one of the most environmentallyfriendly restaurants in B.C. Five months and one massive overhaul later, Forage was a shining example of just how green a restaurant – or any kitchen, for that matter – can be. some of the updates include LeD lighting, a high-efficiency deep fryer, an induction griddle that heats just the food, an exhaust hood that automatically powers down when it's not needed, and other eNerGY sTAr® appliances. The initial outlay for the new equipment was pricey, admits Whittaker, but he's confident the energy savings, estimated at 30 per cent, will make up the difference over the life of the equipment. In fact, the estimated energy savings is the equivalent of powering 11 homes in B.C. Yet Forage's commitment to energy savings isn't limited to the bottom line on the restaurant's hydro bill. "We're conserving energy with our equipment, but we wanted to carry that philosophy into the food and how we source things," explains Whittaker. Almost all of Forage's ingredients are sourced locally and in season. "It takes a lot of energy to bring asparagus over from Peru in January, and there are canning and freezing methods that can supply us with locally sourced fruits and vegetables through the winter." Whittaker walks the talk at home as well as on the job: "We compost everything, we grow our own vegetables, I even catch my own fish – it's all part of living a sustainable lifestyle." That's not to say you need to buy a rod and TASTY TREAT KaLe CHIps recipe courtesy of chef Chris whittaker, Forage 2 bunches of kale, washed, stems removed 45 ml (3 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil 3 ½ ml (¾ tsp) sea salt 2 ½ ml (½ tsp) ground chili flakes 2 ½ ml (½ tsp) ground fennel seed Preheat oven to 215°F (102°C). Arrange kale on a baking sheet and coat evenly with oil and seasoning. stir gently every five minutes until completely dry. remove from oven and allow chips to cool. reel to make a difference; choosing local, seasonal foods at the grocery store is an easy way to reduce your environmental footprint, and is often cheaper than buying foods that are imported out of season. And next time you need to replace a kitchen appliance, says Whittaker, do your research: the long-term energy savings of a more expensive model, in addition to BC Hydro's appliance rebate program on select eNerGY sTAr® appliances, can often outweigh its heftier sticker price. BC hYDRo has teamed up with partners across B.C. in support of a new project called The Next Course – an independent project that demonstrates measures to save energy and improve operations. The restaurant, food and entertainment sector in B.C. represents an estimated 2,700 gigawatt hours of electricity consumption annually. BC Hydro estimates that the project could result in enough savings to power up to 81,000 homes. 14 team power smart summer 2013 p14-15 Recipe_WhatsHot Smr2013_rev.indd 14 13-06-07 3:17 PM