Cravings, Green Pastures, and Zubuchon join #TheSustainableDiner Movement

November 2017

Three of the most well-known restaurants in the country have committed to partner with WWF-Philippines in promoting Sustainable Consumption and Production practices in the food service industry.

It has been a very eventful November for The Sustainable Diner team of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines. Three well-loved restaurants in Quezon City and Cebu City have heeded the call to help build a more sustainable local dining scene in order to support sustainable tourism.

For 28 years, Cravings by The Cravings Group has traditionally been a community – not just a restaurant – where Filipino families from all over Metro Manila gather to share authentic meals made from the freshest ingredients available. Dubbed as “the greenest in the local hospitality industry”, Cravings has consistently been recognized for its green restaurant practices and sustainable operations, receiving prestigious certifications such as the ISO 14001:2004, which is awarded to companies and organizations that demonstrate a commitment to the environment. Spearheaded by its Founder and President, Ms. Susana “Annie” P. Guerrero, the group has been lauded for its total compliance to The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, its management of an organic garden and livestock eco-center, its usage of renewable energy like biogas, solar, and biomass, and its implementation of a Total Waste Segregation and Recovery Program, to name a few.

Green Pastures is a farm-to-table, back-to-basics, organic restaurant – the brainchild of Chef Raoul Roberto “Robby” Goco, one of the country’s most well-known chefs. The Executive Chef of Degustation Restaurant Group, which includes Cyma and Souv, he has been very passionate in implementing sustainable practices across all of his restaurants, and ever the passionate creative, he wants to do more not just for the Filipino consumer but for the entire Filipino dining scene. In Green Pastures, ingredients are locally-sourced and produced, flavors are highlighted through natural means, and items, including condiments, are mostly homemade. The name was inspired by the desire to look for greener pastures – food better and beyond what is currently the status quo – expressing an early intent to provide a sustainable dining option to Filipino foodies.

Zubuchon, a very familiar brand when it comes to Cebu Lechon, has always sought out local ingredients whenever possible, such as natural sea salt, native coconut vinegar, freshly squeezed coconut milk, and backyard-raised pigs. Local impact has always been at the core of their operations, seeking out and prioritizing the services of local artisans and purveyors, from their certified Biko Expert to their resident Fruit Scout.  “Zubu”, a name which comes from the 16^th century maps that refer to the island of Cebu, and “Chon”, from the province’s specialty roasted pig, Zubuchon aims to bring the taste of their Cebu Lechon to the entire country through sustainable and locally-uplifting means.

WWF-Philippines is proud to have these three restaurants as part of our first set of partners for The Sustainable Diner project, a pioneer project tackling sustainable consumption and production in the country. Indeed, when we all work together, it is possible for us to create change in the local food service industry. #TogetherPossible

The Sustainable Diner project, under World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines’ Sustainable Consumption and Production, is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) supports this initiative on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag.