Opening the doors to cries of hypocrisy, I will readily confess that I consider myself both an animal-lover and an undeniable carnivore. On one occasion at a farm last summer, I spent a good hour fawning over a trio of piglets which I immediately named Snuffles, Truffles and Hogarth. Later that day, I would find myself lazing on a haybale and enjoying a hog roast: almost certainly a distant relative of my new porcine pals. However, despite the seemingly duplicitous nature of this, I do not believe that the two are mutually exclusive and if you are an unashamed meat-eater, there is still a responsibility to make sure your food is sourced and prepared using ethical and sustainable methods.  Thankfully such a belief is becoming more and more prevalent in catering industries worldwide and I have spent the last fortnight investigating three establishments within London who put socially conscious issues at the forefront of their business ethos.

First on my list, I embarked upon a visit to Bumpkin Chelsea – a sustainable restaurant in the heart of the Chelsea area. Hailing from Devon, I am highly attuned to the overriding stereotype of the ‘country bumpkin’.  There is a preconception, particularly in the City of London, that the entirety of the South West consists of one giant party of haybales and cider whereby your next-door neighbour may well be a tractor-driving, corn-chewing cow and law and order reigns by way of a judicial goose. However, mocking stereotypes aside, there is also the general consensus that country food is hearty, delicious and nutritious; these are all attributes that Bumpkin Chelsea seeks to exemplify with a little taste of country in the city.

Situated in a three-storey Georgian Townhouse, we were escorted to the Secret Garden area – a beautifully decorated patio – which highly merits a visit in the last of the fleeting summer weeks, either for some relaxing drinks or more substantial fare.  The dishes served are comprised of the freshest British ingredients that have been sourced from welfare friendly farms and in harmony with the environment. Indeed, photos of animals and wildlife adorn the walls of the restaurant and I got the impression that this was out of a general affinity for the natural world, rather than an ostentatious display of animals that had been slaughtered for that evening’s meal.  My culinary samplings included the savoury offerings of Loch Duart Salmon with a tomato and fennel salad and a Garlic Prawn, Scallop and Monkfish Skewer with a grapefruit and prawn sauce. All ingredients have naturally been sourced through sustainable practice and the rich and complementary flavours were an absolute culinary treat. Notably ordering scallops wherever I can, I consider myself somewhat of a Scallop Connoisseur (a title which, to this day, is yet to prove its use) and those served at Bumpkin Chelsea truly make for some divine and succulent mouthfuls; the skewers are a perfect choice for a light but wholesome summer meal. 

Dessert took the form of iced dark chocolate and honeycomb slices where simplicity was no rival of enjoyment in a straightforward yet rich and satiating culmination to the meal. Be warned though. Eagerly chomping down on a whole piece of honeycomb will lead to its nougat-y and stubborn goodness to clamp down on your teeth like some sort of vengeful sugar daemon from a sci-fi film. You will say ‘Ow’ a lot and your dining companion will laugh because they think you are joking. You will then dispense with social propriety and start clawing at your mouth with your own hands and said companion will start to regard your situation more seriously.

The Bumpkin chain have also been awarded the coveted three star status from the Sustainable Restaurant Association, where they were specially commended for their monitoring of energy and water usage and waste output. In addition, they make special efforts to communicate the various restaurants’ ethical initiatives to staff, suppliers and customers to encourage wider awareness of the importance of sustainable practices. They have also received the Soil Association’s Silver Catering Award which recognises their work with organic, free-range and fair trade organisations in addition to their endeavours to promote healthy eating. 

To read more about Bumpkin Chelsea or to book a table, please click here

Next on my crusade to find ethical eats in London, I headed to Whyte and Brown in Carnaby Street which rather unusually specialises in two key ingredients – chicken and eggs. In recent years, there has been a surge of restaurants in the City which specialise in a niche selection of key ingredients and the public’s reception to them always piques my curiosity. To settle on two key ingredients, one must be very sure of their versatility and appeal – a lesson I learned the hard way after my ill-fated business venture ‘Mackerel and Lime’.

The ethos of Whyte and Brown is to ensure that delicious and wholesome food does not come at the expense of an ethical and responsible way of working. All chickens are raised in a free-range environment which means unlike barn-raised birds, they have full access to natural daylight, fresh-air and vegetation. They also tend to grow more slowly and, as a result, enjoy both healthier and longer lives. The fact that battery-farming still exists at all is an appalling oversight of the Food industry so people should be encouraged to support these ethical practices where they exist.

The Whyte and Brown menu is globally extensive journeying from Grecian souvlaki to Vietnamese salads to Italian Pollo-Porro Pasta. I opted for the Saigon salad to start which was comprised of crumbled chicken cooked with Vietnamese herbs and lime. I’ve always been fairly scornful of ordering a salad in a restaurant with the proviso that I could probably whip up the same thing myself at home (by which I mean smother the entire concoction to high heaven with cheese). However, the Saigon Salad had an unusual and inviting taste of sweet and tangy flavours that were the perfect starter to the meal.

I followed this with the Pan-fried Chicken with natural jus accompanied by crispy pancetta and clams. Pancetta and clams are not a pairing I would usually think to associate together but in a harmonious union of Pig and Mollusc (another potential restaurant idea perhaps?), the two complemented each other really rather well. Considering when eating out, I usually opt for something entirely red-meat and artery-punishing centric it was a highly refreshing change to dine somewhere where the healthy alternatives of chicken and eggs were the main attraction. Let’s not get carried away though. Balancing out my health-conscious starter and main, I was only too delighted to delve into the rich and delectable dessert of a chocolate brownie with artisan vanilla bean ice cream. Living in a society where desserts are dressed up on a menu as things like ‘A Tower of Chocolate Divinity balanced upon a Fruits of the Forest Sphere adorned with Cream Hand-Whipped by Angels’, sometimes you just want something reliable and tasty and a freshly made brownie (complete with a mystery ingredient: ask the chef) and ice-cream certainly fits that bill.

In addition to their ethical attitudes towards the way their food is sourced, Whyte and Brown also support a charity very close to their hearts: Kids in Sport. It’s an amazing charity that helps children – both able bodied and those with disabilities – to participate in sport with opportunities not ordinarily available to them. The trust was developed in memory of Julian Budd who sadly died in 2007 at the age of 33; Julian was a keen sportsman and raised money for charity to support this cause and Whyte and Brown is keen for the trust to live on in his memory.

To read more about Whyte and Brown or to book a table, please click here

Another restaurant which should be commended on its efforts towards the community and sustainability is the new Ludgate Hill located bar ‘The Happenstance’. The Happenstance is run by London group Drake and Morgan who have made a personal commitment to a number of charities and environmental initiatives as part of their business model.

One such charity is Kids Company – an organisation providing practical, emotional and educational support to vulnerable inner-city children. Their services support and empower children who have undergone severe personal challenges or traumas to go on to leave positive and fulfilling lives. All Drake and Morgan venues possess a Dr Pennies electronic charity box where 75% of the proceeds go straight to the charity helping to fund initiatives such as internship schemes and work experience.

Drake and Morgan have also been awarded a Local Organisation Hero Award from The Vegetarian Society for an original contribution to National Vegetarian Week with their innovative vegetable cocktails. Further adding to their collection of awards, they have obtained a three star restaurant status from the Sustainable Restaurant Association which ensures commitment to sustainability across all of their venues; as part of the association, employees are encouraged to get involved with initiatives such as visiting an ecologically managed farm or carrying out energy audits to reduce energy use. All worthy causes that we’re delight to see take such a prevalent position in the business.

To find out more about Drake and Morgan’s establishments around London, please click here

If you know of any further ethical or sustainable restaurants in London that deserve promotion, please do get in touch with me here.