FOODPRENEURS are serving up an interesting trend that has nothing to do with the menu. In an effort to rid the city of plastic — a number of cafes are giving customers the option of using eco-friendly plates and packaging. The list of biodegradable materials being used includes sugarcane, bamboo, areca and let’s not forget the quintessential banana leaf. So now you can opt for a restaurant that serves your pasta on a plate made of sugarcane pulp and get your noodles in a bamboo takeaway box.
In order to keep this movement sustainable and warmly received by customers — there were a few hurdles that restaurant owners had to tackle first. Bamboo, for instance, was an aesthetic option for takeaway boxes, but Anupamaa B Nair, co-owner of Return of The Dragon in Ambattur says there was one big disadvantage. “It wasn’t keeping the food warm,” she says. So Nair along with partner Ramya Velmurugan had to revise their strategy so it didn’t compromise on function. These days, the duo have decided on boxes made from craft paper instead. “Apart from keeping Chinese cuisine like rice and gravies warm, these are durable and recyled as well,” Nair shares. But the shift in packaging material is still a work in progress, as she adds, “We’re still looking for a sturdy lid which won’t leak!”
This doesn’t come cheap either. With bamboo packing working out from anywhere between `4 and `12, craft paper falling into the same bracket at `8 per box. In comparison, plastic is priced at `1.4, and can go as low as 40 paise. So inconveniences aside, we have to doff our hats to choosing to prioritise the environment over revenue.
Other spots in the city like Green Cafe and Little White Kitchen have also had their share of hits and misses while experimenting with more sustainable plate choices. Areca palms for instance, turned out to be difficult to work with because of the demand, and the compost to be prepared for Areca plates was also quite cumbersome. While the plates also flavoured the food with a mild aftertaste because of the palm, observed Vanitha Mardia, one of the partners of Little White Kitchen. So instead, she says, “We settled on bagasse plates (made of sugarcane pulp) which are sturdy, oil resistant, safe and are versatile enough to handle both hot and cold foods.”
While the use of natural fibres over plastic is certainly a win — the waste continues to pile up either way. So here’s the best thing you can do about it, suggests Satish Rajasingam, owner of MadrAsian in Besant Nagar (much talked about for their sustainable decor): “Bring your own reusable takeaway boxes from home!”