FYN, Cape Town’s inner-city Eat Out 3-star restaurant, renowned for its Afro-Japanese menu and commitment to sustainability, has recently become the first restaurant in Africa to achieve another three-star accolade – from the Sustainable Restaurant Association’s Food Made Good Standard. The Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) is a leading global organisation driving positive change within the hospitality industry. Their Food Made Good Standard recognises businesses that excel in sourcing, social responsibility, and environmental impact. 

Atlantic Ridge kingklip kapokbos tempura braaied bone broth coastal plants daikon

We caught up with chef-patron, owner and founder Peter Tempelhoff and CEO Paul Bruce-Brand to delve deeper into FYN’s sustainable practices and understand what it means to operate a restaurant that respects both people and planet. We hope their journey will serve as a beacon of inspiration for other restaurants striving for a more sustainable future.  
 
ALSO READ: Introducing the Eat Out Woolworths Green Star Award 

How did you approach developing your plant-based dishes to ensure they would appeal to all diners, not just those specifically seeking vegan options?  
At FYN, we aim to make plant-based dishes a celebration of local ingredients, flavour, texture, and creativity, rather than a substitute for animal-based options. We start by focusing on the essence of each ingredient, exploring how its natural characteristics can be elevated through techniques like fermentation, pickling, and smoking. We also draw on inspiration from both South African and Japanese cuisines, incorporating bold umami flavours, lost African ingredients and intricate plating to create plant-based dishes that appeal to everyone, regardless of dietary preferences. The plants have a deep connection to the earth, bringing a sense of timelessness and authenticity to the dishes while honouring the culinary practices of the past. Our goal is to make these dishes exciting and satisfying in their own right, not as an alternative, but as an experience. 

How do you incorporate indigenous South African ingredients with such a strong Japanese influence into your menu? What does the process of that look like? 
The synergy between South African and Japanese culinary traditions is rooted in respect for seasonality and simplicity. We begin by exploring indigenous South African ingredients such as prenia, waterblommetjies, buchu, spekboom, and sour figs, and identify how their unique flavours align with Japanese techniques and profiles like miso, dashi, or tempura. Our chefs experiment with these combinations in our experimental kitchen below FYN. We encourage creativity from our chefs and every dish needs to tell an authentic story. 

Regarding your zero-waste approach with Don’t Waste, what systems did you need to put in place to make the process efficient?
Partnering with Don’t Waste required a holistic approach to waste management. We began by conducting a waste audit to understand the types and volumes of waste generated. This helped us implement a waste-segregation system in the kitchen, a bin room, where waste is further separated, and educating our staff on proper practices. Organic waste is composted, recyclables are sorted for collection, and unavoidable waste is tracked. We also analyse our purchasing to minimise overordering, ordering fresh produce from small suppliers and using surplus ingredients creatively in the menu. 

Felix Studios Fyn Shoot

 
What guidelines and practices have you developed to ensure responsible foraging while maintaining ingredient quality?
Responsible foraging is integral to preserving our environment and maintaining high-quality ingredients. Our foraging is dictated by seasonality and regeneration: We only harvest plants when they are in abundance and ensure there is no risk of depleting the population. Foraging is conducted with proper permissions and in collaboration with experts like Dr Jan de Vynck. We take a minimal-impact approach, where only small amounts are taken to avoid disrupting ecosystems, and we prefer methods that allow the plant to regenerate naturally. We believe that the future is to move away from foraging, where possible, and that is why we have created our own indigenous garden at Buitenverwachting. It’s been incredibly rewarding to see the garden taking shape and to be growing ancient plants and moving away from the use of ingredients which require a lot of water and pesticides. These principles ensure that the ingredients we use are not only sustainable but also of the highest quality, directly reflecting their natural terroir. 

Spekboom

In terms of sourcing from local farmers, what criteria do you use to select suppliers, and how do you handle seasonal fluctuations in ingredient availability?
Our selection criteria focus on sustainability, quality, and alignment with our values. In terms of sustainable practices, preference is given to farmers who use organic or regenerative farming methods and who treat employees fairly, such as Meuse Farm. Making a positive impact on the community is important and an organisation like Abalobi, which ensures the survival of small-scale fishing communities, is a partnership which we treasure. Locality is critical and we prioritise suppliers within close proximity to reduce our carbon footprint and because the produce simply tastes better. We insist on transparency with our suppliers. Farmers must be open about their processes, allowing us to build trust and ensure alignment with our values. To handle seasonal fluctuations, we embrace a seasonality-first approach, allowing our menu to evolve naturally with what is available. We also preserve ingredients during their peak, through drying, fermenting, or freezing, to extend their use across seasons. 

Your sustainability initiatives span multiple areas of the business. How do you track and measure the impact of these various initiatives?
We use a combination of systems to track our sustainability efforts. Don’t Waste provides detailed analytics on our waste generation and recycling. In terms of energy and water usage, we track municipal bills and monitor consumption patterns. We stay close to our suppliers and our relationships are transparent and we ensure that they are adhering to sustainable practices. I am a member of the Relais & Châteaux World Culinary Council and our vision is to make the world a better place through cuisine and hospitality. We have committed ourselves to using authentic methods, to preserve traditions and to work collectively as chefs to build a more sustainable world. We have committed ourselves to the Sustainable Restaurant Association’s Food Made Good Standard, which is a 360-degree, holistic approach to sustainability, and which holds us to extremely high standards. 

Dune spinach with miso wakame dressing on West Coast abalone. 

Looking at energy and water consumption in the kitchen, what specific changes have you implemented to reduce usage, and which have had the biggest impact? We microfilter our own water on site ensuring that it is of the highest purity and quality to our guests. By using our own glass bottles, we have reduced our carbon footprint associated with the transport of water. We utilise energy-efficient equipment and LED lighting. Water-saving practices: Aerators are installed on taps, and we use a closed-loop filtration system for dishwashing. Since the drought, our staff have had massive behavioral changes, and they are trained to minimise running water and switch off appliances when not in use. At beyond Restaurant at Buitenverwachting, we utilise dam water for our wastewater and for watering plants. 

For restaurants just starting their sustainability journey, what initiatives would you recommend implementing first?
For those beginning their journey, we recommend taking a lot of little steps which lead to staff and supplier participation, and which then encourage bigger steps. Begin with something like waste management and implement a basic system to separate recyclables, compostables, and non-recyclables. Source locally whenever possible and work with nearby suppliers to reduce transport emissions and support your community. As I’ve said, the locally produced food simply tastes better too. Try to minimise food waste and encourage staff to repurpose surplus ingredients creatively. Begin with simple steps like installing LED lights and getting rid of plastic water bottles. These steps are cost-effective and impactful. We are striving to get better ourselves – sustainability is a long journey, and we are not where we want to be yet. It is challenging to get there but we’re working at it daily. 

Image: Felix Studios

Eat Out has recently launched the Green Star Award, recognising South African restaurants that champion environmental health, human well-being, and social justice. You can learn more about the award here and how restaurants can submit motivations for consideration.