The noodle bar from Ridgewells\' new eco-friendly menu
Photo: Freed Imagery
Catering in D.C. just got a bit more green. Last week Ridgewells hosted a soft launch of its new eco-friendly menu, and yesterday Occasions Caterers begins its own plan towards a sustainable future.
"It just makes more sense to get tomatoes from your backyard than to ship them from Mexico," said Ridgewells C.E.O. Susan Lacz. "We're also putting money back into the local economy." The company will now offer organic (and when possible, local) foods for event menus. The new additions include fresh-pressed paninis with smoked duck and manchego cheese and Asian noodles in bamboo baskets accompanied by a full bar of fresh toppings. The next step for Ridgewells will be to reduce paper products and upgrade to a biodegradable cleaning process.Occasions owner Mark Michael is also looking towards setting an earth-friendly example, and has signed up with the Green Restaurant Association. "By doing what we can to create events that minimize the negative impact on the environment, we hope to set a standard for others to follow," he said. New menu offerings include local rockfish ceviche and free-range chicken salad with grapefruit. The company has already pledged to recycle and compost at all events and to use eco-friendly lighting and bio-energy and fuel for daily practices.
"It just makes more sense to get tomatoes from your backyard than to ship them from Mexico," said Ridgewells C.E.O. Susan Lacz. "We're also putting money back into the local economy." The company will now offer organic (and when possible, local) foods for event menus. The new additions include fresh-pressed paninis with smoked duck and manchego cheese and Asian noodles in bamboo baskets accompanied by a full bar of fresh toppings. The next step for Ridgewells will be to reduce paper products and upgrade to a biodegradable cleaning process.Occasions owner Mark Michael is also looking towards setting an earth-friendly example, and has signed up with the Green Restaurant Association. "By doing what we can to create events that minimize the negative impact on the environment, we hope to set a standard for others to follow," he said. New menu offerings include local rockfish ceviche and free-range chicken salad with grapefruit. The company has already pledged to recycle and compost at all events and to use eco-friendly lighting and bio-energy and fuel for daily practices.
