Restaurant Associates partners with Native to ramp up sustainability offering

Sustainability experts Imogen Davis and Ivan Tisdall-Downes of the Native restaurant group have become the latest culinary experts to partner with Restaurant Associates.

Joining the likes of Michel Roux, Jason Atherton and Dipna Anand, the sustainability duo will provide consulting services to Restaurant Associates to help further its green efforts across its venues and events.

Known for championing wild British produce, Davis and Tisdall-Downes have developed a series of seasonal menus which can be tapped into by chefs across the Restaurant Associates estate, ranging from canapes and bowl foods, to starters, mains and desserts.

Highlights include fish trim toast, with apple hoisin and crispy seaweed; pumpkin veloute with chermoula and English muffin served inside a small pumpkin; and line caught sea bass, lapsang dashi and black mustard leaf for light bites and starters.

Meanwhile, mains will includeAynhoe Park venison, kohlrabi, Sussex squash and Earl Grey prune; wild turbot with Maldon oyster and charred courgette; and hogseed vadouvan roasted carrots, hay ash honey and tempura carrot top.

Desserts may include parsnip tarte tatin; and beetroot and dark chocolate cake with sorrel granita.

Restaurant Associates said Native's brand aligned with its pledge to become net-zero by 2030. As well as working with chefs on menu development, the pair will provide training for chefs on using British heritage ingredients and foraging, as well as participating in Restaurant Associates’ Level 4 apprentice program, Collaborate, which launched earlier this year.

“Native are dedicated to maintaining and working towards a zero-waste food ethos and work hard to source and support regenerative agricultural practices keeping true to their philosophy of letting the land dictate the menu,” said Gavin Gooddy, marketing director at Restaurant Associates, which is part of Compass Group.

“Their sustainable approach to food and sourcing aligns perfectly with our net zero commitment. We are excited to be working closely with Ivan and Imogen on a host of engagements from service to training alongside delivering delicious sustainable menus to our guests.”

Davis added: “It’s a wonderful partnership, and one we feel really comfortable with. We are involved in so many different aspects, from the apprenticeship to the service side of things and developing new menus. It’s exciting that Restaurant Associates have taken on board our ethics, especially with the sourcing of produce and our core beliefs. It feels amazing to be part of the family.”

Native has been at the forefront of zero-waste cooking and sustainability since it opene a restaurant in London's Borough Market 2016. It relocated to Osea Island on the Essex coast during the pandemic and then opened at Browns boutique store in Mayfair in spring 2021.

Davis and Tisdall-Downes were forced to close Native at Browns in September after struggling with an "array of challenges", including rising energy prices and unexpected rent increases.