Bright Ideas Sustainability Tips from Industry Experts

Bright Ideas Sustainability Tips From Industry Experts

Restaurant.org | Bright Ideas 2013 1 We care for our people, customers, suppliers, and the communities we serve.

As North America’s largest family-owned broadline foodservice distributor, our ultimate purpose is to serve our customers. We are committed to delivering quality products, unmatched service, and understanding the importance of nurturing a healthy and growing organization. With trust and integrity at the heart of all our endeavors, we embrace the responsibility of ensuring corporate sustainability, minimizing environmental impact, and promoting social responsibility. This approach has served us well for more than 115 years; let us show you.

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Restaurant.org | Bright Ideas 2013 2 Greetings:

For restaurateurs, implementing sustainable best practices into their operations is more popular than ever before.

We at the National Restaurant Association want to make that implementation as successful and cost effective as possible. To that end, we have created this guide featuring tips and real world advice from industry experts appearing at the 2013 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in Chicago.

The information was compiled from our seven environmentally-focused education programs at the Show and includes input from the Clinton Global Initiative, Starbucks, Chipotle, and renowned chef Rick Bayless, among others!

Please take these excellent insights and consider them for your business strategy. You will save money, improve the environment and respond to your employees’ and customers’ interests.

To continue your sustainable business journey, sign up for our Conserve Sustainability Education Program for free. By doing so, you’ll learn more practical steps and good practices and even track your progress, too.

Visit www.restaurant.org/conserve and join today.

Sincerely,

Scott DeFife Jeff Clark Clarice Turner Executive Vice President, Conserve Program Director, Chair, NRA Sustainability Policy and Government Affairs National Restaurant Association Committee National Restaurant Association [email protected] SVP, US Business, Starbucks

© 2013 National Restaurant Association. All rights reserved. Restaurant.org | Bright Ideas 2013 3 Rick Bayless: Sustainability Means Growing Local Communities and Flavors Renowned chef Rick Bayless’ journey toward food sustainability is a personal one, more relevant today than it was 20-plus years ago.

“I grew up [around] a barbecue restau- build another hoop greenhouse. Bayless rant in Oklahoma City that was all about said “We decided to invest in it for him local flavor and local ingredients,” he said. and he paid us back in spinach the next he celebrated owner-operator of “When I was a kid, I’d go to the commer- y e ar.” such Chicago stalwarts as Frontera cial market, but it was really a very large For Bayless, that was the beginning of TGrill, Topolobampo and Xoco farmers’ market. But here, I couldn’t find creating a community. Mexican restaurants, recounted how the anything local. Over the next five years, “That developed into a no-interest loan origins of food became important to his I began to understand there were things program we ran for a few years where we success as a restaurateur. people could grow for us and we could had a few thousand dollars our farmers “When I started back in 1987, I had just begin to develop some kind of Chicago could borrow and they could pay us back moved here from living in Mexico … and flavor. But it was going to be an uphill in product in a year if it was something we had just opened Frontera [Grill] in b att l e .” that we needed,” he said. “We eventual- Chicago,” he said. Over the years, he said, work- ly turned it into the Frontera Farmers “We didn’t use the word sus- ing with small, local farmers Foundation, a nonprofit organization that tainability at all back then, “To me, and producers led him to provides small capital improvement grants but something was amiss [sustainability] is discover that they didn’t to local family farms.” to me because almost about bringing have enough resources to Over the last 10 years, the foundation all of the top chefs here community produce the amount of has given out $1.2 million in small grants, were not relating any- together.” food he needed to supply he said, and as a result, a “really strong, lo- thing they did to the local –Rick Bayless his restaurants. But he re- cal agriculture, like the one I’d experienced community. They were alized there was something in Mexico” has gotten off the ground. saying they got their ingre- he could do about it. “To me, it’s about bringing communi- dients from far-flung places and “Eventually, a fellow came to us ty together. I look at what we do in our that your experience at their restaurants with this amazing spinach,” he recalled. restaurants as being something bigger was going to be a rarified one because they “It happened to be Feb. 15, and he had than just providing had gone to such extremes to get those this spinach in Chicago. Those of you nutrition for things. In Mexico, it was completely the who have spent any time in Chicago, in people. opposite. They talked about how food the winter, know this is not the time to related directly to the people in the towns expect any kind of spinach. He discovered and what dishes had developed there from a type he could grow in an unheated hoop that food.” greenhouse and he was going to grow this At the NRA Show education session on stuff if we wanted it. I said not only did we sustainability and the food chain, Bayless want it, but we wanted as much of it as he said growing up around his father’s barbe- could get us. Suddenly I had this unique cue restaurant in Oklahoma City and his flavor. It was sweeter than normal spinach time in Mexico, formed the foundation and it was a flavor I associate with here.” of his own cooking style, which was im- But Bayless said the fellow said he mersed in local flavors and foods that he couldn’t grow much of the spinach be- could not find in Chicago in the 1980s. cause he didn’t have enough money to

4 Restaurant.org | Bright Ideas 2013 Restaurant.org | Bright Ideas 2013 4 Clearly, we all have to eat to live, but we with people who give us the things we don’t have to eat out to live.” need to stay alive, and once you’ve made Bayless noted that people dine out to that connection with those people who feel certain experiences that are bigger and supply your food, you begin to ask dif- better than just what is on the plate. ferent questions about bigger issues you “We take our role as community cata- might be scared about. The issues we ask lysts very strongly here, and by helping to about become very different when you’re develop this system of local agriculture, having a conversation with someone who we feel like we’re able to bring sustainabil- is directly supplying food for you,” he said. ity to our community in the sense that, Bayless also noted that being a restaura- yes, we used less petroleum to bring the teur is being a community catalyst — and things in and yes, more organic [product storyteller. is] available.” “Those of us who have restaurants — But, he said, sustainability in the way we really anyone, whether you’re an indepen- think of it has more to do with bringing dent restaurateur or part of a chain — you the community together. have the opportunity to tell stories,” he “Once we invested in the local agri- said. “When a restaurateur grabs hold of culture we had more product and more the role of storyteller and starts telling restaurant and have a LEED certified product meant more farmers’ markets. I about where the food is coming from and build-out at one of our restaurants,” he think we can all agree that today, the local how you can connect with people in your said. “We take it all very seriously. For farmers’ market has taken the place of the community who have supplied some of it, me, all of those things are an expression of old town square, where we used to rub suddenly the restaurateur takes on a role who we think we are as a restaurant.” shoulders with people you didn’t always that is, to me, sort of the ground level of see, but shared topics of conversation real sustainability.” w it h .” But Bayless said his restaurants’ sus- He added that the farmers’ market also tainability program is incredibly deep Above and previous page: Rick Bayless became the place where, “We connect and complicated. “We’re a green-certified Previous page: Bayless’ garden in Chicago

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Restaurant.org | Bright Ideas 2013 5 STEPS TO SAVE ENERGY, WATER

Sustainable Restaurant 1. Install Energy Star qualified light bulbs and light fixtures Design Is Simple With a Plan throughout your restaurant Designing a foodservice facility or restaurant to be more where appropriate. sustainable is not difficult, but it does take planning. 2. Install a high-efficiency pre-rinse spray valve in your hen planning the sustainable refurnish your building,” and in addition to dishroom and save hundreds build-out of your restaurant, having a plan, operators should set achiev- of dollars a year! Wchoosing the right equip- able goals and also make sure their “people 3. Fix water leaks immediately ment, lighting and design materials are are willing to do what they are supposed to — especially hot water leaks. integral to ensuring you achieve your be doing” in order to meet and/or increase Wasted water, sewer, and wa- goal. the facility’s sustainability goals. ter heating costs can add up to hundreds of dollars a year. Joe Carbonara, moderator of the session In looking at ways to save on energy “Seven Ingredients to Creating a Design costs, Smythe recommended creating a 4. Perform walk-in Facility and Foodservice Operation that start-up/shut-down schedule that people refrigerator maintenance. Check and replace door Supports the Sustainable Menu”, said when actually use. “You don’t have to turn every- gaskets; clean evaporator and thing on when you come in,” she said. creating or altering building design, opera- condenser coils; check refrig- Ventilation and exhaust systems continue tors should: erant charge. 1. to use the most energy in restaurants, said Have a plan and stick to it; 5 Select Energy Star quali- Anthony Spata, building systems design 2. Develop a holistic approach; fied equipment, especially to director for Hyatt Hotels Corp, Americas. 3. Measure and benchmark to see how you replace worn-out cooking and are progressing; “You can tailor ventilation to what kind of refrigeration equipment. 4. cooking you are doing and to work only as Measure your return on investment; Get additional easy to hard as you need it to,” he said. 5. Think critically as you go along; implement tips at: http:// 6. Stretch yourself by doing at least one Carbonara noted that restaurants use five Restaurant.org/Conserve more thing every year; and to 10 times more energy per square foot 7. Keep up building and equipment than other businesses, and Spata advised maintenance. operators to look at their energy bills to depending on the length of their supplier Commercial design consultant Melanie figure out where to start conserving. contracts. If switching suppliers is planned, Smythe added, “There are simple ways to David Zabrowski, director of engineering operators and their teams should begin to for the Food Service Technology Center, visit farms to connect directly with food suggested equipment purchasers make sure sources. Energy Efficient Best their new equipment is Energy Star rated. Practices “Once you buy it, it will last a long time,” 1. Eliminate idle time for all of he said. “An advantage of Energy Star equip- your appliances. ment is that it’s road-tested.” 2. Only turn on cooking Both Zabrowski and Smythe stressed the and heating equipment 20 importance of maintaining equipment on a minutes before you need it. regular schedule. 3. Lights, hoods, ranges, signs “You can develop your own maintenance and fans should all be turned schedule and equipment replacement plan off when not in use. instead of reacting to something breaking 4. Group the hottest appli- down,” Smythe said. “Have people on the ances, like broilers, steamers [cooking] line be part of this; it’s something and open burners, under the everybody can participate in.” same vent. In addressing how operators could im- 5. Use cold water whenever prove food-related sustainability practices, possible. Insulate hot-water pipes, Greg Christian, CEO of the Beyond Green: Sustainable Food Partners consultancy, 6. Train your employees to said operators should have either a five-to- conserve. 10-year strategy for improving their food sustainability or a 10-to-20-year strategy,

Restaurant.org | Bright Ideas 2013 6 Moving Forward With Sustainability: Waste Not, Want Not Before taking any steps to reduce waste — energy, packaging or food — ask the right questions first and plan reduction efforts wisely. Before you begin …

aitlin Leibert, head of sustainabil- director of education for the Food Service 1. Understand your company’s ity for Chipotle Mexican Grill, Technology Center in San Ramon, Calif., sustainability vision (begin with Csaid that when her company first recommended operators should begin the end in mind). made a commitment to reduce its carbon installing more efficient lighting and equip- 2. Chart a sustainability course footprint, it looked at each item that came ment. that includes your company’s in from suppliers to learn which materials Calling cooking equipment the most ideals/culture. were used and how they were delivered to energy-intensive part of a restaurant, the chain’s restaurants. he advised operators to ensure any 3. Incorporate your company’s After learning those answers, the man- replacement equipment is Energy Star rated. underlying business goals amd Map them out long-term. agers then brought its suppliers into the He also predicted it would take 10 more conversation to determine shared goals. years before optimized cook lines will be 4. Enact only those short-term “Don’t settle for what is out there,” she the industry’s norm. solutions that help achieve your said. “Research, ask questions and dig in. It’s Andrew Shakman, president of LeanPath, long-term goals. really just about asking the right questions.” an automated food waste tracking system 5. Review your sustainability One item Chipotle is working to reduce consultancy, said operators should measure efforts periodically; make sure usage of is its nonrecyclable plastic straws. the amount of waste they produce on a they align with the steps above. Leibert said the company has found a daily basis and set goals for reducing it and manufacturer willing to use less plastic in measuring improvement. Restaurateurs that electrical usage and costs. Additionally, he the production. Chipotle projects the new, implement these efforts have demonstrated noted that more efficient steamers usually thinner straws will result in the reduction of annual food waste reduction of up to 80 pay for themselves in two years, and some 6 tons of plastic from the waste stream, and percent. other equipment can take up to four years. an annual savings of approximately $25,000. When questioned about the rate of return “Small changes with suppliers can have a on investment, or ROI, of being more major impact on the waste stream,” she said. sustainable, Young said changing light- Richard Young, senior engineer and ing brings immediate results by lowering

Restaurant.org | Bright Ideas 2013 7 Industry Experts Say: Turn Your Trash Into Cash Most restaurant operators understand that recycling and composting waste material are good for the environment, but many may not know those same practices can save them money.

“Recycling is hyper local,” he said. “It’s often necessary to engage local governments, waste haulers, landlords and others to work together toward the same goals.” In recent years, Starbucks has set goals for panel of industry experts recently its company-owned stores, including build- shared information and sugges- ing and certifying them to Leadership in Ations about reducing refuse at Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED the education session, “Saving Money with specifications, and to eliminate nonrecycla- Trash: Reorganizing Waste to Boost Your ble cups from its system. Bottom Line”. Laura Wood Habr, owner and operator of Jim Hanna, Starbucks Coffee Co.’s director Croc’s 19th Street Bistro in Virginia Beach, of environmental impact, said reducing Va., said her decision to recycle food waste Starbucks’ Jim Hanna says if employer, employ- operating costs, building customer loyalty has resulted not only in lower disposal costs, ees and customers share values, everyone wins. and making employees proud are the chief but also reduced purchasing and labor costs. reasons why his company committed to “Working with everyone, from waste Last year, she was able to launch the first recycling much of its waste products. If the haulers to municipal governments, can restaurant composting pilot program in Vir- employer, employees and customers share result in achieving green goals,” she said. ginia with the help of a grant from the U.S. the same values, everyone wins, he said. Environmental Protection Agency. In spite of a perception that Starbucks’ For the test, Habr contracted with the cardboard cups make up the majority of its Convert Trash into Cash closest composting facility in her area, packaging waste, cups and other packag- McGill Environmental Systems, located 75 1. Train staff and consumers ing pieces compose only a small part of its to properly separate miles away, to pick up and haul her food carbon footprint, Hanna said. He noted that recyclables waste. The plant turns the organic material programs to further reduce that footprint into a nutrient-rich product that eventually 2. Work with stakeholders are best solved on a local, communi- goes back into the soil to grow more food. from waste haulers to ty-by-community basis. Some of the challenges she overcame in governments to achieve launching the program included training your goals staff and consumers to properly separate 3. Make sure everyone agrees recyclables and keeping up with EPA paper- on the same goals work. “We saved $220 a month, or $2,640 a year, through landfill diversions,” she said. NRA eyes food Lily Kelly, interim director of the Coa- waste reduction lition for Resource Recovery, said finding cost-effective solutions can depend on locat- The NRA, along with the Grocery ing waste haulers who will sell products that Manufacturers Association and result from recycling waste material. Food Marketing Institute, have “Our goal is to see paper foodservice created the Food Waste packaging turned into valuable materials,” Reduction Alliance, whose she said. goals are to reduce food waste But, she added, one of the main chal- sent to landfills and increase lenges is much of the infrastructure for food donated to food banks. converting food and foodservice packaging waste into valuable materials is outside the restaurant owners’ control.

Organic material, like food waste, can be turned into nutrient-rich compost. Restaurant.org | Bright Ideas 2013 8 Food Sustainability: Mix Social Responsibility And Profitability With Dash of Local Flavor F ood sustainability is primarily representative of three things: embracing the local community and its flavors, veering away from overusing certain food sources, such as some types of seafood, and conducting business in socially responsible, but profitable ways.

elebrity chef Rick Bayless, own- 90 percent of it is imported. But, he said, er-operator of Frontera Grill, today half of the fish consumed in the Stumped by CTopolobampo and Xoco restau- United States is farm-raised and that the Sustainable rants in Chicago, Tim Fitzgerald, senior amount is growing fast. policy analyst for the Environmental “U.S. fisheries really matter,” he said, Seafood? Defense Fund in Washington, D.C., and adding that domestic fisheries have Ask your seafood Charlie Arnot, CEO of the Center for restored many fish through the EDF’s supplier the following: Food Integrity in Gladstone, Mo., agreed Catch Shares and Gulf Wild sustainabil- 1. Fish’s country of origin? that many consumers today want to see ity programs, which limit overfishing in 2. Is the fish wild-caught or the businesses they frequent operating many U.S. waters. He indicated that the farmed? sustainably. group wants to expand the program to 3. How was the fish caught? “I see my role of restaurateur as a other areas going forward. 4. How do they verify the community catalyst.… This is the ground From a business perspective, incor- authenticity? level of real sustainability,” Bayless said. porating sustainability into a restaurant The EDF’s Tim Fitzgerald, a marine operation not only resonates with con- If they cannot answer, get a new fishmonger. biologist and a leading member of the sumers, but also helps build credibility, organization’s Oceans Program, said its the Center for Food Integrity’s Arnot said. goal is to end overfishing worldwide. But, he cautioned, operators must balance “There are too many boats chasing too being ethically grounded with profitabil- few fish,” he said. “Seventy percent of the ity. global fish supply is maxed out.” Furthermore, he stated, restaurants that Fish is fundamentally different from develop a socially conscious reputation other foods served in restaurants because with the public often allow that company to operate with minimal formalized Four Keys to Food restrictions (e.g., ordinances). Sustainability “People are more likely to act on 1. Embrace the local what they feel rather than on what they community and its flavors. believe,” Arnot pointed out. “You have a 2. Do not overuse certain wonderful opportunity to help people un- food sources, like seafood. derstand your commitment to responsible sourcing.” 3. Be socially responsible, but be profitable. Bayless addressed possible increased cost of serving sustainable foods by say- 4. Choose one topic/theme ing, “We first and foremost have to stay in a year and stick with it; these are complex and business. But we aren’t going to give up on challenging issues. our convictions. We will find the balance in the middle.”

Restaurant.org | Bright Ideas 2013 9 Rethinking Social Responsibility: Don’t Just Give Back; Create Value

T oday, especially among millennial consumers who tend to eat out more than other generational members do, expectations are higher that restaurants will participate in corporate responsibility.

ecause of the immediacy of social and passion for healthful and flavorful media, corporate values and food, heartfelt service and public safety. Bresponsibility are now instantly The brand created its Firehouse Subs transparent to consumers, consultant Public Safety Foundation in 2005. Denise Lee Yohn said. As a result, pro- As part of its commitment, the found- gressive companies pay great attention ers match a percentage of the donations to considering which efforts are right for received from each restaurant, Fox said. their business. Franchisees are rated on the percentage of Yohn also noted that the National sales they donate to the cause. Restaurant Association has estimated that “We’ve made great progress on building the industry donates approximately $38 the culture,” he said. “The most successful billion annually to charity. franchisees believe that being socially The idea is not to “give back,” which involved helps their sales.” implies that a company is giving back To date, the company and franchisees something that needs to be paid back, but, have raised a total of $6.3 million, primar- rather, to create value, she said. She de- ily for fire department equipment. fined the objective as reinforcing a brand’s message and increasing its differentiation from competitors while advancing its social social relevance. responsibility Yohn suggested that instead of simply It used to be that consumers supporting external charitable programs, were most concerned about companies should become a force for product quality, value for money positive social change. and financial performance. Sur- Progressive companies pay great attention “When your social efforts speak to veys now show that the majority to which efforts are right for their businesses, your values, your brand creates value for of consumers are more interest- like assisting food banks. all your stakeholders that is far broader, ed in how companies treat their deeper and longer-lasting than your com- employees, get involved in the mercial footprint,” she said. “There is a communities they serve, and How to Be Socially growing belief that generating a profit and deal with ethical and environ- Responsible achieving social progress are not mutually mental issues. They often base 1. Give consideration to exclusive.” their purchasing decisions on efforts that align with Don Fox, president and CEO of the what they know about a corpo- your business model. 619-unit Firehouse Subs sandwich chain, ration’s social behavior. 2. Don’t just give back; create noted that his company’s philanthropic value. program of raising money to help first responders and public safety organiza- 3. Become a force for positive social change. tions has resonated with customers in the communities it serves, saying, “It’s a 4. Make sure your shared value [we have with them].” philanthropy is relevant. Fox said relevant philanthropy is built into Firehouse’s mission statement, which is to carry on the brand’s commitment

Restaurant.org | Bright Ideas 2013 10 Global Leaders Address Sustainability in the Food Supply Chain Aware that close to 1 billion people around the world are malnourished and one-third of the world’s food supply is wasted, corporate foodservice and nonprofit leaders are attempting to change those statistics.

vercoming poverty as the world’s dedicating major resources to ocean health 7 billion people grow to a project- and resiliency, said Brandon Tidwell, Oed 9 billion by 2050 is critical, Darden’s manager of sustainability. Seafood said Mahendra Lohani, executive vice makes up 31 percent of the food supply president of the Asia/South Pacific division chain at Darden, which spends $2.5 billion Above: Former President Bill Clinton, founder of the Clinton Global Initiative of Heifer International, a global leader in on food products annually. small farm development in low-income Seafood stewardship is a cornerstone of Below and left: Darden Restaurants is creating new supply chains through countries. The good news is there are still Darden’s sustainability program now more aquaculture and other means. opportunities to increase food productivi- than ever before, as consumer demand for ty, he said. seafood increases. The company, which Silberman said the company has set up Heifer International helps to connect operates Red Lobster, Olive Garden and pilot programs with hunger-relief charities, foods produced in Third World countries Capital Grille, among other concepts, is including Feeding America, in selected — such as spices, coffee, honey, cocoa, creating new supply chains through aqua- domestic markets, as well as in India and pork and beef — to private sector sup- culture and other means. Italy. ply chains. These connections empower Darden has been creating aquaculture Hilton also is testing ways to improve communities and individuals, especially farms with partners in countries like Hon- efficiencies in hotel banquet departments women, to break the cycle of poverty, duras and Malaysia to raise lobsters for and restaurants that prepare large quan- Lohani said. its restaurants. At its restaurants with test tities of food for buffets that often is not Moderator Jesse LaRose, president of kitchens, including Seasons 52 and Capital consumed. At its Embassy Suites brand, ESE Solutions, a consulting firm that helps Grille, chefs are experimenting with cre- for example, known for its for bountiful, companies implement sustainability strate- ating new menu items featuring bycatch complimentary buffet breakfasts, perish- gies, noted that since its inception in 2005, species that are less familiar to customers. able foods now are put out only as needed The Clinton Global Initiative has impacted In addition to its seafood sustainability instead of in advance, she said. 400 million lives in 183 countries. Envi- programs, Darden also is increasing its ronmental stewardship is a primary focus sourcing of sustainable beef, in cooper- of the organization, which was founded by ation with the National Cattlemen’s Beef former President Bill Clinton to address Association. significant global challenges. Regarding what to do with perishable Restaurant companies such as Darden prepared food that ends up not being sold Restaurants, for example, are at specific meal times, Tidwell said many of its restaurants freeze it and partner with organizations able to pick up the food and deliver it to local food banks. Hospitality conglomerate Hilton World- wide, which runs 2,500 restaurants and bars in its fullservice and luxury hotels, has a major focus on reducing its food waste, said Jennifer Silberman, its vice president of corporate responsibility. Many of its restaurants and banquet departments also arrange to deliver freshly prepared food to soup kitchens, food banks and other community agencies.

Restaurant.org | Bright Ideas 2013 11 Ted Turner: Media Mogul Turns Sustainability Pioneer

Entrepreneur Ted Turner’s commitment to environmentalism is changing the way the restaurant industry practices sustainability.

t this year’s NRA Show, a group the restaurant industry. Their 44-unit of Ted Turner’s closest advisers Ted’s Montana Grill casual-dining chain Aaddressed his pledge — through is credited not only with pushing the George McKerrow, left, and Ted Turner the philanthropic Turner Foundation — to industry’s sustainability drive forward, help protect some of the earth’s endan- but also giving new life to the U.S. bison ting all of its restaurants with LED lighting gered resources, from its oceans to North ranching industry. McKerrow, who knew fixtures, as well as water- and energy-effi- America’s bison herds to Russia’s salmon Turner casually before going into business cient equipment. He admitted it has been strongholds, to name a few. with him, said they both were interested in costly, but his return on investment has The Foundation also has contributed preserving the bison herd and agreed that been greater than the initial spend. more than $1 million to the National creating a market for the product would Restaurant Association’s Conserve Sustain- not only help grow the herd, but fix a Ted’s Montana Grill ability Solutions Education Program, which long-broken industry. educates restaurateurs on best sustainable “I’d been intrigued about the bison, initially spent $111,000 on the practices for their businesses. thought it was a wonderful product and systemwide switch to LED Mike Finley, the Foundation’s president tried to help the industry get on its feet,” lighting, but ended up saving and treasurer, said it is Turner’s love of he said. “But it just wasn’t getting any- $140,000 in the first year and wildlife that started him on his sustainable where. There wasn’t enough of it for the big journey. [restaurateurs] and not enough of the small $250,000 in the second “Mr. Turner founded the Turner independents were going to buy it. year on electricity bills. Foundation in 1991,” Finley said. “Ted has “I had this concept of a classic American always had a love for wildlife, even as a grill that featured gourmet hamburgers For example, the company spent young man. It was that love of wildlife — in my mind for a long time and I thought $111,000 on the systemwide conversion that association with the habitat — that we could introduce bison,” he continued. to LED lighting, but saved $140,000 in actually supported and led him on the “I wrote a one-page document and visited electric bills the first year and $250,000 the path to realize that all of the things we do Ted. I’d known him over the years as an second. impact something somewhere.” acquaintance, and I managed to get in front Still, he added, the chain’s road to suc- It is Turner, an environmental steward of him. We shook hands and said, ‘Let’s go cess has been a slow but steady one. since starting a friendship with explor- build a chain of restaurants.’ ” “I want to say Ted’s Montana Grill was er-conservationist Jacques Cousteau in the Not only did that chain promote good an overnight success after 10 years,” he 1980s, who best demonstrates how to suc- animal husbandry practices, McKerrow noted. “That’s the reality of business and cessfully mix sustainability and capitalism said, “it also helped bison ranchers get back dreams. Ted is the best person I’ve ever together, said Todd Wilkinson, author of on their feet and created a self-sustaining known. He’s been a mentor for me for “The Last Stand: Ted Turner’s Quest to Save restaurant business.” many, many years. At the end of the day, a Troubled Planet.” The veteran restaurateur said the goal for he’s patient and he’s steadfast and continues “I once had an interview with Mikhail Ted’s Montana Grill was to build a restau- to try until he succeeds. And I think that’s Gorbachev and he said he knew of no rant that cooked and served all natural the answer. … The do-good part is not just private citizen in history with a wider food and created a platform that incorpo- to help others, but to help [ourselves] do resume of conservation and humanitarian rated the latest technology that would help the right things. The bottom line is every- accomplishments coupled with his business protect the environment and save on costs thing we do [at Ted’s strives to] do good achievements, including a World Series,” at the same time. He confirmed that while for the industry. It’s fun and exciting and Wilkinson said. it has taken some time, the business has something we can be proud of.” His partnership with George McKerrow and continues to meet the goals it set for Jr. has made a big sustainable impact on itself at its inception. That includes outfit-

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