Renowned streetfood trader Gourmet Goat has been shortlisted for the ‘Waste No Food’ prize at the Food Made Good Awards 2017, the Sustainable Restaurant Association’s (SRA) annual industry-leading accolades. Gourmet Goat is shortlisted alongside Pizza Hut and Poco, Bristol.
The award is one of 17 that will be presented by SRA President Raymond Blanc and Vice President Prue Leith at a special ceremony on Thursday 5 October at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Lindley Hall.
The Food Made Good Awards recognise restaurants and food service businesses whose extraordinary accomplishments in the last year have driven progress in the industry and demonstrated that all food can be made delicious, ethical and sustainable.
The ‘Waste No Food’ category, sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions, is designed to recognise businesses using the very best ways to ensure food goes on the plate and not in the bin. Gourmet Goat has been chosen as one of three finalists due to their dedicated work designing a menu to avoid any food being wasted, particularly showcasing British kid goat and rose veal sourced from high welfare dairy farms, which are by-products of the UK dairy industry.
Based inside London's iconic Borough Market, Gourmet Goat has achieved an impressive array of honours and critical acclaim for both their healthy flavourful East Mediterranean streetfood and continued efforts to reduce food waste.
Double winners at the Urban Food Awards 2016 for ‘Best Surplus Food Initiative’ and the ‘Sustainable Streetfood’ prize, co-founders Nadia and Nick Stokes were named ‘Best Eatery’ at the Slow Food London Awards 2016, and crowned ‘Best Streetfood Trader or Takeaway’ at the BBC Food & Farming Awards 2016 with the judges praising both the duo’s “pitch perfect” flavour combinations and their commitment to the provenance of their ingredients.
All of Gourmet Goat’s dishes are inspired by authentic village classics that there are no written recipes for but have simply been passed down each family over generations, which Nadia learned cooking alongside her grandmother - Mrs Elpiniki.
The husband and wife duo bring these dishes to life in London using thoughtfully-sourced British ingredients like traditional pulses and maritime mutton, and employing techniques from the past that can improve sustainability now, such as serving mature halloumi and pickles made from leftover market vegetables.
Gourmet Goat’s co-founder Nadia Stokes said, “We are thrilled that our work has been acknowledged in such a way, and even more so that sustainable food and practices are increasingly being recognised thanks to the great work of the SRA and its supporters.”
SRA President Raymond Blanc, who is also curating the lunch at the Food Made awards ceremony, said, “The Food Made Good Awards are so critical, recognising the work and commitment of individuals and organisations responsible for bringing new ethics to our food production, and sharing those values in our kitchens and with consumers.
“The awards truly remind us why we are so proud to work in this industry. Food and its production touches every part of our lives; it will define the society and communities of tomorrow, as well as our health and the health of the planet.
'Each and every one of the shortlisted businesses have demonstrated food’s huge potential as a force for good. I am honoured to play some part in rewarding their significant achievements.”