‘We feel let down’: sustainable chefs in UK mourn end of Michelin green star

With rare bluefin tuna and red meat often on their menus, Michelin-starred restaurants have not always prioritised sustainability. In an effort to consider the climate crisis, in 2020 Michelin began awarding green stars to chefs who cooked eco-friendly ingredients and reduced waste. But now the body has abruptly retired the prize and said chefs will no longer be able to advertise that they have it. Winners of the accolade were given a green plaque to proudly display by their front door, and were able to show a picture of the star on their website, much as they would if they had won a traditional Michelin star. “It’s disappointing – one of our dreams was to have one,” said Piers Milburn, the owner of Pythouse Kitchen Garden in Wiltshire, which won a green star last year. His menu features sustainable ingredients such as English fava beans, hand-dived scallops and local blackberries. “We think it’s quite irresponsible for Michelin to build a platform for businesses to thrive from for an accolade and then whisk it away,” he said. “We were enormously proud of it and now we feel let down by them.” Pythouse Kitchen Garden in Wiltshire, whose menu features sustainable ingredients such as hand-dived scallops, won a green star last year There are signs that corporations across the world are reducing their sustainability initiatives in the wake of US president Donald Trump’s backlash against DEI and climate programmes. …