Restaurants don't have to give away the farm to feature foods from sustainable sources.
Supplies from eco-minded farmers and fisherman often cost more than food restaurants buy from large-scale providers. Many operators say that's why they're sitting out the sustainability trend; they're convinced they can't afford to join it.
Some chefs have discovered how to counterbalance the expense and keep their profits as sustainable as their fare. The Chefs Collaborative, a Boston-based network of culinary professionals devoted to local and sustainable sourcing, says its members have identified a number of ways to keep food costs under 32 percent.
Executive director Melissa Kogut shares these tips from members:
. Use every bit of what you buy. If you're purchasing local vegetables, use the scraps and trimmings - "the pieces that don't look pretty" - in soup. Ditto for fish bones or pieces of meat that don't end up on the plate. Try not to throw away anything edible.
. Cost out the whole dish. Local ingredients, such as beef or artisan cheese, can hike food costs into the 40-percent range. But serving them with low-priced items that fill out the plate, like pasta or potatoes, can bring your margins back into a comfortable zone.
. Use what others don't. Underutilized cuts of meat, even from local farms, can cost a fraction of what popular cuts will fetch. "They're far less expensive, and it gives customers a chance to taste something that they don't usually have," says Kogut. Members specifically recommend oxtail and short ribs.
. Start small. Find just one item that's sustainable yet affordable, whether it's a local ingredient in season (and hence plentiful) or products like potatoes or eggs from the area, which might not carry much of a premium in price. "Sustainability is a journey, not a destination," Kogut says.
