SUSTAINABILITY & ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
We recognize our activities have an impact on the environment. Our staff and us are part of and stakeholders of the community we live in. As a business, we aim to reduce our environmental impact and provide a fair and healthy work place for our staff.
With the above objective in mind, we take a holistic approach to our operations and address the impacts in the following areas:
- Sourcing
- Community
- Environment
1. Sourcing & Menu:
- 1.1. Consider seasonality of products especially with seafood. We will not use seafood during their spawning season for example.
- 1.2. Incorporate / Feature seasonal vegetable (or other ingredients) that are suitable to eat based on Chinese 24 solar terms (which is listed as Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO).
- • Use seasonal vegetable / ingredients in canapes.
• Lunch daily soup is almost always a vegetarian soup and use seasonal vegetable.
• Include more seasonal and local vegetables into main courses.
- • Use seasonal vegetable / ingredients in canapes.
- 1.3. Offer vegetables, and vegetarian options
- 1.4. Choose locally produced products whenever possible, the environmental impact in transportation and to support local businesses.
- • Use as much HK farmed vegetable (which is season based) as possible to supplement other vegetable used in cooking. Source from farmers market / local farms. Make social media posts to “advertise” to influence the public.
• To the extent it is difficult to use only local produce in HK as HK produces little food on its own, we will feature and use regional products, such as from Japan, Taiwan, Korea and China. Example, we use mushrooms from Yunnan rather than imports from Europe to reduce carbon footprint.
- • Use as much HK farmed vegetable (which is season based) as possible to supplement other vegetable used in cooking. Source from farmers market / local farms. Make social media posts to “advertise” to influence the public.
- 1.5. Source high welfare meat, and Sustainable seafood, whenever possible.
- • While it is not easy to use “local” meat in HK as HK does not really produce much meat, especially beef, we commit to using meat including poultry that is as close to us as possible.
• To raise awareness of “local” meat / poultry products, we will create menu item / dishes which highlight using local chicken, duck, pork etc.
• We include whenever possible off cuts (non steak cuts of meat) and as many offal menu items as possible. We will put preference on locally available offals than imported offal parts.
• For steaks and other import meats, we target to use only high welfare meat.
• For seafood, we will use as much sustainable seafood as possible and use best endeavor to avoid seafood that are endangered.
- • While it is not easy to use “local” meat in HK as HK does not really produce much meat, especially beef, we commit to using meat including poultry that is as close to us as possible.
- 1.6. Never use disposable plastic products such as straws, cutleries.
- 1.7. Choose FSC certified or other sustainable / recycled paper products, if appropriate.
- 1.8. Source fair trade sustainable coffee.
- 1.9. Use “head to tail”, incorporate off cuts which are normally discarded in menu.
2. Community:
- 2.1. Preserving Heritage and Culture
- • Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) describes the world as a harmonious and holistic entity where all living beings are viewed in relation to the surrounding environment. And mankind is part of this holistic entity. We are influenced directly and indirectly by changes in weather and our bodies make corresponding physiological and pathological responses to these changes. According to TCM philosophies, if we consume seasonal foods that are similar in nature to the external environment, we remain in harmony with the environment, adapt better to changes in season and stay healthy. TCM teaches us how each flavor corresponds to a certain organ of the body. The basic applying principle is "nourishing yang in spring and summer time, and nourishing yin in autumn and winter time." To apply this principle, try following the simplified dietary advice below for each season.
• Our ancestors created the 24 Solar Terms (which is listed as Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO) that helps ancient farmers understand the changes in season and weather so they can plant and plan accordingly. Following the 24 Solar Terms and TCM dietary principles, Chinese ate according to seasons in the old days. Modern city people seem to have forgotten those principles.
• We work with TCM practitioner to apply these ancient dietary principles to our menu items. We hope to remind and revive the ancient practice of eat according to season to our well being and be in harmony with our environment.
- • Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) describes the world as a harmonious and holistic entity where all living beings are viewed in relation to the surrounding environment. And mankind is part of this holistic entity. We are influenced directly and indirectly by changes in weather and our bodies make corresponding physiological and pathological responses to these changes. According to TCM philosophies, if we consume seasonal foods that are similar in nature to the external environment, we remain in harmony with the environment, adapt better to changes in season and stay healthy. TCM teaches us how each flavor corresponds to a certain organ of the body. The basic applying principle is "nourishing yang in spring and summer time, and nourishing yin in autumn and winter time." To apply this principle, try following the simplified dietary advice below for each season.
- 2.2. Happy Productive Staff
- • Provide equal opportunity.
• Promote and award base on merits.
• Provide adequate and appropriate training opportunities to staff.
- • Provide equal opportunity.
- 2.3. Support Our Community
- • Each year we support a number of (up to 5) local charities in both monetary donations and donation in kinds (dinner as prize to raise money)
• E.g., Impact HK, PathFinders, Autism Partnership, Women in Finance, Haw Par Music Foundation, Pebbles, Rain Lily, etc.
3. Enviroment:
- • Each year we support a number of (up to 5) local charities in both monetary donations and donation in kinds (dinner as prize to raise money)
- 3.1. Recyle
- • Recycle whenever it is practical and possible.
- 3.2. Value Natural Resources
- • Offer filtered water to minimize use of bottled water.
• Adjust aircon in restaurant to appropriate level.
• Use non paper menus.
- • Offer filtered water to minimize use of bottled water.
- 3.3. Minimize Wastage
- • Design appropriate menu portions to minimize wastage.
• Encourage customers to pack leftovers.
• Educate staff / customers not to over order.
- • Design appropriate menu portions to minimize wastage.
Creative Refined Hong Kong Cuisine
創意精緻香港料理
A decade ago when our owner chef, Sandy Keung, began her chef's journey, geography was not of concern. The goal was simply to cook food that she loves and to create a place where people connect and share experiences. Dishes created are purely reflective of her unique cultural background and authentic to her personal experiences as a typhical Hong Konger.
十年前，當我們的主廚 Sandy Keung 開始她的廚師生涯時，國家或地理料理並不是考慮因素。目標只是烹飪她喜愛的食物菜餚，並創造一個人們交流和分享經驗的地方。十年來所創作的菜餚完全反映了她獨特的文化背景，並真實地反映了她作為典型香港人的個人經歷。
Autumn Cuisine
Autumn signifies the end of Summer. Weather changes from humid and hot slowly to cold and dry. TCM principles believe that it is important to nourish one's lungs during Autumn season. Following traditions, we should eat shoot in Spring, squashes in Summer, fruits and leaves in Autumn and finally roots in Winter. The best seasonal food to eat during Autumn are lung nourishing fruits such as pears, peaches, apples, etc., neutral meat and white colored food. Chinese almonds, honey, lotus seeds are great for nourishing the lungs and suppressing coughs. Food with sour flavor is also good for the Autumn. When we nourish our body in Autumn, it is important to not over heat our lungs and body. Our maintenance of wellbeing should focus on nourishing the “yin” energy and dryness created from the weather; moisturizing the lungs and producing body fluid.
立秋料理
秋天的到來意味著夏天的結束。天氣從濕熱緩慢變為寒冷乾燥。中醫相信立秋養生先養肺。從前民間有說: 春吃芽、夏吃瓜、秋吃果 、冬吃根。二十四節氣立秋起宜「少吃瓜，多吃果」，多吃潤燥的果，如梨、桃、蘋果、蓮霧等、肉、白色食物。南北杏仁、蜂蜜、蓮子是補肺止咳的佳品。飲食宜微酸或甜中帶酸。秋天進補，重在平補，以滋陰清燥、潤肺生津、滋陰潤燥為主。
Conscious, Ingredient Based Cuisine
「意識」食材料理
- Deeply influenced by the Chinese holistic concept of ‘harmony between man and nature’, TABLE revives the practice of eating according to seasonality. Seasonal local vegetables and other ingredients are incorporated into the menu according to Traditional Chinese medicine principles and the 24 Solar Terms. The five internal organs are nourished by maintaining the harmony of the five elements within the body to optimise wellbeing. Dishes also aim to showcase beloved local flavours using Western cooking techniques with ingredients from Hong Kong and around the world to create a ‘Conscious, Ingredient Based Cuisine’ that is uniquely Hong Kong and uniquely ‘Sandy’.
- Deeply influenced by the Chinese holistic concept of ‘harmony between man and nature’, TABLE revives the practice of eating according to seasonality. Seasonal local vegetables and other ingredients are incorporated into the menu according to Traditional Chinese medicine principles and the 24 Solar Terms. The five internal organs are nourished by maintaining the harmony of the five elements within the body to optimise wellbeing. Dishes also aim to showcase beloved local flavours using Western cooking techniques with ingredients from Hong Kong and around the world to create a ‘Conscious, Ingredient Based Cuisine’ that is uniquely Hong Kong and uniquely ‘Sandy’.
