The Perennial | Anthony Myint & Karen Leibowitz | Talks at Google

TL;DR

The Perennial is a mission-driven restaurant in San Francisco that is using food as a solution to combat climate change.

Transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING] SPEAKER: Welcome, Anthony Myint and Karen Leibowitz, who are husband and wife co-founders of the Perennial. This is an award-winning San Francisco restaurant and bar dedicated to making food the delicious solution to climate change. And when I say award-winning, I mean Best New Restaurants in America, 25 Most Daring Companies in Ame... Read More

Key Insights

• 😋 The restaurant industry has the potential to be a catalyst for positive change in the food system and sustainability.
• 🧑‍⚕️ Perennial grains like Kernza and regenerative agriculture have the potential to combat climate change by restoring soil health and sequestering carbon.
• 😋 Restaurants can educate and inspire their customers by incorporating sustainable practices and providing delicious food as an entry point for discussions on sustainability.

Questions & Answers

Q: What inspired Anthony Myint and Karen Leibowitz to start the Perennial?

Anthony and Karen were inspired by the realization that the food system is a major contributor to climate change and wanted to create a restaurant that could be part of the solution.

Q: What are some of the sustainable practices implemented by the Perennial?

The Perennial uses perennial grains like Kernza in their bread, follows a no-waste policy, and serves meat from ranches that promote perennial grasses. They also have a food waste-powered greenhouse.

Q: How does the Perennial engage with their customers in their mission?

The Perennial aims to be low-key in their activism and let people's questions guide the conversation. They also host public events and have become a gathering place for the sustainable food movement.

Q: How does the Perennial collaborate with other restaurants and organizations?

The Perennial collaborates with other restaurants through their nonprofit organization, Zero Food Print, which helps chefs and restaurateurs assess and offset their carbon footprint. They also work with ranches that practice carbon farming.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The Perennial is an award-winning restaurant in San Francisco that is dedicated to engaging people in transforming the food system through environmentalism without compromise.

• The restaurant incorporates sustainable practices, such as using perennial grains like Kernza in their bread and following a no-waste policy.

• They aim to educate and inspire their customers by being low-key in their activism and providing delicious food that acts as an entry point for discussions on sustainability.