Sustainable Food

According to data published by the Department of Climate Action in 2022, more than a third of people in Catalonia said that over half their weekly shop consisted of local produce. Although inflation in recent times may have had something of a negative impact, the overall trend is clear: there’s a preference for fresh, seasonal, local produce when food shopping. It’s something everyone can do every day that benefits health, boosts the local agri-food economy, and is as respectful of the environment as it’s possible to be.

But what happens when eating out? In Barcelona it’s possible to make the same sort of positive choices, as there are restaurants that have menus based on seasonal local produce in every neighbourhood. In fact, the 2024 slow food guide lists a hundred and one establishments in the city that serve sustainable local cuisine – and there are already seven more than there were last year. Of these, twenty-nine are “caragols”. In other words, they stand out for their 360º approach to sustainability criteria.

An ongoing relationship with suppliers, plus bags of creativity

One of the four brand new “caragols” in this latest edition is El Mercader de l’Eixample, located in the narrow street that runs parallel to Rambla de Catalunya between Mallorca and Provença streets. The restaurant was opened by Claudio Hoyos in 2016, with the aim of offering traditional Catalan cuisine, but based on organic, zero-kilometre ingredients. As for the dishes that change depending on the season, these are concentrated in the ‘suggestions’ section of the menu and in the side dishes: soups and stews in winter, taking advantage of seasonal spinach and artichokes, moving on to calçots (these are rather like large spring onions) and now endives and strawberries are coming into season.

Alberto de Castro, who has been the chef for the past two years, explains that while being consistent in adhering to these principles presents a challenge, at the same time it’s the project’s raison d’être, because they choose not to include products that come from further afield: “We might have ideas about dishes we’d like to include, but we’re always bound by what the producers happen to have at any given point in time; we depend on them, and that’s why there needs to be clear communication on a daily basis, as well as a kind of creativity in the kitchen that isn’t necessary if you simply choose to buy what you want, whenever you want it”.

Bar Guinardó, located on C/ Teodor Llorente in the lower part of the neighbourhood near the market, also operates along these lines. The menu here is more or less fixed, with variations on certain ingredients depending on the time of year. For example, the chips on offer might be sweet potato or aubergine, and it depends what’s available on the market which veggies are used for making the pakoras.

As well as using seasonal, organic local ingredients, the restaurant’s key aim is to help revitalise the life and the economy of the neighbourhood. For this reason there’s a set menu on offer each day that costs just fourteen euros – a price that can only be maintained by constant adaptation: “Rather than putting deep-frozen prawns in a paella, we make arròs mariner, a similar rice dish with cuttlefish and mussels from the Mediterranean. We accept that not everything is possible, but what we cook is always aligned with our values”, explains Virginia Barrachina i Masip, the chef’s daughter and a partner in the business.

Something for everyone

In Poblenou, in the heart of the 22@ district, you’ll find Sopa, a restaurant that opened its doors ten years ago. As the current manager Sandra Rosal explains, at that time there was a growing awareness and focus on diet – veganism, vegetarianism, healthy eating, food allergies – and that their goal was to offer a menu that could compete with any restaurant in the neighbourhood, and that was at the same time healthier and more respectful towards the planet.

There are vegan and vegetarian options for both breakfast and lunch, and on the two course set menu seasonal soups really stand out. The restaurant also functions as a café in the afternoons. Their customers are a mix of people; some work at tech companies or in the communications firms based in the area, while others are locals, or families with children at nearby schools. They always try to “offer dishes that are attractive to everyone, not only to those who already share their values, at a price that can compete with other establishments in the area”, explains Sandra Rosal.

Other values linked to social and environmental justice

Choosing to buy local produce is also linked to other values that foster respect for people, and for the planet. At both Sopa and El Mercader de l’Eixample, tackling food waste is an essential part of day to day life, and helps to define the dishes they serve. For example, at Sopa they always buy the wonky fruit and veg discarded by vendors because their appearance fails to match market expectations, and in Alberto de Castro’s kitchen, everything is used, and nothing is thrown away: “If we serve meat, the bones are always used for making stock”, for example.

In the case of Bar Guinardó, a stable and lasting relationship with suppliers is key, despite some of them unfortunately being forced to close due to the recent economic crisis. Focusing on agroecology and local production, Cal Notari grows food crops in the Baix Llobregat, and Granja Armengol in Osona makes dairy products. Factors such as using fair trade coffee in the café, and projects centred on the social inclusion of vulnerable groups, like the one at Ordi Natura, which makes sweets and provides jobs for people with intellectual disabilities, are other key aspects.

Taking things a step further by getting customers involved

What’s more, truly believing in what you stand for means communicating with your customers with a view to changing attitudes and encouraging positive action. In spite of the social and economic roller coaster that’s affected Bar Guinardó ever since it opened its doors just a few months before the pandemic hit, confidence and trust have been maintained thanks to the local people that fill the place each day.

People from all walks of life, more or less aware of the need to take action in the face of the climate emergency. And this, according to Ot Alerm, is where the key to transformation lies: “We aim to educate in subtle ways, getting the message across without a need for marketing tactics or posters, talking to customers face to face when they congratulate us on our dishes, ask us where the ingredients come from, or why this or that is on the menu rather than something else that’s not currently in season.

At El Mercader del Eixample, which has an open-concept kitchen, Alberto de Castro explains that he likes to talk to people in person at the tables: “I like to know what it is that led them to pay us a visit, to find out what they think of our dishes, to make sure that they understand why we don’t always have absolutely everything, and to see that although there may be less variety, what we do serve is good, and is made using high quality ingredients”.

The challenge: keeping going in the face of high inflation

Alberto de Castro also stresses the need to find staff with specific training, and a mindset in line with the values of the project. In this case, after two years he’s beginning to reap the rewards: “Rather than looking for people who are already very knowledgeable, which is difficult, we’ve chosen to teach those who are keen to learn because what we need is dedication, and it’s easier to work in restaurants where there are fewer constraints”. This is also the case at Sopa, where all the staff are vegetarian and support the project.

However, one thing that all these three businesses are concerned about when looking ahead to the future is the difficulty in continuing to uphold their values in the face of rising food prices, and the general increase in the cost of living. “If you want to keep faith with the project, you have to accept the fact that your profit margin will be small, and that it will take ever more ingenuity to come up with recipes that are competitive and that don’t require you to raise consumer prices unduly”, says Sandra Rosal.

Moreover, as Ot Alerm of Bar Guinardó points out, “more and more people are calling for organic, seasonal and zero-kilometre products, but at the same time, projects like ours, which want to help sustain the life of the neighbourhood, are being stifled in a city where the big companies are gobbling up the market. And are the only ones who can afford to pay the high rents demanded, and take on the risk of starting a new venture”.